Blog 009 — Do Something Mental & Physical

Chris Ulbrich
Aug 23, 2017 · 2 min read

My favorite activities in life are anything that is just as much mental as they are physical. I enjoy some things that are just one, but the hobbies that keep you feeling alive are those with both.

My first obvious example is dance.
Anyone who has ever tried to social dance understands the mental capacity it takes to lead or be lead around the floor. Nevermind the mental and physical stress competitive dancing has.

I think we can agree that fitness is just as much mental as it is physical.
Have you ever heard of the 40% rule? Developed by Navy Seals, it says the moment you tell yourself that’s enough; you have another 60% left. But this 60% is not body or mind. It’s actually will.

An excellent example of this is MMA fighting.
I trained in MMA for a year, (never actually fighting) but training and sparring were enough to get the gist. The technical aspects combined with the physicality coupled with the will to stay in the fight left me with a good headache after the first few times. (Could have been from loss of air in chokeholds, but we’ll never know.)

My final example is golf.
It’s the only activity that you can be a rock star one day, and a complete loser the next. Better yet, hole to hole I am an entirely new player. I always say “I’m in constantly an incredible golfer.”

The biggest difference I find between ballroom and golf is you progressively get better at dancing. You don’t typically have a day when you screw up every single pattern. But I’ve had days when I’ve messed up every single shot.

There are some things that I do that are just mental. Like chess, poker, writing, or reading. You can give your body a break, but not your mind.

I’m trying to think of something that could just be physical. A mindless activity that doesn’t take strategy or willpower?

Let me know if you have something???

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Chris Ulbrich

Written by

Fitness | Ballroom | Business

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