GET IN THE FLOW

It’s all too easy to focus on your biceps and abs. Here’s how the 52-year-old Wu-Tang polymath RZA keeps his mind and senses razor sharp

THE EARS

Train your range. Switch between focusing on lowand high-frequency sounds for 30 seconds. (Think appliances for low, chirping birds for high.) Break the silence for 10 seconds by counting down from 10 to one. Do three sets.

Listen to quiet sounds. Cover both ears with your hands to block out noises. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat for 3 sets.

Play music at normal volume for 15 seconds. Play it again at half that volume. Continue until the music is at the lowest volume that’s audible, focusing on hearing it as if it is at the original volume. Do two sets.

THE BRAIN

RZA uses breathing exercises based on Shaolin kung fu to increase oxygen and ‘chi’ in the brain.

Sit in a comfortable position and press your tongue to the roof of your mouth behind your front teeth. Close your mouth and inhale through the nose for five to nine seconds. Exhale with your mouth for five to nine seconds. Repeat nine times for one set; do three sets.

To sharpen your memory, sit down and close your eyes. Think of a person, place or thing you know well. Say the name in your head while envisioning it. Choose five to nine images. Repeat for three sets.

To hone your focus, play chess, sudoku or another strategy game for 10-30 minutes per day.

You can also solve equations through the day in your mind, or on paper.

MEDICAL OPINION

‘RZA is training his mind and body to work for and not against him,’ says Men’s Health advisor Dr Gregory Scott Brown. ‘It’s about starting small, being consciously aware of breath, balance and movement.’

THE EYES

To expand your field of vision, close your eyes for three seconds. Open them and fix your focus in eight directions, two seconds each. Repeat for three sets.

Improve your eye for detail: place a book 1m away. Close your eyes for three seconds, open and look at the title font for three seconds. Repeat until you read the smallest font. Do three sets.

To train perception, close your eyes for three seconds outdoors. Open and set your gaze on the closest thing. Next, gaze at the farthest object you can see. Repeat for three sets.