Ugh…it felt so slow.
A shoulder injury forced me to alter how I climb stairs at the gym. I lowered my speed 30% so as not to strain my shoulder by pulling myself up with the handrails. This seemed very slow.
I was shocked to see a 30% reduction in my speed only reduced the calories I burned by 1% in the same amount of time. My heart rate was the same as at the higher speed. This intrigued the engineer in me. Then, I remembered the formula:
Work = force x distance
The amount of work done is not a function of speed. While it felt slow to shift to centered* movement, I accomplished just as much.
Center is the new fast in a couple ways
1. Centering creates more awareness and therefore lessens the likelihood of error.
2. Ironically, the more centered you are the faster you can move! Indy cars are a great example.
Remember, the next time you are racing around holding your breath trying to get things done, speed is not a function of work…’center is the new fast!’ Breathe and refocus.
Please share your experiences!