economy of movement

i learned firsthand about economy of movement after walking the portland marathon:  less is more.  trying to muscle through with long strides only wore me out, while those taking smaller, quick steps seemed to finish not only faster but with more energy.

and then i watched this concept come to life recently when i watched award-winning musicians play their guitars, fiddles and mandolins.  www.mollytuttle.net

whether it's bluegrass music, bikers in the tour de france or a chef dicing onions, i notice a common pattern in that they conserve any energy that's not needed for the task at hand, working actually very hard but rendering their skill with seeming ease.

the same is true for the underwater portion of synchronized swimmers or the skill with which irish dancers keep their top half still while dancing.

anyone practiced at what they do has disciplined themselves through training to focus their motions and the result is a stunning economy of movement that lets anything unnecessary get out of the way so the music, food, or bike can shine!