Simplicity, Innovation and Change

Simplicity, Innovation and Change - Wow that is a mouthful, but in my eyes they are all related. In order to stay the same we must change, that is where innovation comes in. I know I am always trying to find a better way. Innovation is not just change for the sake of change; it is change with a defined purpose. As I have already stated in blog, simplicity is the key. Sometimes it is no more than changing the sequence of exercises other times it takes more. But above it is all simple. I have just finished reading a simple book on simplicity – 100 pages. Absolutely brilliant! It is by MIT professor John Maeda. It is called The Laws of Simplicity – Design, Technology, Business, Life. There are ten laws and three corollaries he calls keys. Go to lawsofsimplicity.com to read the laws.

The whole time I was reading the book I could not help but think of the things that have worked consistently well for me over the years. A sequence of exercises like the Leg Circuit can spin off into a very complex leg strength development program if you don’t initially try to make it more than it is. Another key point regarding simplicity is that simplicity does not mean dumbing things down. If anything it is the opposite. I believe that to make things simple you must have a real clue, if you do not, things will become complicated without trying. I also could not help thinking about a piece that that I heard on NPR the other morning on a popular style of running that is being promoted as the answer to injury free running. When I got through listening to it, I was confused. I went to the web site and read the transcript and I am still confused. They are taking a simple natural activity like running and making it complicated. Play, run like you life depended on it, that is sprinting. Your foot will land correctly. Play, run like you are stalking a meal for two hours you would have the perfect gait to run a marathon. Make it simple. As a whacked out, drugged out former javelin thrower that I used to know said: “Get your center gravity beyond infinity.”