Planning exercise and being active isn’t something we typically enjoy doing. Formally diarising exercise or any forms of activity removes the spontaneity and potentially removes the fun. None of us want exercise or being active to be a chore, rather we want it to be something we just do and is part of our daily routine.
Unfortunately in order to get to this stage a level of planning and sticking to that plan has to be achieved for a period of time, in order for it to be routine. Repetition teaches us to do something without having to think about it.
The reason so many of us fail at planning is we set unrealistic and unattainable goals. It looks good when we think it up or write it on a piece of paper, and we feel great about doing it, but the ability to achieve it is not appropriately understood or considered. When we fail or don’t reach these objectives immediately we tend to quit. We are a generation of impatient individuals who are used to getting what we want straight away. When we don’t get that instant gratification we just move on. Some of this is down to the modern society we live in and technology allowing us to receive everything here and now at the touch of a finger.
Exercise (in our opinion) needs to be considered for health, longevity, and happiness. The byproducts of this could be weight loss, increased endurance, better libido, better sleep….and the list goes on. Many men and women are focused just on weight loss and how they look at the gym or in the next instagram post. Some if not many will be disappointed when they don’t achieve that weightloss, or that perfect picture. And those that do achieve their goals don’t know how to sustain or maintain it, and this subsequently can lead to a dangerous spiral.
So what do we do?
First and foremost we need to bring the fun back into anything that we do. When something is fun it is more likely we would do it again and again…because we enjoy it. It is also important to understand the overarching health benefits of doing anything that doesn’t involve being sedentary in front of a screen, in the office or at home on the couch. This could mean going for a short walk each and every day, and this may migrate to running or playing a sport, or doing an event, walking the dog….the list is endless. The point is movement, as that is what we were made to do as survivor/hunter gatherers.
Making some simple lifestyle changes will allow you to level up when you are ready. These small changes require consistency in their application. Consistency will lead to a way of life and routine. You can’t expect results without the work. There is no quick pill, drink, meal or exercise that will achieve this on its own.
Our Objectives
- Injury management and rehabilitation. Correct physio, strengthening, and dynamic movement routines/exercises are a scheduled as part of our week. Why?……because if you don’t you won’t be able to return to or continue to do those fun activities we love doing.
- Running is our passion, as is the science and biomechanics of learning how to improve. We are currently exploring the benefits of barefoot/minimalist shoe running and how it could / can improve not only our running, but our technique and posture, increase our running longevity, and mitigate the risk of injury
- Increased activity (through running, sports, other activities) increases our desire for good food (fuels). This had made us explore different food groups, their health benefits…..but more importantly do they taste good and are they easy to source and prepare. Reality is most of us won’t eat or drink it if it tastes terrible, no matter the health benefits
- To establish results there needs to be a routine. Like brushing your teeth you only get strong white teeth from brushing and flossing each and every day. If you didn’t do this it is likely your teeth wouldn’t be that healthy and fall out…😩😂. The same applies to health and wellbeing. There needs to be a consistent application, and you will need to do it regularly to see results
GM Report:
For much of our personal challenge, our running has been on flat paths in the park. Whilst that has been great we wanted to challenge our stability and balance. There is no better way to do this than by exploring some trails up in the hills.
The benefits here are we are getting up close and personal with nature, which for that alone has great therapeutic benefits. Secondly, we are testing and challenging our bodies to cope with varying terrain. You will be required to call upon a number of different muscle groups to keep yourself balanced, which you don’t get if you are running on a treadmill or even running on the road or path.
I have run trails many times in my past as a younger man, but it has been many years since I have run on very uneven ground. The first thing I noticed was I was more conscious about my foot strike and how each foot landed. Why?….for nothing more than establishing a balanced landing that wouldn’t result in me ending up on my ass. This low aerobic threshold running got me really thinking about my form and soft landing just to keep upright and balanced.
Hills! …..have not been used to the rolling hills. Brutal and soul-destroying. Great however for developing that aerobic engine, even if it involves some fast walking to re-establish your aerobic heart rate. Hills are great muscle developers.
Rain! ….wasn’t ready for the heavy downpour that I encountered…..but hey it was a lot of fun (at least for a few minutes)….albeit I got very wet and I was stuck in the middle of nowhere. The body’s heart rate will rise to regulate body temperature, and it did cause me to get on my bike and b-line for home.
All in all, it was an interesting afternoon. I got to run on some beautiful trails, testing my body’s balance and stability, evaluate my running form on uneven terrain, test my endurance on rolling hills, including going down hills which also requires a level of strength and endurance.
Running down water logged trails is interesting as you hope you aren’t going to acqu plain….soft landing….soft landing, glute and core engagement to mitigate the risk of slipping and sliding off the side of the ridge. Given I have been running more on my toes my calves and Achilles have been called upon to work harder than previously before.
We are currently exploring the benefits of barefoot running and using minimalist shoes to develop our feet and assist with re-establishing feet strength, and running posture.We started by doing some short runs barefoot. Immediately I noticed how my running barefoot is totally different to that in shoes. For one, I was up on my toes using my toes and forefeet as cushions / shock absorbers. My posture also adjusted to be taller and more upright. Try it yourself for a few paces and you will notice the difference.
I was tricked by my feeling of being free, light, and springy. I decided to do an interval session barefoot (on the grass). This involved 5 400m sets with a 90 second break all barefoot. The results were really sore feet and sore calves (from being up on my toes). The reality is even as a former sprinter, my feet were not conditioned to run barefoot….after many years in cushioned shoes, such as the ASICs GELs and currently the Hoka Cliftons.
The result being a 2 day recovery due to extremely sore calves and hamstrings which were made to work harder than ever. Always listen to the body and learn to allow sufficient recovery time. As we said before much of the gains are in the recovery phase.
Hang tight, train hard….summon that Titan. Until the next post…..The Team at Titan.
Remember continue to share your own personal experiences with us either here or through our Facebook page.
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