Some people, including members of my immediate family, say I'm eccentric already, but when I read that eccentricity is good for you, I have to say, "Hooray to that."
In an article on the BBC website experts explain the benefits of eccentricity. In exercise that is. Let me explain it as I understand the principle. When you lift a weight, say in a bicep curl (muscles contracting), that's concentric exercise; when you lower the weight (muscles lengthening) that's eccentric.
I mention this in particular in relation to my previous post and the walking uphill versus walking downhill discussion.
From the article:
In one study, participants were asked to either walk up or down the stairs of a 10-storey building, and use a lift in the other direction. They did this twice a week. Amazingly, after 12 weeks, it was the group walking down the stairs that were fitter.
The group walking downstairs improved their muscle strength by 34%, over twice as much as the group walking upstairs! That’s much more than you would expect from normal exercise. Studies have also shown that eccentric exercise can improve mobility surprisingly quickly – more so than exercises that only focus on stretching.
And with less strain on the heart. The article went into lots more detail but ended with this advice:
One simple thing you can try is the sit-stand challenge: lower yourself down into your chair slowly, then stand up at normal speed. It seems easy but try this enough times and you’ll feel surprisingly sore afterwards.
So walking down the mountain would have been better for us!
* * * * *
An excellent day for collecting driftwood on the beach as the tide is high and there have been storms out at sea, so the beach is littered. So much so that some kind souls built a sheltered bench on the beach out of driftwood.
I was on the lookout for the perfect pieces of driftwood for a cross. I'd already made one but wasn't happy with it, so I was pleased to find some better pieces today.
On the way home with Husband kindly carrying the bigger piece I asked his advice about a base for it. I was coming up with some complicated ideas when it struck me: a Christmas tree stand!
4 comments:
It takes more fitness to come down stairs or a hill without falling down, yes, the study isn't so surprising. I was a little kid in the Dales, where people went fell walking and running and descending was a notorious trap if you were tired from climbing.
I swear by sit to stand. Also sit to stand to overhead lift with a dumbbell. Great exercise. I expect you do it in your exercise classes.
Lovely driftwood cross!
I live on the 11th floor of my building. Early last Sunday morning, some disgruntled tenant pulled the fire alarm twice within two hours so I had to traipse down all 11 flights to evacuate the building. I sure felt it in my calves for about 3 days afterwards! But now I think perhaps I should make a habit of walking down at least once a week for some good eccentric exercise. By the way, that meaning of "eccentric" is new to me, so thanks for the education!
Aha, scientific evidence for the eccentrics! Anytime I've gone up and then down a mountain, I know I'm feeling the down more the next day(s)
Nice prayer cross!
Last week I walked through some new neighborhoods with some pretty steep hills (both up and down). The next day my legs were reminding me of it. Now I know why.
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