Falling Down

"It's the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine)" - R.E.M.

At this point, much of the world has been shut down to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Schools, offices, gyms, bars and restaurants and any other "non-essential" services are closed for at least the next few weeks.  Most of us have had our daily routines completely disrupted.  Trapped in our houses and flats with cabin fever, stalked by an invisible enemy that threatens not just us, but our loved ones, especially our older loved ones like our parents and grandparents.  Any of us could unknowingly transmit this lethal disease to anyone else without showing any symptoms ourselves.  It's absolutely terrifying, like something out of a horror movie.  None of us can say how long this will last or if it will ever end at all.  We have only hope.  And each other.

Last time, about 3 weeks ago, I wrote about our training and how it helps.  Since then I've been watching everyone including myself.  Slowly, this situation is wearing us down.  Day by day we sink deeper and struggle harder to keep our heads above water.  We need to understand that many of us may fall into depression, and we need to know how to help ourselves (and others) if we do.

The Big D
The WHO considers depression the main cause of disability worldwide.  Yep.  The MAIN CAUSE.  Affecting more than 264 million people of all ages worldwide.  In the worst cases depression can even lead to suicide and nearly 800,000 people every year kill themselves, making it the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds.  It's that serious.  Depression is nearly twice as common in women as in men, and can affect children as young as 3 years old.  Some small children, due to lack of language skills, cannot express their feelings of sadness to us, making depression in children particularly challenging to diagnose or treat.  Depression can occur anytime we are impacted by major life events and is characterized by feelings of hopelessness and despair for extended periods of time, or  when we perceive a loss of control or the ability to determine the outcomes of our decisions.  Given the nearly unprecedented changes we are facing, and the long duration of these stresses, it is natural that many of us will be at high risk of depression in these times.

What Does It Look Like?
Typical symptoms of depression can include:

• a depressed mood
• reduced interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed
• a loss of sexual desire
• changes in appetite
• unintentional weight loss or gain
• sleeping too much or too little
• agitation, restlessness, and pacing up and down
• slowed movement and speech
• fatigue or loss of energy
• feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions
• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or an attempt at suicide

While everyone experiences some of these behaviors from time to time, depression is generally acknowledged when these feelings/symptoms persist for extended periods of time (at least 2 weeks or more).  In some cases, depression can least years.

Now What?
As always, it is important to observe yourself and your behaviors.  Sudden changes in circumstance can result in sudden changes in behavior too.  Keeping track of changes is also a good way to observe trends, and there are many apps available that can help you monitor your eating habits, sleep patterns, energy levels and the like.  Keeping a journal or blog (online or using a notebook) can be a good way to record your thoughts, feelings and emotions for later review.

If you suspect that you might be at risk of depression, especially if you have a history of depression or other mental illness, what should you do about it?

Acknowledge What You Observe
There should be no stigma about mental illness.  It is extremely common and can affect ANYONE.  There is no shame in it, and recognizing the symptoms/acknowledging the situation is the first step toward prevention and healing.

Engage Others Often
It is important to overcome feelings of isolation and disconnection so that we can engage others and talk about what's going on.  When we are depressed we often feel we have no one to listen to us, but in fact even if money is an issue there are various online forums/chats and free dial services that we can use.  Some of these are even anonymous which can help if we feel nervous or embarrassed.  Support groups abound. Get involved, share, be connected.  It's OK to feel down.  It's not OK to not do anything about it.

Plan Daily and Act with Immediacy
Lethargy and lack of motivation are trademark symptoms of depression.  It's good to make plans and routines for every day which include: setting the alarm clock (and not ignoring it to snooze!), interacting with others (even online via video calls), healthy eating (bias toward natural fruits and vegetables) and moving the body.  Here are some great ways to keep active at home: https://www.self.com/gallery/bodyweight-exercises-you-can-do-at-home
Take multivitamins (especially vitamin C, Vitamin D and Omegas) as needed to make sure you have good nutrition.  Make use of your bath daily (epsom salts or other add-ins help too!)  Being at home is a great opportunity to rediscover the joys of cooking meals, and it is good to avoid overusing meal delivery services in favor of making your own where possible.  If you need more skills, there are many, many shows on YouTube that can teach you to make just about anything.  Meditation (at least 15 minutes daily) is also highly recommended for helping to manage stress.  We may be in lock down but if the weather is nice, go out on the balcony or roof for even a few minutes to feel the breeze and sunshine.

Music and Mood
Do make sure to keep pleasant sounds around you throughout the day, especially if your place is too quiet.  Background noises can be comforting music, nature sounds or anything that helps you relax.  Aroma is helpful too.  All 5 senses play a part in what you perceive, which plays a part in how you feel.

Seek Professional Help
If these negative feelings and behaviors persist, especially if they become thoughts of self-harm or suicide, they must be treated as legitimate and serious.  It's important to seek immediate, professional help including hospital/clinic visits if needed.  Depression is often treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy, which can be very effective. Depression is like any other serious disorder - potentially deadly if left untreated.

In the End
In times of turmoil, it's natural to feel stress.  Make sure to check yourself, and the people around you, to be sure not to be overwhelmed by everything that's going on.  COVID-19 is not the only serious illness out there these days.  Depression is far deadlier.  We can get through this.  I promise.

Stay Vigilant.

IN CRISIS MODE

Wow, it's crazy out there isn't it?  COVID-19 all around us.  Oil price shock.  Stock market collapse.  Panic buying of toilet paper and protective masks, quarantines, the government lying about everything (at least in the US)... Every day seems to bring new and unforeseen challenges.

As martial artists, we might think that our training is just limited to what we learn and do on the mats.  Not so.  We are experienced crisis managers, discovering ourselves through personal experience of danger, risk and uncertainty during our training.  We regularly experience fear, panic and the "fight or flight" response during drills.  We feel (and give) aggressive intent to help each other learn to handle pressure and stress.  We train ourselves, mind body and spirit, to have "a bias for action" rather than standing by like deer in the headlights.  We are active problem solvers who don't give up or give in.  We use all our tools (physical, mental and spiritual) to achieve the best possible outcomes.

We've been through tough situations before including 9-11, SARS and others.  This is not our first time, nor will it be our last time.  However, it's a good time to practice what we preach and be the leaders we know the world needs.

So what now??

My way is to consider three facets:  Physical, Mental, Spiritual.  I try to focus on the following:

Physical
Take Care of Your Physical Health.  This doesn't just mean good hygiene and sanitation, which should be the norm at all times anyway.  It means taking even more care that we eat properly, hydrate properly and get enough sleep.  It means continuing our routine of exercise and training and going about our lives as though the Earth will continue to spin (which I presume it will).  Set specific numerical goals for yourself.  Here are some ideas:

1) Drink at least 3L of pure water daily.
2) Eat healthy foods whenever possible, reduce or eliminate in-between snacks.  Drink non-sugared tea or black coffee when not having pure water.  Reduce or eliminate alcohol.  Use the highest quality ingredients you can afford.
3) Get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
4) Exercise at least 3 times/week including both strength and cardio workouts.
5) Take vitamins/supplements as needed (multivitamins, fish oils)
6) Enjoy cold showers/hot baths (including Epsom salts) to boost immune system
7) Continue Intermittent Fasting
8) Stretch or do yoga daily
9) BREATHE!

Mental
Mental Health is key in crisis situations.  There is a lot of fear and paranoia involved in times of crisis and we suffer from increased stress and pressure even in everyday tasks and situations.

1) Meditate at least 15 minutes daily
2) Make detailed, rational plans, back up plans and routines.  Set goals at the smallest unit of time you need to to keep busy and active.
3) Communicate and encourage those around you via video calls, emails, chats, etc.
4) despite 3) above, limit technology use especially in the evening so as not to interfere with sleep patterns
5) Use music, aromatherapy and other tools to aid relaxation.
6) Look for and Recognize the signs of mental stress/panic/depression including elevated heart rate, shallow breathing, difficulty concentrating, lethargy.  Acknowledge these when they happen and work to counteract their effects.
7) Limit media to only the most trusted, non-partisan news sources.
8) Take time off work or work from home as needed.
9) Think flexibly --- expect disruptions/cancellations and try not to get upset or overreact.
10) Imagine your daily life returning to "normal" once this is all over, which it will.

Spiritual
A strong spiritual base is a great asset in times of stress.  Use these times to give deeper affirmation to your beliefs.

1) Meditate at least 15 minutes daily.
2) Share and highlight the positive rather than the negative.  Spread love not fear.
3) Continue your daily Tai Chi/Chi Kung/Yoga practice.
4) Exhibit LOVE, COMPASSION and EMPATHY to others as much as you can.  We all need it.
5) Keep your sense of humor.  Laughter is the best medicine.
6) Stay Connected.  Don't allow yourself to withdraw from others.  Be engaged and active socially, even if remotely.  Check in on each other.

This, too, shall pass. 

ALL IN

In Kali Majapahit we spend a lot of time considering body mechanics.  In fact, it's really the truth of what we do and why.  We don't cite the "power of Ki", "divine providence" or any ethereal reason for why techniques work or don't.  Instead we use a very scientific approach rooted in body mechanics, physics and ergonomics.  For each movement, there is an explainable reason why it is done the way it is done, and that reason will hold up to scientific scrutiny.  Said simply, we want to:

1. stay in balance and keep the opponent off of balance ---> control the head/neck/spine
2. use stronger/harder weapons against weaker/softer targets
3. deliver our maximum body weight on impact
4. Protect our vital organs/meridians from damage

When training, we learn to consider how to best apply our body mass to the situation to achieve the optimal outcome with the least possible effort or risk, thereby maximizing our chances in a real encounter.

One of the most critical elements of achieving the above four objectives is to learn to apply the full body weight into each and every movement.  For many martial artists, striking/kicking/locking are "localized" skills, meaning that they are principally delivered using the arms (striking) or legs (kicking) as appropriate.  Even locking techniques are applied using mainly the strength of the arms for leverage and the hips/legs for balance.  In training I often see younger belts operating weapons or their techniques in such a localized manner and commenting that either: A) it doesn't work effectively or B) it's very tiring/unsustainable to do very many repetitions.  Furthermore, when height and weight differences are extreme, such as child versus adult or female versus male the techniques are not effective and lead to frustration and disbelief in their usefulness.

It is precisely those scenarios for which a good understanding of body mechanics and physics is important.  Beyond this academic understanding, fluency in delivering the full body weight on impact is essential for success in any combat art.

This means that we must carefully study the construction of the body as two planes (shoulder plane and hip plane) connected to a central drive shaft (spine) delivering the hips via the Tanden (the center or gravity point located just below the belly button).  Optimally, kinetic energy is begun in the feet by pointing them in the direction of the motion and flexing the knees similarly to engage the body weight.  This energy is continued through rotation of the plane of the hips, which transfers energy through the plane of the shoulders via the spinal column.  Finally, this energy is projected through the hands via the shoulder line and is delivered to the target via the elbows and hands (or potentially through a weapon).  Keeping elbows down and armpits closed helps preserve this energy by keeping the arms clearly connected to the shoulder line and hip line.  For kicking, the hip rotation delivers power through the knees into the striking surfaces of the feet.  For every technique, it is helpful to examine the process of delivering the body weight through the impact tools into the target.  The delivery platform consists of hinges and ball joints (rotators) in the shoulders/hips, elbows/knees and wrists/ankles which can efficiently transfer power from the hips and shoulders when delivered via the spine.

In grappling, power is delivered via the hips which either compress the opponent into the floor (top position) or provide means of escape via bridging, shrimping or other dynamic movement (bottom position).  In locking, power is usually delivered via the back/hips/legs against the isolated joint in order to provide maximum leverage to hyper-extend/dislocate the joint.  In chokes (denying air supply to the lungs) and strangles (denying blood supply to the brain) as well, the main muscle groups used for leverage are those of the back, hips and legs rather than the arms.

In every sport as well, success is measured by the ability of the athlete to deliver the body weight via the hips into the extremities.  Swinging a tennis racket, baseball bat or golf club, throwing a discus or javelin, long jumping/high jumping and swimming are all great examples of the need to use the entire body to deliver sustainable peak performance.

On a separate topic, double stick  drills, hubud lubud and other weapon manipulation mimics musical skills like guitar, piano and drums which require the performer to use right and left hands independently to achieve an integrated outcome.  This has significant implications for brain neuro-plasticity, treatment/prevention of Alzheimer's disease and improvement of various neuro-muscular disorders.  Martial arts training has been proven to aid treatment of Parkinson's disease, ADHD and a host of other conditions.

I strongly suggest training slow enough to see and confirm how the energy is developed through each efficient motion and working on the body mechanics using the entire body rather than the localized part.  This will not only make each technique more powerful, it will allow for longer training sessions without fatigue.  Lastly, it will help develop a critical eye when observing other martial arts and sports since you will train yourself to see how they use their bodies (or don't) to achieve results.

Like everything in life, if it is worth doing, it is worth doing with your full ability (full attention/focus/concentration, full body weight, full intention/commitment) in order to get the best possible outcome.  Learn to go ALL IN.

Consider this carefully.