The 'Battery Theory'

“Jazz is music made by and for people who have chosen to feel good in spite of conditions.” Johnny Griffin

Mountain biking and sports in general are for people who choose to feel good in spite of the daily grind. Who are your friends and who inspires you? These questions at the root give us a clear understanding of who we are. 

Over the last few years I have taken time to explore the feeling of inactivity or passivity,  though some will laugh at what they consider my lack of activity for me it was a serious slowing down. I seem to have passed that 'less active' phase, found my motivation and along the way found a different respect for physical exertion. Around me I see neurotic sports enthusiast, passive arm chair athletes and all woks of physical activity levels but what I came to understand from within myself and to reflect on others is the 'battery theory'. 

Photo courtesy of Patric Graham

Battery Theory explained:

We humans are physiologically electric, our hearts pump when stimulated to do so - think about a heart attack and the paddles to revive - pure electricity "charging"! Our brains are firing and so to are our muscles all this takes place at a cellular level by the exchange of chemicals and the atomic spark of a passing electron. So like the movie the 'Matrix' cannot we then make a conscious decision to charge up daily at a time of our choosing?

I have noted in my observations two things

1) personal daily energy levels

2) how to 'get going' by sporting at different times of the day

Personal daily energy levels vary for many people; 'Activity' by it's Greek or Latin root (my personal interpretation)

Ac; to accelerate, to increase to obtain

tact: a state on which two things touch, feet on pavement, feet on pedals

Vit: pertaining to Live, Life

If we know our daily energy levels and needs and understand how our activities can effect this then we can manipulate our energy levels to get the most out of ourselves. Getting up early is against my personal philosophy, but when I do manage a 'dawn patrol' or something early I am charged all day. When I do an activity later at night I am charged and find it difficult to sleep. All this is common sense of course but when we look at not doing activity we see a decline in energy, a decline in motivation and for me - a decline in the quality of life.

Batteries need charging, those charged batteries are our best form of defense for a complicated world of energy demands. Work, play, family and all the other demands of the modern world take time and energy to deal with - what are you doing to charge your batteries and give your 'all'. 

When we look at those around us, we realize that we are within a like minded community -all of our friends are charging hard, living life to it's fullest, but mostly because they take time to prioritize having a full battery.

This quote on Jazz rung a chord within me-people making a choice. Perhaps the conditions around us aren't terrible, aren't truly that bad, but they are trying times and we do live very full lives. Perhaps the best way to combat this is to make a choice and charge your battery. Charge it when it makes sense for you and at a level that Gives you energy.

Remember also it's the rest and recovery that allows those charged batteries to 'give their all'.