Sea Squirts and Double Unders

Part One : Activation

This may be overly simplistic, but our brain needs 2 things to thrive: Activation and Fuel.

Activation comes from the sensory and motor information gathered by our nervous system.

As our bodies move, we activate our nervous system and engage our brains in the complex process of:

1. Gathering info
2. Planning action
3. Predicting outcomes
4. Executing intension
5. Adjusting the plan

Without this type of stimulation our brains slowly degenerate.

Check out this short TEDTalk by Neuroscientist Daniel Wolpert titled, the Real Reason for Brains.

As we age, we move less (you could make an argument that we age because we move less). When we move less, our brain and spinal cord lose nerve cells and weight (atrophy).

Based on exercise and health data from nearly 5,000 men and women over 65 years of age, those who exercised were less likely to lose their mental abilities or develop dementia, including Alzheimer’s – Nature Neuroscience, May 1998.

In fact, Scottish dancing has been studied and shown to combat degenerative aging. 

Other styles have demonstrated promising improvements in early stage Parkinson’s patients. 

“Dancing improves brain function on a variety of levels, when we dance we’re usually negotiating multiple factors: changing physical space, the cues of a partner, rhythm/body coordination, and touch.” Christopher Bergland, Psychology today

Of coarse it doesn’t have to be dance.  Introducing any new skill or sport will expand your neural network.

Remember the Sea Squirt. Get out and move. The more new and novel the movement, the better.

Andy

Warm Up:

Coach’s Choice

Skill/Str:

A. 1.1.1 Snatch Pull EMOM, 12 min

B1. 5 Pendley Rows, 4 sets

Workout:

Flight Simulator – 

5 unbroken double unders

10 unbroken double unders

15 unbroken double unders

20 unbroken double unders

25 unbroken double unders

30 unbroken double unders

35 unbroken double unders

40 unbroken double unders

45 unbroken double unders

50 unbroken double unders

45 unbroken double unders

40 unbroken double unders

35 unbroken double unders

30 unbroken double unders

25 unbroken double unders

20 unbroken double unders

15 unbroken double unders

10 unbroken double unders

5 unbroken double unders

You must stop between sets. If you trip up, you must restart the set from the beginning.

No time limit. Just move out of the next class’s way. This is a right of passage on your journey to DU mastery.

Scaled version A

Mini Flight Simulator: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5

Scaled Version B

15 min of Double Under Practice