The terms Yin and Yang come from the Chinese tradition and in this tradition Yin and Yang are known as the great principle. It represents all things that appear polar opposites like night and day, Man and Woman, Positive and Negative. Even though these elements appear totally opposite together they create a synergistic whole. You cannot have one without the other. What I wish to talk about today is the polarisation of lifestyles, training methodologies, nutritional techniques and the entire perspective of how we live and exist in the world. It is this polarisation that is creating the disharmony sickness and disease of the individual and the World at large.

The Yang energies represent the Male side of the energetic equation. Now I am not just talking about men! Every man and woman on this planet comes from a man and a woman. So every Woman has a male aspect or male energies and every Man has a female aspect or female energies. This does not mean you are butch if you are a Woman or a pansy if you are a Man!

The Yang energies are represented by:

How something or someone looks

Strength and Power

Force and effort

Thinking, planning, goal setting, strategizing i.e. logic

Doing

Mathematical aspects

A+B = C type of equations i.e. linear thinking

Confidence

Outward focus

Head centred living

Science

The Yin energies are represented by:

How something or someone feels

Softness and yielding energy

Dreaming, Inspiration

Inner focus

Rest and relaxation

Going with the flow

Feeling, knowing, perceiving

Body centred (heart centred) living

Art

A+ B might give you D or E or F depending on multiple variables i.e. nonlinear equations

The polarisation that I am speaking of that is doing us all a great dis-service is the over emphasis of the Yang energies with the exclusion, suppression and even ridicule of the Yin energies. How is this playing out in training, nutrition, lifestyles and the whole experience of our lives? Let’s take a look.

We have really taken training to the Yang maximum in the modern era and that is not such a good thing to put it mildly. The phenomenon that emphasises this more than any other is Cross Fit. Cross fit is the penultimate of Yang training endeavours. It’s force, power, suck it up, train till you puke mentality totally negates all of the Yin principles. Yin brings the subtle qualities to your training endeavour. Yin says work on your flexibility and stability before going all out in a force and power endeavour. Yin says the elegance and art of proper program design will bring better results long-term. Yin knows that de-loading methodically will make you stronger in the long run. Yang only knows more, faster and harder. It is only trainees that embrace the Yin principles of nurturing and caring for the body with correct warm up, exercises progressions and attention to recovery with the Yang energies that will have long-term success and health.

Possibly the most ironic thing of all is that the body is Yin. The body is the feminine energy. The word matter (of which the body is comprised) is a derivative of the Latin word for Mother which is Mater.

When it comes to nutrition unfortunately many are still stuck in the Yang paradigm of eat less move more. This linear mathematical equation is the basis for all calorie counting models. As I have said many times before the human body is not an inanimate bomb calorimeter. Yes calories count (we are not looking for a world with no yang) but the greater emphasis needs to be placed on the elements ruled by the Yin considerations. These include hormonal balance and hormonal manipulation, nutrient timing and circadian rhythms. A world with a Yin consciousness knows that all calories are not created equally and that a given macronutrient could cause fat storage under certain conditions and stimulate fat loss under different conditions regardless of any calorie considerations. An individual with a Yin consciousness is in constant communication with their body and listens to the biofeedback the body is constantly giving. He or she chooses a nutritional plan that makes his or her body feel the best, have the greatest level of vitality and emotional calm. The yang centred consciousness however is only interested in performance or in how the body looks. What typifies the yang centred consciousness in the modern era is the female physique show enthusiast. This individual will go on a fat free low carb diet and aerobicize their life away all to get an outward result. They may appear confident (the surface) but inside their self-esteem is at a brutally low level. Some coaches are training their physique competitors in a holistic healthy way with more intelligent nutrition and little to no aerobics however these coaches represent the exception rather than the norm.

The Yin energies bring enjoyment to your training and lifestyle. Yang is all about results. What if you could get results and still enjoy your training and have a life outside of the gym (or the office for that matter). It is only those trainees and coaches who embody the Yin energies wisely and the Yang energies judiciously that will cultivate wholeness and wellness in themselves. Without this sense of wholeness there will always be a feeling that something is missing. That something that is missing for many in the modern world are the gifts the Yin energies bring. If you feel exhausted and lacking in vitality, if your mood plummets after completing a figure or body building show, if you are constantly getting injured or your mood for the day is dependent on what you see in the mirror then maybe it’s time to top up your Yin reserves.

“It’s a Man’s world, but it would be nothing without a Woman”