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Walk or Run: Are We Built To Be Lazy?
sciencehabit writes "A quick visit to Monty Python's Ministry of Silly Walks shows just how many ways humans (or at least British comedians) can think of to travel from point A to point B. So why don't we high kick our way to the bus stop or skip to the grocery store? New research suggests that there may be a deep biomechanical reason governing the gaits we choose in different situations. In short, people consistently choose to walk when they need to travel slower than 2 m/s to reach their goal in the given time; when they needed to move about 3 m/s or faster, they ran. But in between—in 'the twilight zone between walking and running'—people tended to mix the two gaits, minimizing their energy expenditure. The findings could help scientists design better prosthetic limbs and even build more human-like robots"
It is tempting to say we're built to be lazy. Just look at all the slothful people. On the other hand, being able and willing to NOT be lazy when the time comes has a distinct evolutionary advantage, just as saving energy when one needs to does. I supposed we're meant to be a blend.
It's not called being lazy. It's called SURVIVING on LIMITED RESOURCES, which is what Humans had to do for hundreds of thousands of years before developing the technology to increase food availability.
Expending the least amount of energy was called SURVIVAL.
We really have completely lost touch with reality, haven't we? We are living in the idiocracy.
Consider our ancestors. Would it be a good idea to always rush from point A to point B, risking near constant exhaustion? Predators would find us an easy kill at that point.
I'd argue that this conservative behavior is evolutionarily driven.
... Scientists discovered jogging?
So when people need to run, they run, but if they don't need to run, they don't? Is that really all this is saying? I sure hope there is some more technical benefit to the field of prostheses or this study was probably a waste of money.
My dog doesn't follow this pattern, she runs pretty much everywhere, even when she has no obvious reason to get there in a hurry. Except of course, when I'm standing by the car calling her and trying to coax her to come quickly so we can go home, then she walks slowly and meanders her way back to the car.
I'm driving or flying there. Fuck using my feet.
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I used to work in an office with an extremely athletic lady. She used to run (actually more of a jog) down the aisles between cubicles. Not bad looking either.
One day, my boss was standing in the doorway, talking with me when she ran by. He gave her sort of an odd look. When he turned back to speak with me, I said, "If I were her, I'd run by this cubicle as well."
He was laughing so hard, it was pretty much the end of our conversation.
Have gnu, will travel.
After WWII ended, German POWs in the gulags of the Soviet Union adopted a particular method of movement known as the "plenny-step". This was designed by the prisoners to conserve energy when the Communists provided a starvation diet. Not much is known of the exact method used, other than it "turned the camp inhabitants into a mass of bent, crawling figures". You have to realize that the human body (and all animals) do a really good job with optimizing energy output for work achieved.
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Why is it that joint wear only happens to the "exercise" runners?
Because it is not joint wear but a symptom of prior joint damage.
Serious runners run within their limits and typically run with good form ... Exercise runners are more prone to 'over-train' relative to their ability and are typically in worse shape than serious runners (eg. more body weight, poorer running form, less conditioning of muscles and ligaments).
Hence, exercise runners are more prone to do damage that will later develop into osteoarthritis.
I think there is reasonable evidence that amateurs in most sports have higher injury rates than professionals, despite the professionals undertaking physically more demanding activities.
Likewise, plenty is evidence that knees (and joint in general) do not just "wear out" as you correctly suggest.
I prefer the 'Policeman' walk - gait or whatever. It's a one leg leap forward with a pointed foot. Gracefull but silly.
Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!