In an age when we have so much access to so many seemingly unnatural things, it’s ironic how we still value and admire things and people who are, or at least appear to be, entirely natural.

Nature in itself is beautiful, few might dispute this, certainly not the painters and photographers who have been trying to capture its essence for so many years.

But what of the unnatural? Man-made things can be beautiful too. However, there seems to be a limit as to how much we’re willing to accept.

They’ve done some very impressive work in Japan in the field of robotics. Robotic engineers currently seem devoted towards developing distinctly human-like robots. The funny thing is though, the more human-like they appear, the weirder and creepier they seem.

Ultimately, it would seem we are wired to recognise something that is natural and distinguish it from something false. Too much muscle, for example, is often considered to look unnatural or grotesque and is an ingrained fear in both males and females who take up resistance training in the gym.

We seem wired to question excessive muscle mass, assuming it is a result of unnatural means. A 70-year-old woman who looks 35 is awe-inspiring, strange, space-age, almost frightening. Also, there’s something about a man in his 60s with a full head of jet black hair that just doesn’t seem right.

A lot of products carry the ‘all-natural’ banner and promise to deliver that all-natural look, but sometimes it can be difficult to define what is really natural.

In health and exercise we face the same challenge. With all the pills, potions and gadgets we are exposed to, are we really going about things the right way or are we just staring into the eyes of some really creepy Japanese robot?

Natural things are caused by nature not by mankind. They say that if something seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t. We’re all capable of recognising this after a lifetime of experiences, successes and failures.

In people, we know instinctly what looks natural too. So if you want a truly natural look, then why not try an all-natural training regimen? The good thing about nature when it comes to fitness is that it offers a full range of products and services totally free of charge.

Let’s set some guidelines, the first being to start running. Perhaps one of the first natural forms of vigorous physical activity mankind was forced to indulge in was running.

Swimming the classic strokes is an excellent cardiovascular workout, which means that apart from strengthening muscles, you will burn calories and shed fat

We once used this ability to aid in the hunting process, and those who ran fastest could hunt more and eat more, a positive feedback loop ingrained deep inside all of us. Barring any medical conditions, any health improvement programme would benefit from walking, and eventually jogging and running when fitness levels increase.

Some experts even believe in barefoot running, as opposed to wearing running shoes. Indeed, barefoot running, at least temporarily, has been noted to improve technique as a result of eliminating a technical running fault known as heel-striking.

Running mechanics can be improved by striving to contact the ground with the mid-foot and not the heel, so if you do wear running shoes as a practical convenience, make every effort not to allow aggressive heel-striking and go with your body’s more natural movement patterns, associated with a mid-foot ground-contact action.

How fast should you go? And for how long? We’ve been going on about interval training and all sorts of protocols that can be used for exercises like running, but there really isn’t cause for confusion if you’re determined to go all-natural.

Start out going as fast as you are comfortable for 20 minutes. A pace at which you can hold a conversation is a good rule of thumb. When you feel good, go faster, when you’re struggling, slow down. Week by week, increase the time until you can go non-stop for 45 minutes. Eventually, you’ll be fit enough to run fast through the whole period.

The second guideline, perform bodyweight exercises. The human form has adapted to take into account a fundamental force that has existed since the beginning of the universe itself: gravity.

Bones, joints and muscles provide leverages to allow the body to move and support itself in the conditions of the earth’s gravity. Performing bodyweight exercises against the force of gravity by simply manipulating the positions of our bodies is arguably the most natural way to train.

Squats, lunges, press-ups, pull-ups and hand-stand push-ups, to name but a few, are highly productive exercises that work with the natural movement patterns for which joints and muscles are designed, and can be employed to strengthen and sculpt all the major muscle groups of the body.

And finally, especially since we’re living on this beautiful island surrounded by sea: go swimming.

Some machine manufacturers have invested millions into the development of machines that offer multi-directional resistance and all sorts of fancy terms to describe something that can be easily provided by water.

Swimming the classic strokes is also an excellent cardiovascular workout, which means that apart from strengthening muscles, you will burn calories and shed fat, provided you can keep up a pace comparable to your running. Build up to 45 minutes without stopping.

Combining all three elements into one workout that includes running, bodyweight moves and swimming is the ultimate summertime regimen for a natural slender-looking you.

matthew.muscat.inglott@mcast.edu.mt

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