| Judging from the inquiries I've received
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| | "centered." You'll develop your
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| about it recently, "cross-training" seems
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| | sensitivity, enhance the lightness of
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| the hot topic at the moment.
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| | your hand, increase your self-confidence.
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| All kinds of athletes are praising the
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| | I have found so much of horsemanship to
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| virtues of engaging in some activity
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| | be directly applicable to the sword (and,
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| other than their specialty in order to
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| | to be fair, sometimes vice versa) that
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| complement or enhance their principle
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| | it's like rediscovering the basic
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| sport. Usually, the cross-training
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| | principles new and fresh all over again.
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| activity has some specific transfer
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| | Plus you get to spend time with some of
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| value, that is, it develops the same
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| | the most beautiful beings on the planet.
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| muscles or uses the same or similar
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| | If you don't do anything else, do this
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| movements as the cross-trainer's
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| | one.
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| principle sport.
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| | Music Learn to play a musical instrument.
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| This is nothing new. Conditioning
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| | Learn it well enough that you can read
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| programs of all kinds are based on this
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| | music and play what's written. And learn
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| idea. That's why boxers do roadwork and
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| | it well enough that you can get together
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| athletes of all kinds lift weights.
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| | with other musicians to play.
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| First, cross-training is irrelevant to
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| | This will be a great deal of fun, which
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| the beginner. Beginners should
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| | is reason enough to do it.
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| concentrate on fencing itself. But
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| | But you will also enhance your ability to
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| advanced fencers who are training at a
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| | focus your concentration, to feel rhythm
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| higher level and are making greater
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| | and tempo, to understand what other
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| demands on themselves in terms of
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| | people are expressing, to read their
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| training volume, duration, frequency and
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| | emotions. All of which comes quite in
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| intensity, may find it useful.
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| | handy in a fencing match.
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| In order to be beneficial for fencing,
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| | Dance Dancing is fencing without
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| the supplementary activity should do one
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| | bloodshed. It is about connectedness and
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| or more of several things: it should
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| | intimate communication, feeling not
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| improve the foundational elements of
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| | thinking.
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| fencing: balance, line, focus and
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| | The main difference between dancing and
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| distance it should enhance the
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| | fighting is that when you dance with
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| appropriate energy system, matching the
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| | someone you are trying to communicate
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| metabolic demands of fencing it should
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| | truthfully and when you fight you are
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| develop your muscular strength and
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| | quite often lying.
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| endurance it should enhance your
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| | But whether you tell the truth or a lie,
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| fencing-specific skills -- or at least,
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| | saying it clearly in movement is
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| it should not contravene them It should
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| | fundamental to swordplay.
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| provide you with a "change of pace" from
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| | Magic Much of magic is based on
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| your regular routine in order to avoid
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| | misdirection.
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| over-training and stagnation.
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| | So is combat. Direct your opponent's
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| High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
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| | attention to one line then hit in
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| If you want something that transfers
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| | another. Presto.
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| precisely to fencing, that's easy: fence!
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| | Boxing Boxing is fencing with both hands
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| Fencing is a skill-based activity and
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| | and a few more band-aids. Until you've
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| nothing will make you as skillful at
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| | worked out as hard as a boxer works out,
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| fencing as fencing itself. But I'll share
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| | you have no idea what a tough workout is.
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| with you a little training and
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| | Boxing will hone your fighting spirit to
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| conditioning secret of mine: interval
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| | a razor's edge and teach you more than
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| training. This is for advanced fencers
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| | you ever though you'd know about
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| only. Here's how it works: First, warm up
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| | committment. You will also learn about
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| thoroughly.
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| | cherishing your opponent and a lesson or
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| Then, set a timer for a specific period
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| | two about the transient nature of
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| -- let's say 30 seconds. I use an
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| | victory.
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| interval timer so that I can set it to
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| | Sailing The sword is based on the same
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| sound a signal at specified periods. 30
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| | natural principles as sailing. It's
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| second intervals and a 3 or 4 minute
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| | awe-inspiring to see them at work on a
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| round. Then a 30-60 second rest period.
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| | grand scale, a little fencing match
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| Do 30 seconds of, for example, advances,
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| | between you and the wind. Your boat is
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| slow, precise and easy.
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| | your foil, the water the president du
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| The next 30 seconds do advances hard and
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| | combat. Sailing will teach you that the
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| fast as you can -- still as perfectly as
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| | shortest distance between two points is
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| possible; don't through skill out the
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| | not always a straight line.
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| window -- but keep pushing the envelope
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| | Weight lifting No doubt about it,
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| of speed/intensity.
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| | stronger is better.
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| You can do various kinds of footwork this
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| | The stronger you are, the easier it is to
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| way, first slow and easy, then hard and
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| | do everything. As an extra added benefit
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| fast. You will be improving your
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| | you will improve your health, too.
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| conditioning while improving your skill
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| | Weight-training also provides you with a
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| at the same time by using fencing actions
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| | great boon to your spirit because you
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| instead of, say, going out for a jog.
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| | have measurable and undeniable proof of
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| Jogging, by the way, is almost worthless
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| | your progress.
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| to a fencer.
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| | Be sure you get some expert guidance
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| It doesn't match the metabolic demands of
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| | planning your program though. Gyms are
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| a fencing bout, it doesn't simulate
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| | full of guys with all their brains in
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| fencing movements and it pounds your
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| | their biceps just waiting to hand out
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| ankles, knees and lower back into trash.
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| | worthless advice to the novice --
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| If you must run, run intervals. At least
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| | especially if the novice is a woman.
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| you'll build your anaerobic capacity and
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| | Give of yourself Work in a soup kitchen.
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| that's what you need in fencing. 30
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| | Plant some trees. Adopt a stray. Teach
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| seconds easy jog/30 sprint and repeat
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| | someone how to read. Visit someone who's
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| 3-15 times.
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| | alone.
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| You can do bladework intervals, too.
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| | Protect someone in danger. Comfort
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| I alternate handwork alone with handwork
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| | someone in pain.
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| and footwork combined. For example: 30
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| | Remember that strength means nothing
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| seconds, straight-thrust followed by 30
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| | unless you use it to help those who are
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| seconds straight thrust-lunge-recover. 30
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| | not strong.
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| seconds parry 6te-straight riposte a pied
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| | The soul of the sword is benevolence.
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| firme, 30 seconds riposte by lunge.
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| | Stand up for truth, justice and mercy.
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| Depending on how I feel I might rest
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| | Be sure those muscles get plenty of
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| every second, third or fourth interval.
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| | exercise.
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| I've done a tremendous variety of actions
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| | Rest Be sure to schedule in some time
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| this way and it's become one of my
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| | off.
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| favorite practice routines.
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| | I mean really off. Time to do nothing in
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| HIIT is VERY demanding and if you do it
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| | particular. Sit in the sun and watch the
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| too often you'll probably over-train --
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| | breeze blow. Stretch out and read a book.
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| and that's the worst thing you can do.
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| | Watch an old 3-hanky movie.
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| Use it as a spice not as a staple.
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| | Listen. Love. Laugh.
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| Okay, how about some real cross-training
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| | Even if these things didn't improve your
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| activities. Here are my recommendations.
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| | fencing one whit, they would still be
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| It may not be what you expected.
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| | well worth doing in and of themselves, so
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| Horsemanship.
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| | you have absolutely nothing to lose and
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| My top choice.
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| | everything to gain. The worst that can
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| You will learn an incredible amount from
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| | happen is that you will inadvertently
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| your equine mentors. You'll re-define
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| | become a more well-rounded and
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| "balance" and have a better understanding
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| | interesting person and enjoy life more
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| of the importance of remaining
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| | while doing it.
|
