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  • Author Author: dubbie
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100,000 Steps Completed

dubbie

Just finished the Walking Challenge that I set for myself of taking 100,000 steps outside in 10 days. I actually managed it in only 9 days. It has been more of a struggle than I imagined, mainly because I think my step counter only counts 'some' of my steps. I've raised some money for Zimbabwe (http://www.paraclete.org.uk/), enjoyed getting up at 6.30am and going for a walk. I think I will continue to get up early - as long as it is light.

 

Although the step counter was low cost I was still disappointed with it's performance. I think that it missed between 25% - 33% of my steps, all taken outside. It uses a ball making contact with connectors to identify when a step has taken place, with some electronic wizardry that performs some sort of filtering as it only updates every few steps. I am assuming that it is optimised for some standard walking frequency (perhaps even gait?) with the ball and contacts designed to this resonant frequency. I am probably not achieving that standard pace as I do walk very slowly (always have).

 

I am tempted to take it apart now that I have finished the challenge but fear I may not be able to put it together again! Not that I intend to use it again - at least not before consuming more cake calories than I have used up (apparently only 668 kCal! so only one cake).

 

As the UK seems about to enter the Lockdown phase or Covid-19 I might not be able to get much more walking in so now I am thinking I might make my own walking treadmill. There was some activity about this idea on element14 many years ago but has anyone done anything recently?

 

Dubbie

 

  • in reply to dubbie

    If your balance is affected then it will have a huge impact on walking. A couple of years ago I saw a documentary on walking gait analysis and it demonstrated how as you get older and your balance deteriorates, your feet tend to get wider apart and your stride shortens as you walk for more stability.

     

    Another problem is that we probably are never taught how to walk properly. There is such a rush to get walking quickly followed by the fear of falling that rarely do we think about learning to walk properly and adjusting our gait. So it is likely that many adopt poor posture and technique whilst walking. There also appears to be a cultural element to it.

     

    Similar with jogging/running, you can identify the 'brute force', the 'high bounce pulse', the 'finally tuned spring' styles as they pass you whilst out walking.

     

    I wouldn't be too concerned about the exact number of steps or time it takes you compared to others though, it's more about regularly getting the joints moving and working the heart and lungs a bit more than otherwise would happen being sat in the same position at a desk/sofa all day. Sounds like you are doing just fine however.

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Dave,

     

    If I could make the machine in the Elephant's Dream I think I would probably be a millionaire by now!

     

    I like the idea of connecting a treadmill to Google StreetView. Not sure about a staircase version. I have enough trouble getting to the top of our stairs as it is.

     

    I have been thinking of getting a cheap non-motorised treadmill and then motorising it, otherwise where wold I use the Nano? But not being a mechanical engineer the mechanics of it does seem daunting.

     

    Dubbie

  • in reply to jw0752

    John,

     

    I think I'm not in your league. When I'm walking I just like to look at the sky, the birds and the surroundings. Sometimes I think about mobile robots, sometimes about cake and sometimes about gardening and flowers.

     

    Dubbie

  • in reply to beacon_dave

    Dave,

     

    I agree with all these things, apart from maybe the 3,000 steps in 30 minutes. I do walk slower than most people and take shorter steps, no idea why, I just always have. 3,000 steps take me 45-50 minutes, especially when I start to stagger a bit towards the end. I've always staggered a bit towards the end, it is something to do with balance rather than anything else. I used to fall off my push-bike a lot as well for the same reason. You get used to it.

     

    Dubbie

  • "As the UK seems about to enter the Lockdown phase or Covid-19 I might not be able to get much more walking in so now I am thinking I might make my own walking treadmill."

    So far they appear to be encouraging walking during the lock down phase so long as you practise 'social distancing'. However, quite how you are supposed to safely maintain a 2m clearance from the next person on the average UK pavement (sidewalk) I'm not sure.

     

    With your background in robotic engineering perhaps you could recreate the 'leap of faith causeway' from Elephants Dream ? image

     

    Elephants Dream (2006)

    https://youtu.be/ePVe9FzuFfQ?t=246

     

    Is there a mechanical linkage which emulates a natural walking gait ? Treadmills appear to take up a lot of space.

     

    Hooking it up to Google Streetview would likely make indoor walking a lot more interesting, especially if you could match the machine's resistance setting to the elevation data of the route.

     

    For the more adventurous, you could perhaps convert a staircase into a stair climbing treadmill so that you have to climb more steps than normal increasing the exercise.