Warrior Positioning & Leg Structure

“Find your structure. Engage with it fully.
Release everything else.”

Hi Everyone,

Wishing you well. This short form flow goes out to Emma, a regular student in my outdoor classes. The other day she brought up the concept of learning when to push and when to back off, particularly in rock climbing. She mentioned feeling tired and shaky on the wall, but decided to do something a little different than her norm: she pushed through, tested her body and continued to climb.

Sometimes we forget just how strong we are.

Here is a sequence that will test your leg strength, coordination, and focus. Notice when you want to give up. Notice when you get distracted. Notice when you back off or break form. There is a level of structure, tension and discipline that are required to hold these movements well, that’s why it’s titled warrior positioning. Imagine you’re the archetypal warrior, the samurai, the archer, etc.

However, there is also a softness that must compliment this intensity and focus. The warrior builds tension, heck, even invites it, but also learns to release it, never getting stuck in just one disposition. Play with this balance and make it your own. Learn how to cultivate the intensity of the warrior while still remaining open, pliable and observant to all that surrounds you.

I’ll end with a quote from a book I’m reading titled, Awake at Work by Michael Carroll. In it he mentions a passage from the War of Art by Sun Tzu relating warrioship and leadership.

Carroll writes, “Sun Tzu teaches that the warrior leader must be relaxed and open to the present moment at all times. The more at ease the warrior is with the situation at hand, the more open and powerful and fearless he or she becomes as a leader. Sun Tzu’s instruction on engaging the extraordinary is to first “know oneself” and, through that knowing, to work directly with conflict, appreciate the immediate moment, and let natural intelligence arise.”