| Researchers at Duke University's Pratt
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| | Here are some key points to allow this to
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| School of Engineering and Pennsylvania
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| | happen:
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| State University are explaining how "all
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| | Perform a daily exercise routine that
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| animals bear the same stamp of physics in
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| | works the body in all three planes of
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| their design." (
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| | motion. These planes are the sagittal,
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| The researchers show that "constructal
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| | frontal and transverse (front to back,
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| theory" is a powerful analytical approach
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| | side to side and rotational). This action
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| to describing movement, or flows, in
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| | alone will allow the muscles to operate
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| nature.
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| | as designed and give proper feedback to
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| Adrian Bejan, J. A. Jones Professor of
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| | the brain and spinal cord. Sending proper
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| Mechanical Engineering at Duke's Pratt
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| | information to the "control tower" will
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| School reports that in the case of animal
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| | result in better movement outcomes
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| locomotion, "animals move such that they
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| | (posture, flexibility, reflexes, muscle
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| travel the greatest distance while
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| | and ligament strength).
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| expending the least amount of energy."
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| | Exercise with the movement goal in mind.
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| "The theory applies to virtually
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| | What does your body have to do on a daily
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| everything that moves," Bejan said.
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| | basis? What postures, movement patterns
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| This is what I took home from the
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| | and activities do you ask it to do? How
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| article: All animals attempt to be
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| | do you need to prepare for its ultimate
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| efficient when it comes to movement. This
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| | success? What exercises and/or stretches
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| is probably subconscious for the most
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| | must you perform to prevent problems?
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| part.
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| | If I am a computer programmer, I want to
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| A related article "The Best Exercise for
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| | make sure I do exercise routines to
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| Your Brain and Body" describes the brain
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| | stimulate my muscles to help keep my
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| preferring muscle synergies (muscles
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| | metabolism at levels to prevent excessive
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| working together in groups) so as to be
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| | weight gain. I want to make sure I do
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| more efficient with movement.
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| | flexibility routines to prevent muscle
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| The human body's architecture is such
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| | tightness and poor posturing. I need to
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| that it enables fluid movement when
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| | make sure I take several breaks
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| allowed to perform optimally. The
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| | throughout the day to at least adjust my
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| skeletal system, muscular system and
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| | posture and possibly do quick exercise
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| ligamentous system is arranged to work in
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| | routines to stimulate my brain.
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| harmony to expend the least amount of
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| | Stop introducing unnatural exercises and
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| energy for the task desired.
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| | exercise machines to your system. A basic
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| Muscle fibers are orchestrated in a
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| | rule of thumb is to evaluate your routine
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| manner to promote multi-planar movement.
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| | based on its functionality. Do you do a
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| This helps the body produce more force,
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| | movement like this on a daily basis? Does
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| which in turn makes it more adept at
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| | a particular machine put you in a
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| achieving desired movement results.
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| | non-functional environment?
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| As mentioned in "The Best Exercise"
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| | Pretty much any exercise that "isolates"
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| article, the nervous system along with
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| | a muscle is unnatural. The brain
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| the help of the proprioceptors, gives the
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| | recognizes muscle synergies, so isolating
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| brain (and spinal cord) constant feedback
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| | a muscle confuses the brain. Examples:
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| to make the body more proficient.
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| | seated leg extensions, machine biceps
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| Ligaments and joint capsules protect the
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| | curls, pec (chest) machine.
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| joints from unwanted and extreme movement
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| | Get on your feet and work in 3 planes of
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| and also give feedback to ensure movement
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| | motion. Allow the muscles to "load and
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| competence.
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| | explode" (lengthen and contract) through
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| Our system and, it appears, all animal
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| | the available range of motion (i.e. not
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| species' systems, are designed rather
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| | too extreme range under tension as to
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| well for success.
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| | cause injury).
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| As children we are "wired "with all the
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| | Lastly, feed the system nutrients. Start
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| right movement patterns for success. As
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| | with water; half an ounce to one ounce of
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| we age and develop poor postures,
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| | water per pound of body weight. Keep your
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| inflexible musculature and other
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| | body hydrated to ensure proper
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| compensations due to poor movement
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| | functioning - not to mention clearer
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| habits...we "foul up" the system.
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| | thinking.
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| It would seem to make sense that our best
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| | I recommend 2.5 grams of carbohydrates
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| movement strategy would be to let the
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| | for every gram of protein. Breads, fruits
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| body move as it is designed to move. We
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| | and vegetables (carbohydrates), provide
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| would be successful by leaving well
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| | the main energy source for our bodies.
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| enough alone. "Don't try to fix what
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| | Meat, fish, dairy products and nuts
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| ain't broke"- so to speak.
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| | (protein), provide the major building
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| We are "messing with nature."
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| | blocks for all the cells in our body.
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| So, how can we keep from altering nature?
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| | In general, whole foods are better than
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| How do we keep from developing poor
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| | processed. Stay away from sugar, flour,
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| movement habits; and better yet un-do
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| | and high fat oils.
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| existing ones?
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| | We can aid the architecture of our body
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| I think it is fairly simple and something
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| | by working with our natural system and
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| that can be achieved quickly. As the
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| | avoiding habits that work against it.
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| saying goes, we will have to jump over to
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| | We are born with all the tools for
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| "the simple side of complexity."
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| | movement success; it's how we develop
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| The body is a complex organism. However,
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| | these tools over time that makes the
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| it is already designed for us to be
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| | difference in our health and fitness.
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| successful. We just need to take
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| | As a wise man said long ago:
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| advantage of the arrangement and work
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| | "If a man would move the world, he must
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| with it instead of against it. This will
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| | first move himself.
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| improve our overall health and fitness.
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