Running Is Always Blind
m.nautil.us
Running Is Always Blind
1–10 of 14 posts
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#2Makes me think of orienteering running -- at the competitive level, you can't afford to slow down much (and definitely you can't stop running) just to look at the map and plan your route.
So not only you're not looking at how rough the terrain you're stepping on right now is, your brain is also busy with evaluating different options and trying to optimize for the least effort to get from point A to point B (and repeat this 100 times or more in a race) -- for example, should I take the long way around the hill with rougher vegetation vs go straight up 100 meters elevation and down on the other side.
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#3Interesting article, but I don't get why so much surprise at the notion that we don't consciously control every single muscle, joint and nerve as we run.
We never ever consciously control every anything, period. Just try to list the movements of each phalanx as you tie your shoes or even scratch your head, and you'll easily see that we just have no idea.
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#4You can't run from troubles, you can to face them and solve them
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#5Interesting article, but I don't get why so much surprise at the notion that we don't consciously control every single muscle, joint and nerve as we run. We never ever consciously control every anything, period. Just try to list the movements of each phalanx as you tie your shoes or even scratch your head, and you'll easily see that we just have no idea.
People still can't bear the idea that most of their lives are formed by emotional and physical routines.
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#6Interesting article, but I don't get why so much surprise at the notion that we don't consciously control every single muscle, joint and nerve as we run. We never ever consciously control every anything, period. Just try to list the movements of each phalanx as you tie your shoes or even scratch your head, and you'll easily see that we just have no idea.
Well, yes and no, my experience tells me it all depends on the level of control of your body that you have, and training for a particular task.
Learning to ollie is a typical example of that: there are movements that you have to consciously apply, yet the best way to ollie is to not think about it and just do a ollie, as each movement isolated doesn't mean much and it's only when the whole thing connects together that it works [0]. As Rodney Mullen says [1], you can only be conscious about sub-movements that really don't exist by themselves (only as part of a larger move) and connect together to form (and possibly create) a movement or a trick. It's really hard to describe, because mostly you don't really think about it, you just feel it, but at the same time it's a conscious action on your part, kinda like meditation or doing a kata.
[0]: Braille Skateboarding - 5 steps to better ollies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrOZxOTIv-g
[1]: Rodney Mullen - Pop a ollie and innovate! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEm-wjPkegE
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#7Interesting article, but I don't get why so much surprise at the notion that we don't consciously control every single muscle, joint and nerve as we run. We never ever consciously control every anything, period. Just try to list the movements of each phalanx as you tie your shoes or even scratch your head, and you'll easily see that we just have no idea.
Well, yes and no, my experience tells me it all depends on the level of control of your body that you have, and training for a particular task. Learning to ollie is a typical example of that: there are movements that you have to consciously apply, yet the best way to ollie is to not think about it and just do a ollie, as each movement isolated doesn't mean much and it's only when the whole thing connects together tha…
You surely can (and in certain circumstances must) consciously control some parts of your movements, but mostly you are aware of the high level goal and the "main" body part movements, but there's simply no way that you can control or even be aware of most of what your muscles do.
In a situation as the ones you describe, you may be aware of relatively a lot simultaneous movements and perceptions you adjust for, but you're actually doing at least an order of magnitude more movements and adjustments, maybe two.
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#8You can't run from troubles, you can to face them and solve them
Some problems are solved by running :-)
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#9Interesting article, but I don't get why so much surprise at the notion that we don't consciously control every single muscle, joint and nerve as we run. We never ever consciously control every anything, period. Just try to list the movements of each phalanx as you tie your shoes or even scratch your head, and you'll easily see that we just have no idea.
Well, yes and no, my experience tells me it all depends on the level of control of your body that you have, and training for a particular task. Learning to ollie is a typical example of that: there are movements that you have to consciously apply, yet the best way to ollie is to not think about it and just do a ollie, as each movement isolated doesn't mean much and it's only when the whole thing connects together tha…
Also: I can't skate, but I used to be able to juggle almost decently. Sure, learning to juggle involves some degree of conscious learning, but really the cerebellum does almost all the work. You look at someone doing a new trick and understand the understandable part, then you keep trying until you can perform the trick decently, and I ensure you that there is absolutely nothing you can explain afterwards that you couldn't before the training (once you get the understandable part).
Re: Running Is Always Blind
#10Interesting article, but I don't get why so much surprise at the notion that we don't consciously control every single muscle, joint and nerve as we run. We never ever consciously control every anything, period. Just try to list the movements of each phalanx as you tie your shoes or even scratch your head, and you'll easily see that we just have no idea.
Well, yes and no, my experience tells me it all depends on the level of control of your body that you have, and training for a particular task. Learning to ollie is a typical example of that: there are movements that you have to consciously apply, yet the best way to ollie is to not think about it and just do a ollie, as each movement isolated doesn't mean much and it's only when the whole thing connects together tha…
At first when you are trying to learn a new sensorimotor skill, you have to use directed thought and consciously try and perform the task, typically by breaking it down into separate movements.
But at a certain point in this process the skill becomes implicit and you start to 'just do it.' You can continue to improve the skill at this point, but it requires less conscious control.
Interestingly, if you try and over-control your movements after having reached the second stage, your performance will usually get worse.
[1] Psychologists call the first kind of learning explicit and the second kind implicit learning.