Look at that – we are pretty much there with the 30 day challenge. Haven’t we said all along that anyone can do anything physical, whether it is running, walking, gardening or playing golf. We were designed to move and given the equipment to do so (arms and legs). It is our modern ways of life that in some cases have contributed to pain, injuries, and a belief that only the superhuman can run marathons, triathlons, or play sport at a high level. Sitting in offices for hours a day and Netflix have added to our sedentary behaviour, and as a consequence lack of movement, and poor overall mechanics. Don’t get me wrong though we all love Netflix and we all love a good binge watch 😀
We look at the Kenyans as being superhuman as they gracefully and beautifully glide over the earth winning marathons without breaking a sweat. Little did we realise that running and exercise was integrated into their way of life, their play, their state of mind, and as a result allowing their bodies to naturally adapt and develop in the correct way, all with a smile on their face. Many had never worn this heavy prosthetic on their feet (called shoes) running in nothing more than barefeet or sandals. Running and walking is a way of life, and as a result it came naturally, the way it was designed to be.
So what?
Do you remember what it was like to run barefoot? We probably don’t do it much for fear of stepping on something we shouldn’t. Fair enough as there is a lot of sharp stuff left hiding in the grass these days. Anyway! if you were to take your shoes off and go for a light run, you would be shocked by the immediate shift in how you run. Why? – without the protection of the shoe the brain is telling the rest of the body [the knees, the hips and the feet] to absorb the impact but do so in the most efficient way possible……self preservation!
As a result there is greater concentration on minimising impact, landing more towards the centre of the foot, focus on springy stride, greater focus on body posture, and increased cadence (no overstriding and heel strike) – with the focus in pushing you forwards. The aggregate of the above being a more relaxed, efficient, and injury free running style, allowing for increased distances at speed without future consequences. Shoes unfortunately block our feets ability to perform the tasks they were designed to do.
However, we are by no means saying ditch the shoes and go out running barefoot, as the chance are you will injure yourself. The reason being the feet are now accustomed to being protected by the shoe, and muscles, tendons and fascia would not be appropriately conditioned for barefoot or minimalist running. The sudden transition from a flat running style to a forefoot strike (due to being on the balls of your feet) would lead to increased reliance on the calves and hamstrings. If these muscles have not been engaged for a while you are likely to feel a lot of pain, or get injured as they just aren’t strong enough. The process of running barefoot or moving to minimalist shoes is a gradual progression with appropriate conditioning, training and strengthening along the way.
We have spoken many times through our blog and our website the impacts of shoes with significant cushioning, elevated heels and arches. The data suggests that shoes inhibit our feets natural function which is to maintain strong posture and stability throughout our entire frame, whilst propelling us in a forward direction. As a result shoes alter our posture and positioning – changing the forces that go to our knees, pelvis, hips and spine. The arch, when confined in a non-anatomically shaped shoe, doesn’t function the way it should. Our posture and gait are completely thrown out as a result due to misalignment from top to bottom.
What the heck is a Gait?
“The manner in which we move (walk or run)”, “The Various ways in which a human can move”, “Self-powered locomotion”
At the end of the day are you looking to be able to run and jump for only a few years and then accept that you will have a raft of issues later in life, or do you want to prolong the game (of life) for as long as possible doing all the things you love pain free? The latter I am sure sounds more preferable.
There has to be trust in the science and the data from top biomechanists, doctors, nutritionists, sports scientists, and countless other professionals, that show many of our injuries and issues with movement can actually be resolved improving our quality of life, and our quantity of life! Also the older we get doesn’t mean we cant enjoy those activities we once did. Yes it becomes harder, but like anything preparation is required in order to mitigate the risk of harm or injury. It probably wouldn’t be wise to just rock up to an athletics track and run a 100m full pelt without any warming up.
To summarise
Well done for completing your own personal challenge, over the course of the last 30 days. Hopefully over this time you have learnt something about yourself and what training, activity and exercise you enjoy most. Enjoyment is a key factor to increasing activity as well as having steady goals you would like to achieve.
It is ok to stop and reset when things don’t go quite to plan, or life gets in the way. Take time to reflect on this if (when) it occurs, and concentrate on the positives as opposed to the negatives.
This was our first personal challenge as Titan Identity, and we hope to do many more fun type challenges going forward. We will always do the challenges ourselves and comment on our own experiences and personal challenges…..hoping that some resonate with you as well. We will continue to provide more up to date information on training techniques, what the new fads are in the exercise world, and how to maintain an active lifestyle whilst minimising injury. As we continue to grow we hope to grow our content as well. As always we love to hear from our local members, and those that have started to follow us all over the world.
Train hard, smile, and summon your Titan.
Team@Titan
titanidentity.com 