"If you carefully increase the load, step by step, they learn to take it. As long as you explain your expectations to them by actually showing them examples of the amount of work muscles the message that this is how much work they have to perform. Our muscles are very conscientious. As long as we observe the correct procedure, they won’t complain. If, however, the load halts for a few days, the muscles automatically assume they don’t have to work that hard anymore, and they lower their limits. Muscles really are like animals, and they want to take it as easy as possible; if pressure isn’t applied to them, they relax and cancel out the memory of all that work. Input this canceled memory once again, and you have to repeat the whole journey from the very beginning."
Writes Haruki Murakami in "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running," which I'm listening to for a second time. (I listen to audiobooks while I'm out walking.)
I don't know if he's correct, but it's memorable, and it might stop you from taking to days in a row off, so I wanted to share it.
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If I don't practice one day, I know it; two days, the critics know it; three days, the public knows it. Jascha Heifetz
The war on science, part 2455.
I detest long-distance running and all who do it.
Why I used to run even through painful shin splints. Great for weight control. But looking back, it seems pretty stupid. Glad I gave it up in my mid 30s.
It could be worse. You could forget how to relax. Doesn't that need practice too. I know I've forgotten how for a long time now.
I too listen to audible books when I'm distance running or walking. Started about six months ago and I've evolved in my preferences and requirements. I've found that I prefer narrative history. But nothing overly academic or scholarly: I prefer popular history and it has to have a conventional story arc and with good pacing and forward momentum. I sometimes like fiction but only rarely, mainly because I don't find much that's good in that department. I tried to listen to Tom Wolf's book on language and couldn't stand it, in fact I grew infuriated listening to it and subsequently dumped it from my files. I've always been on the fence about Wolfe and now I'm definitely done with him: the audible version really killed my ability to put up with style. I also have to like the reader; if I don't, I dump the book, even if it's a good book. There's a certain kind of upper class (Etonian?) English accent, a toff accent, that's like fingernails on blackboards for me. The listen-sample feature on the Amazon Audible site is invaluable in this regard.
I am about to go out for a run and will be starting the Richmond Lattimore translation of the Iliad. Lattimore is my favorite translator of Homer, and I'm really looking forward to listing to book while jogging.
Somewhat on-topic: does anyone know if it's possible to entirely delete an Amazon Audible book from one's Audible library? Haven't figured out how to do that.
"Muscles are like work animals"
Has he studied any physiology? Or is this just creative writing about running?
I think optimal exercise frequency is very age dependent. As a high school cross country runner, I noticed that when I started running twice/day, I saw improvements in what I could do on workouts and races. When I ran in my 40's, adding a morning run had the opposite effect--I was run-down and lacked the energy for high intensity work. Now in my mid 50's, I rarely run more than three times a week. I am so sore the day after a run that the thought of running on an off-day is absurd, I can hardly walk on those days.
It's all about circadian rhythms. Everything else is secondary.
"Somewhat on-topic: does anyone know if it's possible to entirely delete an Amazon Audible book from one's Audible library?"
Delete the file so it doesn't take up space in your phone? I know how to do that: Put your finger on the title and slide it to the left. You'll see a red square that says "delete." Touch that square.
It will still appear on your list of books as a downloaded file, and you'll be able to reload it if you want.
I have to keep most of my books in that form. I don't have enough memory.
To be honest I think keeping a schedule is more important now than when I was younger. If I skipped running for days in my younger days, it was no big deal - a run might hurt, but I was easily back into the swing of things after 1 or 2 runs. Now if I take 3 days off from running, I can feel it - and it seems to take so much longer to get back to where I was. I am currently 62yrs old - I remember a 1/2 marathon I was running about 10 years ago. I was a little nervous because I hadn't done much training - my husband made the comment "you know you can run 13 miles - it is no big deal" . . . and it wasn't a big deal- he was right. Now I would not consider running 13 miles without adequate training . . . I could still do it, but boy would my body pay for it.
Currently my work out schedule is running 3 times a week, 3-5 miles at a time, biking 2-3 times a week, 15-20 miles a time and doing Pilates 3 times a week. I sometimes still do what I call a Trifecta - run, bike and pilates in the same day - but the next day is then definitely a rest day.
Skipping ahead a post - exercise could be considered my bad habit!
exercise could be considered my bad habit
Holy humblebrag...
Definitely age dependent. It gets worse when you get older, particularly in your early 70's. Even for hiking.
It’s tough to remember that one of the finest athletes to ever live may not really understand his own sport.
Babe Ruth thought beer helped him bat.
I believe beer helps my bowling score.
-XC
Tom Brady never takes a day off, but, as they say, “Father Time is undefeated”
I think that these people who perform at the highest levels have virtuous habits that are self re-enforcing at a micro level and winning and success is emergent from that.
I'll have to admit, I can't far enough "over my skis" to take seriously somebody who claims/brags about having an actual conversation with his body's musculature.
I generally only take one day off in a row (Sunday and some other day mid week).
I used to listen music, now I listen to podcasts.
Professor, how about a podcast? You and Glen Reynolds could do one weekly.
I would listen to that.
I loved running. I used to run 6.5 miles a day every other day, and did this for almost 20 years. I gave it up in 2012 when I moved to Oak Ridge- I was 46. I gave it up because I could see that the knees and the hips were probably a problem waiting for me in the future- for a distance runner that could do the 6.5 miles in the times I could run it, I am quite a bit heavier than one would normally be- 185 pounds. I didn't have joint problems when I stopped, and hopefully my transition to less impacting cardio will prevent them in the future.
As for the running itself- I could have done it every day- I did at times run every day for two or three weeks at a time without problems of wear and tear. Not doing it two days in a row, I could always sense the loss of stamina, though it was minor. A week away from doing, and I would be several minutes (5-10) slower finishing the run. It normally took me two weeks to return to my previous conditioning for every week off.
Good popular history podcasts: In Our Time, on the BBC. Accents and an alpahbetized list to shake things up.
"I don't know if he's correct, but it's memorable, and it might stop you from taking to days in a row off, so I wanted to share it."
I'll take two days off in a row if I want. As I look out at the world, I really don't know what to make of "life" as it's defined now. The health obsession, like the Nazis, marching through the forest like in the Hitler Youth - just as Jello predicted:
I am Governor Jerry Brown
My aura smiles and never frowns
Soon I will be president
Carter power will soon go 'way
I will be Führer one day
I will command all of you
Your kids will meditate in school
Your kids will meditate in school
California Über Alles
California Über Alles
Über Alles California
Über Alles California
Zen fascists will control you
Hundred percent natural
You will jog for the master race
And always wear the happy face
Close your eyes, can't happen here
Big Bro' on white horse is near
The hippies won't come back, you say
Mellow out or you will pay
Mellow out or you will pay
California Über Alles
California Über Alles
Über Alles California
Über Alles California
I can't discern any difference. Talk of eugenics is on the blog now. So are defenses of indefensible pseudoscience. Doctors who don't know they're mad. (Do I have to point out Dr. Oz is a quack and he's a heart surgeon?) These really are the obsessions of the Reich - the reasons why it existed.
That, and eliminating we "undesirables".
Don't over train muscles or under train them. Got it.
Free weight lifting is what she must be talking about. Take a whole week off and you have to start from the beginning as to soreness for several workouts. The soreness comes from where the tendon connects the muscles to the bones that they move around. But lifting keeps the bones strong too. Ask Glen reynolds.
traditionalguy said...
"Ask Glen reynolds."
After Gwyneth Paltrow.
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