Word Play

I love the English language - I love "playing on words" and unusual quotes or use of language - I love words that sound like they actually are like caterwauling and cathartic. I love language that is sometimes used out of context, I love how language can be so emotive in both the written and spoken words and wonder "how did they come up with that?" My hubby and I are always giggling at stupid words and have been known to stay up cackling all night about some idiotic word or phrase. I also love "c" words, well not all of them, but you get the drift.

This morning as I dragged my weary body to Bodystep I remembered a conversation I had with Mike last week and that was about how fitness professionals love to use big words and phrases, regardless of whether or not they were appropriate or not. Charles Poliquin and the peeps at Precision Nutrition love the word protocol - and let's face it, what's not to love about this word - I reckon it conjures up images of "program grandeur" - that even if your program (or should I say "regime" (that's my own personal favourite)) is poorly planned and executed it, every time you write about it, it sounds like it's the best thing since Vegemite on toast........

which maybe it's not. Who knows..is it just "words" or is it "training gold"??

Again, as I alluded to yesterday, adding to the soup of "I'm better than you" that, most of the time, very innocently floats around the blogging world. I have to admit, I'm guilty as charged over some of my big words and phrases - as I mentioned, "regime" would have to be right up there. I remember in my student days, my exercise physiology lecturer talking about a particular regime and thought how much sexier it sounded than a plain old plan. We give our workouts names (as all of my clients know - "Reverse Psychology Intervals" sound so much more intriguing than "train your butt off until you puke". I get even drier and call my workouts A, B, C and D - and wondered why I'm so orderly when in so many other parts of my life I'm rather, uh, random.

Today I have officially decided to rename my workouts. Today I did "Workout W" , that is "WHY the hell did you decide to train your legs on Tuesday when you knew you were teaching 3 RPMs on Wednesday and a Bodystep on Thursday" . Tonight is going to be a special "P Protocol" - that is the "pass out on my couch at 7pm tonight because I'm so tired routine". Tomorrow's exercise is going to be "M" - maybe, or maybe not! I tell a lie, another RPM class to smash (though with my legs so sore right now it may be a false hope..but sounds good anyway) in the morning.

It all goes with the territory of the human condition I guess - I was heartened to read that many other bloggers have "sideways issues" - even today as I was training a client, I looked over at a woman with a fabulous physique and had to say to myself, "looks fab, but keep training!"

I heard another interesting thought today - we don't see the world as it is, we see the world as we are - follows on nicely from my last post.

I am in the thick of learning new choreography for Step and RPM - I love the new RPM release and I love how the lyrics can be so emotive and move you. We are such meaning seeking creatures - is the meaning actually there or do we give things meaning? My favourite so far is "Human" by The Killers.

Here are part of the lyrics:

"I did my best to notice
when the call came down the line
up to the platform of surrender,
I was brought, but I was kind
and sometimes I get nervous
when I see an open door

Close your eyes, clear your heart
cut the cord

Are we human, or are we dancers?
My signs are vital,
my hands are cold
and I'm on my knees looking for the answers
Are we human, or are we dancers?"

Edited to add content..