The Path of Resistance

The modern world has devised a machine to do just about anything that needs to be done. Work today bears little resemblance to the way people laboured in generations past. I can remember sanitation workers physically lifting garbage cans to dump them in the truck. At any road construction site, men hanging on to jack-hammers was a common sight. When a house was built, every nail was pounded by hand and men had to mix and haul concrete in wheelbarrows. I recall my wife’s uncle digging out entire perimeter drains by hand, day after day, year after year. Such physical work was good in one way and bad in another. People would get strong from daily exertion but often suffer debilitating injuries over time. To increase productivity and avoid paying out injury claims, machines have been enlisted to do most of the physical work people used to do. 

On the one hand, many workplace injuries have been avoided, but on the other hand, bodies have grown weak from inaction. We look to find ways to replace the exercise we used to get from our day to day jobs. These days, working out at the gym is essential. Although we do the constantly varied, high intensity workouts to get and stay in shape, it often isn’t enough. Even if you went 6 times a week and every wod was 30 minutes long, that’s only 3 hours of effort in 7 days! 

Challenge yourself  to overcome the mechanised sedentary lifestyle. Look for the harder way to get to where you are going. Never ride an escalator or elevator when you can find the stairs. Leave the car at home occasionally, rediscover walking. Trade in you ride-em lawn mower for one you get to push. With so many ways available to you to avoid physical work, you have to be very creative to actually do some! Don’t succumb to the easiest way of doing absolutely everything.

Rivers always take the route of least resistance but always get dumped at the lowest point. 

Try going the long way and carrying the heavy load. Our bodies were meant to work.

Cheers,

Coach Mark