Sleep Marathons

[Royal Dragon]

I just had a conversation with an old friend. The subject of low motivation to train came up. He had a rather remarkable solution...take 3-4 days and just lay around and sleep as many hours as possible.

Now, I have done this during times of excessive stress, or prolonged over working and such, but never intentionally. It's allways been as a result of pushing myself untill I just didn't have anything left to give and I burnt out.

He is advocating a Sleep marathon be done intentionally to remedy training doldrum issues where you just lose your motivation.

My friend says the method can also be used to get through flat spots and plateaus in your training.

Has anyone ever done something like this? What were the results?

[IronFist]

I do that as much as I can. I didn't know there was a name for it.

Are you allowed to use chemical help for your sleep? Nyquil? Melatonin? Presecription sleep aids, etc.?

edit - if you're doing a massive recovery like this I'd make sure to have your diet be as perfect as possible, too. Food and sleep are what recovery is all about.

[Royal Dragon]

No chemical help is allowed. Diet is same as allways, only larger portions.

His theory is you have to stay resting, or sleeping even if it's hard to o so. If you can't sleep, you are supposed to just lay there and think about thing (Meditate?)

The first thing that came to mind was the Chen Xi I sleeping Qi Gongs. Chen Xi I was a Taoist sage of the early and pre Sung dynasty who advocated Qi Gongs that would be done during excessive sleep. He also developed the Taiji Ruler Qi Gongs that teach the Six Harmony, Eight Methods body mechanics that Li Hu, Ba Fa (Water Boxing) is based on.

Personally, I love sleeping. I'd sleep 10-12 hours a day if I could. Although that only happens when I am burnt out. If I am normal I sleep about 9 and then get too hyper to stay in bed....I can't even if I wanted to, so I can't imaging 3-4 days of the Sleep Marathon concept.

[AndrewS]

Man, I need my sleep. I'm a wreck if I don't get my 8 hours a day. . . and 10 hours a night- Bill Hicks


Andrew

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i knew a guy who would lift for 7 - 10 ridiculous sessions in a row and then use methadone to knock him out for 36 hours at a time. when he woke up hed immediately spend a lot of time in a hot tub and stretching. not the healthiest means to overreach but it was effective.

[IronFist]

i knew a guy who would lift for 7 - 10 ridiculous sessions in a row and then use methadone to knock him out for 36 hours at a time. when he woke up hed immediately spend a lot of time in a hot tub and stretching.

and probably spend a lot of time peeing after sleeping for 36 hours, too.

[IronFist]

The first thing that came to mind was the Chen Xi I sleeping Qi Gongs. Chen Xi I was a Taoist sage of the early and pre Sung dynasty who advocated Qi Gongs that would be done during excessive sleep. He also developed the Taiji Ruler Qi Gongs that teach the Six Harmony, Eight Methods body mechanics that Li Hu, Ba Fa (Water Boxing) is based on.

In for more info about sleeping qigong.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

and probably spend a lot of time peeing after sleeping for 36 hours, too.

i never thought about that ... he may have woken up to pee and went back to bed. course from what i understand, hes also the type of guy who wouldnt mind peeing himself in his sleep if it ment better recovery time.

[PlumDragon]

Interesting topic...

I can almost never get to sleep before 11pm, and come 7-8am Im usually running around the house doing a number of activities.

When there are problems of any variety, sufficient sleeping time can allow the faculties of your brain precious time to "arrange" data and begin (or finish) making sense of the arrangements. This isnt just "fluff", its well understood in neural net circles.

Whether sleep *marathons* are the answer or something entirely different, what I think also helps keep a bit of motivation in the air is to always mix things up a bit; change your schedule, do something new, take a few days off and sleep, add something to your trainng, subtract something, go watch a class at another school...On the more mental side, perhaps its time to do some introspection: Where are you, waht are you doing? Is there something else in your life that is causing a bleed over into your training? I find that a bit of sincere contemplation about yourself can answer a lot of qeustions. And then sleep, and let your brain take care of the rest! =)

[Royal Dragon]

In for more info about sleeping qigong.

Reply]
I am too. Chen Xi I developed several Qi Gongs. The Taiji Ruler is the one I know then there is a 24 exercise one, and the sleeping one.....that I know of.

However, the sleeping Qi Gong might be part of the 24 gong, or it may be the whole thing..I don't know at this point. I need to find someone who know that stuff to see what it is....could just all be your standard Shaolin rubbing the ears, circle the toung type stuff for all I know.

[Royal Dragon]

As for sleep, like I said before, if I am burnt, sleeping a lot restores me to my natural hyper state. It's kind of like Defrag time for your PC...which reminds me, mine is running ragged right now....