Lessons from a Spin class- Back to ZERO

 

The sweet metaphorical “cycle” of going back to zero resistance after every track 

8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-0

Back to ZERO

It’s easier to understand with the example of endurance sports. 

1-2-3-4–5-6-7-8 (1 is lowest resistance/intensity and 8 is highest) 

As we move right in the numbers, and intensity increases, there’ll be a point where we’ll reach fatigue. Exhaustion. The maximum energy you can work at. 

At that point, it’ll be difficult to maintain form, speed, position efficiently for longer duration. Often associated with running and cycling. 

Professional cycling has many more terms. For the purpose of this article, I’ll keep it simple. 

A typical spinning class starts with zero resistance. 

A warmup

1-2-3 - Back to Zero 

1-2 

3-4-5 - Back to Zero 

1-2 

2-3-4-5-6 - Back to Zero 

1-2-3

4-5-6-7 - Back to Zero 

2-3 

3-4-5-6-7-8 - Back to Zero 

2-1 - Zero, cool down and we’re done! 

The beautiful function of going back to zero, and riding at 1-2 enables one to

Take a breath 

Relax 

Take a sip 

Get back strong into the ride

No two humans are the same. 

Our ability to overcome personal bias determines our capacity to “stay objective” 

As in, to go “back to zero” after every scenario. 

We often tend to build on previous experiences 

Makes us look at others through coloured lenses than a clear lens 

Sure we can measure it.

Our conscious effort (number of times we practice it in a day) 

steering AWAY from words behaviors and actions that express

• sarcasm
• passive aggressiveness
• defensiveness
• criticism

And continuously (key word being CONTINUOUS) align/return our attitude to ACTIVE COMPASSION (returning to zero)

That’s the compass 

The more we return back to zero in every situation 

Increases our ability to stay away from frustration, anger and the likes 

And what else do we benefit from by our ability to go back to zero? 

It enables us to forgive

Which enables us to keep an open mind and live life more free 

Which gives us MORE POWER for every single undertaking in our 24 hours 

Eat Workout Work Sleep Repeat 🔁 

Makes us less prejudiced towards others 

Makes us have better relationships with people around us

What a glorious life that is to live it, day after day! 

Let’s face it 

Vacations and going away into nature for 10 days or how ever longer

But not learning actively to treat oneself and other humans better in words, actions and behaviors 

Might make us appreciate nature but doesn’t make us free 

No matter how many cacao ceremonies, trips, festivals or learning about other cultures and alternate living and do yoga or sport everyday if you’d like 

How many ever times 

It just makes us experienced escapers! 

It’s upto us to choose to enter a situation, leave and return to zero or not. 

It’s also similar to entering every time with a clean sheet. 

A clean sheet to the opportunity, the people, the surrounding. A work colleague, a friend, a partner, a family member, a stranger, you name it. 

Ain’t it liberating to know and learn, 

That whether we’d like to be FREE 

Or whether we’d like to be TANGLED ESCAPERS 

Is absolutely in our hands!