Many people don't know that I hug each member of my program on a daily basis. It is how I say farewell to ALL the people in my Strength and Conditioning program. Although the guys are a bit weirded out by it, they soon become a part of the "Hugging Farewells" I give.
One of the best reactions I received was from none other than Dave Tate. He went for the handshake and like a good wrestler, I slipped by it and got him in a full on front hold. And not just the pat on the back version...I hug from the heart. The first time though, he stiffened up like someone shot him in the back with one of those bean bags the police use to dispatch a non lethal shot. Then he didn't know what to do with his hands. I laughed and told him, better get comfortable with it, it's the way I am!
Now I'm not telling YOU to go out and embrace people. I can get away with it because people KNOW I'm weird (and that's just a by-product of being AWEFUNKINGSOME) but, the health benefits are proven.
1. The nurturing touch of a hug builds trust and a sense of safety. This helps with open and honest communication.
2. Hugs can instantly boost oxytocin levels, which heal feelings of loneliness, isolation, and anger.
3. Holding a hug for an extended time lifts one's serotonin levels, elevating mood and creating happiness.
4. Hugs strengthen the immune system. The gentle pressure on the sternum and the emotional charge this creates activates the Solar Plexus. This stimulates the thymus gland, which regulates and balances the body's production of white blood cells, which keep you healthy and disease free.
5. Hugging boosts self-esteem. From the time we're born our family's touch shows us that we're loved and special. The associations of self-worth and tactile sensations from our early years are still imbedded in our nervous system as adults. The cuddles we received from our Mom and Dad while growing up remain imprinted at a cellular level, and hugs remind us at a somatic level of that. Hugs, therefore, connect us to our ability to self love.
6. Hugging relaxes muscles. Hugs release tension in the body. Hugs can take away pain; they soothe aches by increasing circulation into the soft tissues.
7. Hugs balance out the nervous system. The galvanic skin response of someone receiving and giving a hug shows a change in skin conductance. The effect in moisture and electricity in the skin suggests a more balanced state in the nervous system - parasympathetic.
8. Hugs teach us how to give and receive. There is equal value in receiving and being receptive to warmth, as to giving and sharing. Hugs educate us how love flows both ways.
9. Hugs are so much like meditation and laughter. They teach us to let go and be present in the moment. They encourage us to flow with the energy of life. Hugs get you out of your circular thinking patterns and connect you with your heart and your feelings and your breath.
10. The energy exchange between the people hugging is an investment in the relationship. It encourages empathy and understanding. And, it's synergistic, which means the whole is more than the sum of its parts: 1 1 = 3 or more! This synergy is more likely to result in win-win outcomes.
I've been sending off the people that train with me on a daily basis for over 20 years, and doing so, people will NOT leave until I can give them one.
Hugs are wonderful!
Today's Training:
Kettle Bell Swing: 3x20x1 pood
GHR: 3x10
Suspended Knees to Elbow: 3x15
Dead Lift:
On the collegiate rack, pull from the #1 pin hole up to a heavy single
-Then vary the heights of the top pin to do Loaded Isometrics: 3 sets x 4 count with 315 on the bar. Take caution...the moment you put the bar down after accumulating all that interpulmonic pressure will result in EXTREME dizziness.
Seated Abs using a medium band: 3x20
Bike commute: 20 minutes
5K run: no time