Exercise - something we do or just allow?

Our body is made to move, so it is not surprising that exercise has become almost sacred in our part of the world, where so much time is spent sitting. Not so long ago, everyday life was filled with intense physical work, and Sunday was the sacred day of rest and contemplation.

Movement is manifested through our muscles, they consist of three groups of fibres: red, white and mixed (pink) muscle fibres. In short, red fibres performes the ongoing work to keep us upright. The white is quick, swift as that move when we, with precision, sweep away a wasp on the arm.

Muscles are affected by exercise, running slow and for a long time affects the red fibres and strength exercises builds up the white. Weight lifting fairly quickly increased muscle strength in response to exercise. In studies, scientists have seen an effect known as SAID (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands). This means that people get better on the specific training they perform but the effect on other activities is small. It may be that the strength is associated with a set of particular machines in a gym, change machines or gym and you feel weak!

Fitness training focused on strength increases the amount of white fibres at the expense of the resilient red, increased strength leads to reduced endurance. It is therefore a fit person can still find it cumbersome and tiring to sit at the computer.

The force that trains us more than any other is gravity, you stand and you train! Balance is a measure of how well we deal with gravity. A good posture and gravity strengthens our red fibrous postural muscles, we become stronger and more capable to keep our balance.

Once you know how to place yourself with regard to the vertical line when in the saddle, you no longer keep your balance through the reins, or squeeze with your legs. You can rest in your red muscle fibres and allow the whites to act quickly and with precision when required. That increases the possibility that it will be riding with quality!