Sunday, May 31, 2009

Z-health & the Art of Motorcycle Mobility

10 minutes of mobility with Z-health NWU Level 1
4 hours of motorcycle mobility/243 miles:

4 comments:

Amy Jurrens said...

I'm going to have to try that motorcycle mobility. I hear it's the next great thing! :)

I do need to do R-Phase tonight, though. Back at heavy training Monday!

John Roberts said...

The ankle circles, thoracic AP glides, and finger waves are helpful for me during very long rides!

BTW, I was reading about sensory-motor amnesia in R-Phase, which reminded me of a few years ago while exiting an Interstate from a long leg of a cross-country trip where I had to 1. Tell my foot to move up off the foot board towards the brake, 2. Tell my right hand to ease off the throttle, and 3. Tell my left hand to ungrip and reach for the clutch. It happens!
:)

Amy Jurrens said...

I have had to do the exact same thing!! In the middle of a ride coming to a stop sign, I've had to tell my body what to do as well. It freaks me out. It's happened a couple times, but I just thought it was because I'm blonde. Now I have a name for it - sensory-motor amnesia.

I TOTALLY have to do Z before and after a big ride. It messes with the CNS big time.

John Roberts said...

Alright, I just Googled "motorcycle sensory amnesia" to see if we are the only two who have experienced this phenomena. I doubt it, but I have never heard of anyone making too much of an issue of it. It scared me too!
This is what I found at:
http://www.somatics.com/s-m-a.htm
that related to the Z-Health R-Phase workbook's reference that I read, "The term, Sensory-Motor Amnesia, refers to states of muscular activity that we no longer sense because they have become so habitual. We are no longer aware of the action of holding tense. That's the amnesia. People are also often "amnesic" about the injury that led to their tension habit -- until asked to recall injuries they have had in their lives. Suddenly, the connection between their pain and the old injury becomes clear."

Still searching on Google with nothing to compare our experiences except a mention of "inattentional blindness", which could be somewhat related to the prior:
http://jeff.dean.home.att.net/blind.htm

I give up. I'll just keep doing my Z-health before, during, and after long rides. Keep your shiny side up!!!