Instead of focusing on the benefits of physical activity, researchers have been busy turning their attention to the dangers of falling victim to its polar opposite: the phenomenon of physical inactivity.

Take the dangers of sitting down too much and too often for instance; while we might intuitively assume sitting is bad for us simply because it is time we could have spent doing something healthier, we now know that the act of sitting in itself is actually harmful for our health, and associated with a higher incidence of non-communicable diseases.

We are also starting to attach more value to the concept of increasing physical activity levels throughout our daily lives and not just during bouts of planned or structured exercise. Out of the 168 hours that make up an entire week, we are starting to question what we can really expect to achieve in just two to three hours in the gym, particularly if the lifestyle choices we are making the rest of the time leave much to be desired.

Little things like getting up off the chair at work and moving around every half hour or so can make a big difference. When step-counting first became popular many years ago, devices that counted our steps throughout the day were all the rage. The pedometers, however, weren’t terribly accurate and people tended to get bored of them pretty quickly.

With the advent of smartphones and modern wristwatch-based fitness trackers, we saw a re-emergence of the step-target approach to increasing physical activity, although research showed that a minority of people actually continued to use such devices or applications once the novelty had worn off.

I’ve always felt that simpler plans were more effective and last longer, particularly when we more closely understand the underlying principles or processes and require minimal resources and equipment to implement them. Today I would like to share a nifty little idea from our military brothers and sisters in arms, who some might consider masters and mistresses of self-sufficiency and resourcefulness.

While soldiers on the ground do indeed sometimes have access to GPS technology, should electronics or batteries fail, the consequences could be disastrous. They need to have a back-up system of measuring the distance they cover on foot that simply cannot fail. The method they use actually represents quite a nifty step-counting system for the rest of us, and we can use it to calculate the distances we cover on a daily basis without relying on GPS, wristwatches or phones.

If you walk the same routes every day, you will soon learn the distances of each

First, you’ll need to know how many steps you typically need to cover a set distance of 100 metres. The average person will cover it in approximately 60 steps. One step is defined here as the interval between the same foot striking the ground twice, or in other words, choose either of your feet and only count each time that particular foot strikes the ground as you walk. Sixty steps per 100 metres will result in approximations, which is fine, but if you want more accuracy, you can easily calculate and calibrate your own personal 100-metre step value.

Try and find any representation of a set distance you can, such as a full of half-size Olympic swimming pool, which would measure either 50 or 25 metres respectively. The straights on an athletics track will accurately represent 100 metres. Football pitches vary in size, so if you chose this unit of measure, you would need to find out the exact dimensions from someone affiliated to the respective facility.

Once you are sure of the distance you are covering, you can walk along it at least three times, adjust for 100 metres if you used a shorter measure, and take an average of the three attempts.

Armed with this vital piece of information, you can now accurately count your steps while you walk and keep track of your total distance in lots of 100 metres. “So I’m going to have to start counting every single step I take everywhere I go?” you might ask. Well, counting every other step performed by just one of your feet requires less attention than counting every single step performed by both feet. In fact, you will find that the degree of attention required may actually serve to enhance your concentration and focus, and prevent your mind from wandering.

Also, if you walk the same routes every day, you will soon learn the distances of each.

As for keeping track of the 100-metre lots you count off, here’s where a little military ingenuity and resourcefulness comes in. Soldiers typically carry ‘para chord’ and tie it off in knots. As they count off the steps equivalent to a 100-metre segment, they pass one bead through their fingertips like a rosary bead. The soldier can then count the number of beads they passed through their fingers at the end of a march, each representing a tenth of a kilometre, and therefore know the total distance covered, where every 10 beads will equal a kilometre.

If you’re not thrilled about carrying bits of string around, you might try matches or toothpicks. By depositing a handful in your left pocket and transferring one to your right pocket after each 100-metre segment, all you will have to do is count all the sticks in your right pocket at the end of the day. How much distance will you cover today?

matthewmuscatinglott@gmail.com