In Paul Chek's book, "How to Eat, Move, and be Healthy", he states, "Building energy and vitality in your body is a lot like investing. Just as it takes money to make money, it takes energy to make energy. You might often find yourself thinking, "I am too tired to workout", when in reality, the systems of your body that produce energy also use energy. Usually, we just think of expending energy as something that results in fatigue or loss of energy, but in fact, our muscles are often working to generate more energy.
Muscles help energize the body by producing electromagnetic energy and by behaving like pumps to assist the heart. When tension is created by a muscle contraction an electric current, called a "piezoelectric current", is generated in the connective tissue, tendons, and even over the skin. The body uses this energy to help run its systems. Another name for this current is "Chi".
There are specific zones of the body that when activated, create a targeted effect on the Chi or energy that is elevated in that area. This is beneficial energy that is activating and awakening which is reffered to as "anabolic", not the kind of energy we typically think of with exercise that is depleting and "catabolic". These type of exercises can often be found in practices like yoga, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and the Zone exercises we use at Restoration Fitness, founded by Paul Chek.
Which zone are you depleted in?
The table below outlines the Zones numbered 1-6, the correlating muscles that tend to have issues, and the related functions and issues people will have if they are stuck in one of these specific zones. This is a very broad overview, but you can easily see that if you are a person who has digestive issues, you may also have a correlating recurring problem with your upper abdominals or lower back (or may at least have weakness there). In our programs, we go through a detailed questionnaire and then offer specific exercises that help you build energy back into these zones.
One specific exercise we love is the "breathing squat". Paul Chek demonstrates it here so well and gives you more insight into how Zone exercises are performed!