Exercise and Your Internal Clock

Mr Farkle

Mr Farkle

Well-known Member
I'm a runner but due to an injury I temporarily switched to an elliptical machine. The machine has an LED display that cycles through total time, strides per minute, total strides and calories burned. It takes about 20 seconds to complete a cycle. Out of boredom I started to play a little game in which I try to consistently hit the same number of strides per minute each cycle.

If you run, walk, bike, row or whatever I wonder if it would help to train your internal clock if you exercise to an excessively delayed click? Do any of you do something like this?
 
I do something similar but not necessarily metronomic. I try to exhale one full breath for every four steps while running.

It’s amazing how much of my endurance has improved by sticking to this ratio as much as possible, even when doing difficult hill climbs.

Breath control and mindfulness are king!
 
Mr Farkle said:
I'm a runner but due to an injury I temporarily switched to an elliptical machine. The machine has an LED display that cycles through total time, strides per minute, total strides and calories burned. It takes about 20 seconds to complete a cycle. Out of boredom I started to play a little game in which I try to consistently hit the same number of strides per minute each cycle.

If you run, walk, bike, row or whatever I wonder if it would help to train your internal clock if you exercise to an excessively delayed click? Do any of you do something like this?
Click to expand...

That seems like a good idea to me. I sometimes walk, run, dance or move in time to music that I listen to. it's a nice feeling and I'd like to think it improves the internal clock too.
 
I crewed (as in rowing) for three years and strokes per minute was just like rpm. And due to the physiological nature of the stroke, rhythmic breathing was required.
 
I don't think internal clock is something you train, it's something you do. Or maybe you train to learn to do it, idk. But it's something you do on purpose, with awareness-- the clock doesn't run itself. It's partly about subdividing the very slow rhythm so it's easier to judge, and partly about making your limbs follow that timing, not the timing they want to follow. Playing drums they also have to do it at a certain volume, which screws a lot of people up. I don't do this with anything except playing music.
 
Hewitt2 said:
I do something similar but not necessarily metronomic. I try to exhale one full breath for every four steps while running.

It’s amazing how much of my endurance has improved by sticking to this ratio as much as possible, even when doing difficult hill climbs.

Breath control and mindfulness are king!
Click to expand...
Sounds interesting. I'm going to try that when I'm back in the game!
 
toddbishop said:
I don't think internal clock is something you train, it's something you do. Or maybe you train to learn to do it, idk. But it's something you do on purpose, with awareness-- the clock doesn't run itself. It's partly about subdividing the very slow rhythm so it's easier to judge, and partly about making your limbs follow that timing, not the timing they want to follow. Playing drums they also have to do it at a certain volume, which screws a lot of people up. I don't do this with anything except playing music.
Click to expand...
If you take my elliptical example, to hit the mark each time I'm definitely breaking down the 20 seconds into smaller cycles, actually a single rotation, and then trying to maintain a constant rate of rotation. It also involves micro adjustments. One rotation felt a little off so the next needs to be ever so slightly adjusted to keep on pace. To me that's very similar to the kind of attention needed to keep a steady beat. Again I don't know if it transfers to drumming but to clarify, I'm not thinking that an internal clock is something in which you train be able to autopilot a 20 second time span.

The volume aspect is interesting. I never thought about timing and volume as being closely connected but I'll bet that's very true.
 
Mr Farkle said:
The volume aspect is interesting. I never thought about timing and volume as being closely connected but I'll bet that's very true.
Click to expand...
That's what screws a lot of people up-- certain stick heights at certain speeds are not naturally real comfortable to play. People tend to want to keep the stick in motion, so they'll play higher on slower strokes. It's a key thing for getting control of both dynamics and tempo.
 
Mr Farkle said:
I'm a runner but due to an injury I temporarily switched to an elliptical machine. The machine has an LED display that cycles through total time, strides per minute, total strides and calories burned. It takes about 20 seconds to complete a cycle. Out of boredom I started to play a little game in which I try to consistently hit the same number of strides per minute each cycle.

If you run, walk, bike, row or whatever I wonder if it would help to train your internal clock if you exercise to an excessively delayed click? Do any of you do something like this?
Click to expand...
When I belonged to a gym I found myself doing the same thing on the elliptical.
 
If wearing earbuds, I typically walk at pace with the current song, unless I'm mowing the lawn or something. But just walking, I usually find the click.

I try to open the microwave door when the clock turns 0:00 but hasn't beeped yet. It can be done. I've done it maybe a dozen times out of thousands in over a twenty year time span. Hasn't happened in a while, I'm due.
 
beet said:
Maybe if you used your foot you’d get it more often. Which are faster - your hands or feet?
Click to expand...
At this point I'm not sure. My hands can stay at speed for longer than my feet, so let's go with that!

As for the microwave, I tap along to and subdivide the descending timer with my foot. My finger is firmly pressing the door button waiting for that exact moment to fully press it and open the door. I'm just not that good at my own game lol.
 
MrInsanePolack said:
I try to open the microwave door when the clock turns 0:00 but hasn't beeped yet. It can be done. I've done it maybe a dozen times out of thousands in over a twenty year time span. Hasn't happened in a while, I'm due.
Click to expand...
My son tries this all the time and he's decently good at it. Young reflexes, or maybe a slow microwave. When he succeeds I think it causes the microwave to get stuck in some state of confusion. Often when I push the one minute quick button it does nothing until I select stop and then the one minute again. I've convinced myself that he's causing this to happen!
 
Mr Farkle said:
When he succeeds I think it causes the microwave to get stuck in some state of confusion. Often when I push the one minute quick button it does nothing until I select stop and then the one minute again.
Click to expand...
Mine does the same thing. It's like the electricity didnt make it to the beeper, so it cant manually reset or something.
 
MrInsanePolack said:
Mine does the same thing. It's like the electricity didnt make it to the beeper, so it cant manually reset or something.
Click to expand...
Oh man thanks for confirming! I suspected as much but it was so infrequent that I could never prove it. I even tried to ask him once when it happened but he said he couldn’t remember if he had beat the clock the last time he used it.
 
I've been running recently, I practicing counting the 32 bar form. I don't know if there is an internal metronome, but I've realized actually how little time I spend just playing my drums, I would usually sit down and run through different beats. As I master things I make a point to play the beats for longer periods of time. Really smooths things out. I noticed it when I was doing a teeth UV cleaning regimen, it had a timer that was 20min and I would basically just play the entire time.

I don't know if that makes any sense but I would conclude just doing something for 20min or more straight is basically a good way to improve. In other instruments Cat Anderson said you have to play F on trumpet for half an hour. Not a particularly hard note, but that is the basic idea. Just playing the trumpet for and extended period of time. Though it is kind of controversial, others say there may be better ways to spend 20min on the trumpet.
 
SmoothOperator said:
Though it is kind of controversial, others say there may be better ways to spend 20min on the trumpet.
Click to expand...
I’m a big proponent of cross discipline in any art. I’m a photographer but I get inspired and learn things by going to the potters supply store. Super good to get out of your specific discipline!
 
MrInsanePolack said:
I try to open the microwave door when the clock turns 0:00 but hasn't beeped yet. It can be done. I've done it maybe a dozen times out of thousands in over a twenty year time span. Hasn't happened in a while, I'm due.
Click to expand...
We've noticed you doing this. You do pretty good too, considering where you are in your developmental phase. You're roughly 5 times better at this than most initiates. Very promising, you are. I'll see what we can do for you there, as far as your success rate goes. I put a request in for an early tiny fraction of a smidgeon of a taste of what's to come. Don't squander it.

If you could get this skill down while still in the larval state...lets just say that you will be very popular pretty much straight away.

This skill will come in more than handy when your superpowers have activated. We want you confident.

Keep practicing that, you'll be glad you did.

(hint: close your eyes)
 
Last edited:
larryace said:
We've noticed you doing this. You do pretty good too, considering where you are in your developmental phase. You're roughly 5 times better at this than most initiates. Very promising, you are. I'll see what we can do for you there, as far as your success rate goes. I put a request in for an early tiny fraction of a smidgeon of a taste of what's to come. Don't squander it.

If you could get this skill down while still in the larval state...lets just say that you will be very popular pretty much straight away.

This skill will come in more than handy when your superpowers have activated. We want you confident.

Keep practicing that, you'll be glad you did.

(hint: close your eyes)
Click to expand...
I'll work on it. While you are here, the mower has been quiet lately. I gave it a full tune up. Was I not supposed to?
 
MrInsanePolack said:
I'll work on it. While you are here, the mower has been quiet lately. I gave it a full tune up. Was I not supposed to?
Click to expand...
No we haven't been utilizing the lawn mower as much lately.

The tune up was fine.

We track where your focus lies and play to that, so it's ever evolving. Right now there is a different appliance that is doing the lawnmowers duty for the time being. You don't know what it is yet, but you will soon. I'm not gonna lie I'm looking forward to your response, it should be epic
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top