the rum soaked fist: internal martial arts forum

Many times, we adhere to the "physical" side of skill while ignoring the internal mechanics of unity, fusion, integration, synthesis, etc so we end up with compartmentalization syndrome where all sides remain ignorant of the other. Let the tea leaves rise and fall on their own (in the hot water) instead of trying to push it down in a hurried way to get the final product. Take your time. Enjoy the journey.......

Interestingly, Mr Bourdain had all the tools of success, access, etc but he ended up like those we see in the street..with no one to seek out to alleviate the internal suffering and pain.

Interesting article. I remember in the 70's when, in New York, many kids were saved from drugs by taking up martial arts. The scourge pf heroin had struck and many leaders uptown had adopted martial arts as a bulwark against addiction. I can remember several kids in my own school who were saved in this fashion although it was a sad day when we learnt of a student who dropped out and OD'ed. The drugs however took their toll and some well known practitioners succumbed.

Well written
I saw Bourdain on the show American Vahalla with his mate Iggy pop
On the show Iggy was doing his strange distorted tai chi and chi gung
I wonder why people in the martial arts need the validation of celebrities
Most are just people like many other students who try it out for a short time and move on
Lou reed who's music I love was shooting herione when I had turned away from rock and roll and was training hard
I question the teachers who parade these short term students and don't just put them in the background training hard
The commercial imperitave is paramount I suppose
I have trained many celebrities over the years actors,rugby stars ,vogue models and a world heavyweight boxer
It would have been easy to take publicity photos with these people but that would have stolen from them as students
In the world of training they were just a student.
I looked at Bourdain and just saw an unhealthy man of arrogance pushing something he had just started doing

Didn`t read the article yet.
However:
endorphins high can be achieved by shot of heroin - this is short track,
or
by heavy workout - longer way, /long distance runners knows it well/.
This connection is answering questions which may arises from the title.

When you train hard, and suddenly have a break / whatever the reason is/,-
-you`re starting lookin` for something to fill the hole - left after missing endorphins.
Heroin do it very well.
Reversing this route works similar.
When you`re ready to quit, and abandon >cold turkey < state by healthy way,- trainings will help you thrive the worst.

I`m speaking from my personal experience when I was 25-30 y.o.,
so
quite long ago, but
don`t thing, that anything change there.

Physical exertion is also helpful in depression but I guess it didn't help him. I didn't know anything about his life but as an outsider I would say that his lifestyle was hardly conducive to leading a healthy life. Wayne, my experience with celebrities, it is an add on rather than a cmmitment

I (re)took up CMA after quitting drinking and going into recovery. I still remember standing santi and shaking and sweating and not being certain if it was the booze getting out of my system or the exertion (likely the latter). The transformation of my mind and body was pretty remarkable and I am convinced it would have been much harder without a good teacher and training.

It's funny I have taken up bjj in the past few years and i've noticed it has some very addictive qualities. The adrenaline rush, the drive to improve, rank up, learn new techniques, etc. The way that everything else in life falls away, the camaraderie. It's not that these things are negative, it's just that can take over ones life to the detriment of other, more important aspects. I have seen it with a few classmates. But obviously it's not always this way, and there are great benefits to the training as well.