One of our students submitted the following article. If you haven't read it yet, check it out!

Rainier as seen from Paradise area

I recently enjoyed the benefits of yoga and Qigong while on a trip out to climb Mount Rainier.The weather couldnt have been any better and the mountain let us summit.The three of us felt pushed during the climb, but ready to tackle the challenges we faced.I had met Joel and Henry on a trip to Ecuador this past winter and we had summited Cotopaxi together (another beautiful mountain).

My training was designed to increase my aerobic capacity.Specifically, I wanted to raise my anaerobic threshold, that intensity when you start accumulating more lactic acid than the body can flush out or clear.So, for about 8 weeks, I mixed in cycling with the occasional run and a biweekly trip out to Old Rag Mountain in Virginia to get my body used to carrying weight uphill. The program really seems effective, as I am able to sustain efforts at a higher heart rate than before. I feel that these efforts are relatively Yang. In Western medicine, we could say they run my sympathetic nervous system pretty hard.

As someone who regularly exercises, Ive heard that the body grows stronger during the rest after a workout. Only this past year have I come to realize from experience just how true this is. Allowing the body to rest and digest, to heal, and grow stronger. We are talking about activation of the parasympathetic system here, which I feel is relatively Yin in essence. The Yin side of my training consisted of at least one guided yoga session and one session of either Tai Chi or Qigong a week. I try to do some yoga and Qigong on my own as well. I also allowed myself to take a day off if I wasnt feeling up for the days workout.

When it was time to fly west and start up Rainiers flanks, I was somewhat anxious about keeping up with my teammates. I hoped that I wouldnt suffer the numerous aches, stiffness, and cramps that are so easy to come by when youre climbing 8-12 hours a day. While I didnt bring my yoga mat with me, I did manage some modified yoga poses and stretches to minimize the kinks, keep the blood and chi flowing, and thank by body for allowing me to pursue this effort.

High Camp on Rainier

At night and again in the morning, I found myself monitoring the stove, waiting for the snow to melt. This was an excellent time to spend shaking the tree, which loosened up my entire body and allowed me to begin to relax. I would follow this with some version of hands slap sides and then onto one of my favorites, gathering and dragon waves tail. These felt great not only on my spine, but also in the hips. In the evening, Id continue in the tent with some footwork, thanking my stinky dogs for getting me through another day. Doing Qigong in a super natural setting like that gets my mind back down into my body and I feel more connected to my surroundings. I even once had Henry towering next to me (hes quite a bit larger than myself) shaking the tree. I was fairly pain free for the 5 solid days we were going up or down and I think the time spent doing some yoga and Qigong made my trip much more enjoyable.

John Oster

Editors Note: John studies Taiji and Qigong with Russell, and yoga with our friend Ann Hunt at the Energy Zone on Patuxent Naval Air Station. He has graciously granted permission for this article to be published by us. All other rights reserved.