Inter Activity Reality Change (IARC) Experiments
This is a continuing experiment in doing what might be considered the opposite of dreaming or even a form of walking in your sleep. :lol:
Tried something new today and got an awesome result! So I've talked in some other threads about using LD to preform muscle memory type exercises for athletic stuff where repetition, even in a dream, increases the speed at which the mind can preform a task. But today at the gym I turned the whole thing on it's head!
I'm not one to try to escape reality by entering deep thought realms. Sort of like day dreaming but a bit more lucid and less abstract interference from the subconscious. But my thought was, "Obviously working out in your dreams won't help get you into better shape, BUT! what about exiting reality while working out on a repetitive piece of equipment, so you didn't have to experience the exertion and boring period of working out?"
Possible but I thought if anything external stimulus and heart rate will make this impossible. Yet I wanted to try. Worst thing that could happen is I fall off the elliptical machine right? :lol: So I set the elliptical up for 30 min on a course I am comfortable doing and at a level of exercise I normally do. I know the typical stats for myself at these levels and they are as follows. 350 calories burned, avg heart rate of 130 and 120-130 steps per minute.
I began the work out and closed my eyes. I felt myself doing the familiar repetitive stepping motion and positioned my hands in from of me on the heart rate sensor mostly for stability. I usually step to the rhythm of the music on my MP3 so I have a comfortable pace. I did so now also and then searched for a mental distraction in my head. What mental activity could I envision doing that would recreate in my head a similar enough action to make my subconscious capable of maintaining my physical activity. I wasn't having an easy time finding one.
Then suddenly I had it! I was pushing an ocean liner out of a Hurricane in the Pacific and with my hands against the back was running at super speeds. The spray of ocean water was drenching me and I couldn't keep my eyes open. Suddenly it gained mass and I thought I had hit the shoreline..... I opened my eyes.
15 Minutes had passed, I was making an excessive puddle of sweat on the floor beneath me, I was stepping at 145spm and my heart rate was over 140! With 15 more minutes to go I had already burned over 220 calories. I wonder what those around me saw? at the completion of the 30 minute cycle I had 410 calories and had gone 1.6 miles.
Maybe not earth shattering but pretty cool in my book. I tried to do it again later on the stationary bike but was not very successful. I try to go to the gym ever other day so I will reattempt this Monday with any luck I'll improve the result.
Another day working out but no success today. I really felt positive I would succeed again as I started working out. Today I started with the stationary bike so I really thought it would be easier, a far less complicated motion and less need to maintain balance being in a seated position. I will document my stats for later reference anyways. 30 min work out, 350 calories using level 14 and 15 resistance with rpms averaging 80-90 and heart rate of 135bpm. I thought I would have success because I felt like I was detached from the activity when I starting to attempt exiting. So I was kind of doing a mental dialogue of what I would report even, "head at a 45 degree angle to the ground, breathing in thru nose out thru mouth like Tar Chi, picturing myself riding the motorcycle thru the woods or down a gravel road, picking up speed....... " But it never worked. :( I also decided to call this technique Inter Activity Reality Conversion (IARC) as I continued to try to destract my mind from what was going on. Maybe there were too many people and I felt self conscious pedaling along with my eyes closed? :roll:
Documenting 35 min, 380calories, 1.5miles, heart rate as high as 150, using level 5 the entire time. Felt unsuccessful at IARC for all but five minutes for which I felt like I was a white ball of energy with crackling lightening bolt coursing from me, no sound, crackling implied. For whatever reason I feel very comfortable in the energy form.
10-4 Stationary Bike 30 min, 380 calories, 150BPM Had a period of maybe not complete absence but high mental activity undistracted by my physical exertion. I am starting to think the loud crap music at Planet Fitness is a real issue. I may try doing some low exertion exercise on my own exercise bike here at home to determine if I have greater success without the noises of the gym.
You have seriously got to see what happens in this video game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG1mF6gZiKE (Will learns to face his fears in his Lucid Dream) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6mv9WyWR_Y (In real life, Will remembers how he faced his fears in his Lucid Dream, and uses that to not only win the game, but he recognizes the song from his Lucid Dream played by Helen (whom he met in his Lucid Dream BTW) when she gets scared by the sudden black out (just like in his Lucid Dream) and at last gets to met her in person)
nesgirl wrote: You have seriously got to see what happens in this video game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG1mF6gZiKE (Will learns to face his fears in his Lucid Dream) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6mv9WyWR_Y (In real life, Will remembers how he faced his fears in his Lucid Dream, and uses that to not only win the game, but he recognizes the song from his Lucid Dream played by Helen (whom he met in his Lucid Dream BTW) when she gets scared by the sudden black out (just like in his Lucid Dream) and at last gets to met her in person)
Honestly have no idea what that has to do with IARC. Please, use this thread either to discuss the applications for the use of IARC, defining what it is or similar experiments to aid in documenting the conditions required for optimal application. Thank you :)
buildit wrote:
nesgirl wrote:You have seriously got to see what happens in this video game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG1mF6gZiKE (Will learns to face his fears in his Lucid Dream) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6mv9WyWR_Y (In real life, Will remembers how he faced his fears in his Lucid Dream, and uses that to not only win the game, but he recognizes the song from his Lucid Dream played by Helen (whom he met in his Lucid Dream BTW) when she gets scared by the sudden black out (just like in his Lucid Dream) and at last gets to met her in person)
Honestly have no idea what that has to do with IARC. Please, use this thread either to discuss the applications for the use of IARC, defining what it is or similar experiments to aid in documenting the conditions required for optimal application. Thank you :)
I really thought that kid was using his thoughts to play soccer. Oh oops, didn't know that. Actually I have been able to get myself to zone out while exercising or doing a physical activity. I just focus on a thought or whatever, and I will be zoning while exercising, eating or even while watching TV.
nesgirl wrote: Actually I have been able to get myself to zone out while exercising or doing a physical activity. I just focus on a thought or whatever, and I will be zoning while exercising, eating or even while watching TV.
True, but increases heart rate seems to be a known issue with that so the exercising part is the measurable data part of the experiment. Now if you can have a dream while continuing to exercise for an hour or so that would be impressive and interesting data for the IARC experiment. ;)
buildit wrote:
nesgirl wrote:Actually I have been able to get myself to zone out while exercising or doing a physical activity. I just focus on a thought or whatever, and I will be zoning while exercising, eating or even while watching TV.
True, but increases heart rate seems to be a known issue with that so the exercising part is the measurable data part of the experiment. Now if you can have a dream while continuing to exercise for an hour or so that would be impressive and interesting data for the IARC experiment. ;)
Actually while I zone, it decreases the heart rate and the blood pressure. It's funny, I'll actually have a MHR of about 90 and my blood pressure will be around 88/58-90/60 rather than much higher if I relax. It is much like meditation while I exercise. Although I do usually have hypotension anyway so that is nothing new. However I have to be careful I don't get too overheated or am not in a hot area while I am exercising, or I won't be zoning, I will lose consciousness.
10-8-14 Elliptical level 5 for 33 min, 150BPM and 423calories. While I didn't feel successful because I had no accompanying vision of another activity to match what I was doing in reality I did drift off and occupied myself with some very interesting thoughts. Main phrases my mind was occupied with include the philosophy that large items are easy to control, it is the quantum level which is uncontrollable and is linked to another dimension that we are at some level linked to. This link could be the basis for why we are conscious of this reality. Aside from that were some other hard to explain mental views which seemed to distract me from reality so much I went 33 min instead of my normal 30 minutes. :D
10-10-14 30 min on stationary bike, 350 calories, 130 avg BPM. No success and if anything the workout seemed to go on forever. Couldn't concentrate upon not being aware of my surroundings. Too many distractions I guess.
10-14 Elliptical for 30 min, 400 calories, level 5. Had a good workout and felt energetic as I mentally focused on a distraction of fighting as some sort of warrior in a suite like pacific rim or Avatar.
600 calories, 45 min, elliptical, level 5. Tried going longer and there was no excuse as the gym was quite today. I am wondering though about the possibility of a link between "runners high" and what I am trying to do.
350 calories on the stationary bike level 14, 30 min. 250 calories on the elliptical level 5, 20min.
No real disconnect again however some very deep thought again on the issue of large vs small items and the interconnection.
Elliptical for 45 min, 575 calories level 5. No gaps in reality during the workout. Found it hard not to watch the TV's where news, a reality show and some talk show were playing. :roll: I rode the motorcycle to the gym in case that effected anything.
10-26 elliptical 45 min, level 5, 635 calories
-Some minor success today, I feel like the effect I'm getting today is from a touch of what might be similar to runners high. Whatever the reason, I was doing much better.
11-1-14 45 min, elliptical level 5, 635 cal -After a week of missing the gym because of work today was painful. But I did succeed at mentally distraction for 25 min.
11/3 stationary bike, 30 min, level 14, 365 calories. very busy evening at the gym and had a hard time distracting myself from the activities around me. :(
11-6 -45 min, Elliptical setting 4, level 5, 600 calories. Thought I was going to have a good IARC and maybe for the first 5 minutes I did but I was unable to maintain it.
11-9-14 350 calories on the stationary bike level 14, 30 min.
11-11-14 Elliptical for 45 min, 575 calories level 5. No gaps in reality during the workout.
how are you trying to distract yourself to create these gaps
Peter wrote: how are you trying to distract yourself to create these gaps
Good question. Normally I just try to either stare into space or close my eyes and let my mind wander. It's hard for me since I need to keep up my rate of working out to remain effective. Currently I have been working on a runners high sort of theory but am not having much success.
The distraction is a hard one, I can be riding up a hill on my bike going quite hard and my cell will go. I will answer it and keep riding hard and after the call is done a lot of the time have no real recall of the ride for the last few minutes. It intrigues me that I can get lost for a bit with that distraction but cant replicate this when I am suffering in a race when I need it the most.
Have you tried to focus on some part of your body as it comes to awareness, like what I call a body scan when going for a WILD. try to clear your mind and then roam around your body for a sensation and then see if it can become the total focus. I imagine a spot as being trillions of cells all doing something and giving of energy (light) and have got lucid a few times with this light focus.
Just a thought
Peter wrote: The distraction is a hard one, I can be riding up a hill on my bike going quite hard and my cell will go. I will answer it and keep riding hard and after the call is done a lot of the time have no real recall of the ride for the last few minutes. It intrigues me that I can get lost for a bit with that distraction but cant replicate this when I am suffering in a race when I need it the most.
Have you tried to focus on some part of your body as it comes to awareness, like what I call a body scan when going for a WILD. try to clear your mind and then roam around your body for a sensation and then see if it can become the total focus. I imagine a spot as being trillions of cells all doing something and giving of energy (light) and have got lucid a few times with this light focus.
Just a thought
Yes, I'm just wildly grasping at mental images as I can produce them and trying to keep the distraction going as I push my body. If I can I'll just close my eyes and avoid the distractions of people moving around me or the wall of TV's they have set up front. Even tried looking at the reflection in my propel water bottle. I was surprised how much definition I could get by really concentrating on it for a while.
No success again today elliptical 45 min, level 5, 605calories.
11-21-14 Elliptical, 30 min, level 6, 405 calories avg of 140BPM. Sporadic moments of distraction but just didn't feel into it today. Work out schedule has been disrupted too many time recently I think with family, work, holiday events and all. May take a break from reporting till I can refocus efforts again.
Following this one so dont give up, refresh me on the goal once more when you get time
Peter wrote: Following this one so dont give up, refresh me on the goal once more when you get time
The ultimate goal is the division of the conscious mind from the automatic functioning's of the subconscious. My hope was/ is to determine if the conscious mind "wander off" after "preprograming" the subconscious to preform a task. In my experiment the subconscious only needs to keep moving my legs for the most part and maintain balance while I try to redirect my conscious mind into a day dream of sorts. If one could get good at such a separation it open some interesting applications for true multi tasking. ;)
have you tried dropping the intensity of the exercise and reading while exercising. Reading is a great distraction and will engage a strong sense and decreasing the exercise intensity might make it easier.
It would be a good start just to know it can work, or if you are in a quiet place while hunting for visuals start t describe them as they appear. Einstein used this to last one to put himself in an altered state while looking for new ideas. (think I read that correctly somewhere)
Peter wrote: have you tried dropping the intensity of the exercise and reading while exercising. Reading is a great distraction and will engage a strong sense and decreasing the exercise intensity might make it easier.
Yes, but it's hard to spend a lot of extra time not working out. ;)
Peter wrote: It would be a good start just to know it can work, or if you are in a quiet place while hunting for visuals start t describe them as they appear.
I do that all the time but actually dislike it. It's like getting into a mental argument over the obvious inception. It has worked better when I can set up a story line for my imagination to follow. It's not a matter now of can it happen, it's a matter of how to be repeatable and reliable at doing it. It appears to be a state of mind and like lucid dreaming it seems to require a trigger.
buildit wrote:
Peter wrote:Following this one so dont give up, refresh me on the goal once more when you get time
The ultimate goal is the division of the conscious mind from the automatic functioning's of the subconscious. My hope was/ is to determine if the conscious mind "wander off" after "preprograming" the subconscious to preform a task. In my experiment the subconscious only needs to keep moving my legs for the most part and maintain balance while I try to redirect my conscious mind into a day dream of sorts. If one could get good at such a separation it open some interesting applications for true multi tasking. ;)
I used to be an competitive swimmer and used to zone out at times when swimming long distances of laps in a swimming pool eg once you get over 35 or so laps, it becames very easy to zone out esp when watching the ripples on the bottom of the pool while swimming (it really trances one out and its like hypnotic). It ends up like one can swim forever and one ends up up to over 60-70 laps or so in what seems to be no time at all, completely effortlessly. One can like forget one is swimming.