Scale up slowly (5)

'Scale up slowly' is worth talking about on this list of expert spots

Because it answers the question..

'Can I do this..?'

AND the statement:

'No, I can’t do that..'

Often turning 'I can’t do that..' into 'Can I do this..?'

Let’s be clear.. you can do anything (..within reason!)

Whatever it is, whoever you are..

We just need to scale up slowly.

So, in the next couple of weeks let's take a look at a few examples..

Most of my patients undergoing joint replacement last week asked some version of..

'Will I be able to do.. [INSERT ACTIVITY]?

First up was 'Can I get back to..'

'Coast path walking?'

This one- or a version of it- is asked a fair bit.

And it often arises from a bad experience.

Hitting the coast path and starting to struggle on the hills.

A couple of miles in, the hills really start to jar that knee or hip.

Cue a limp back to the car.. and a decision not to walk the coast path again.

People tell themselves.. 'I can't do it..' and..

And the coast path becomes a 'can't do' rather than a 'can I do?'

None of that belittles the challenge of walking the coast path.

I think coast path or any hilly off road terrain is a BIG challenge..

..to anyone. Especially anyone with hip or knee osteoarthritis.

So first question to ask yourself is..

When did I last..

..walk the coast path? If it was 2 years ago, then it's going to take that long to get back to it.

=>That's your clear 2 year target

Between now and that point try your own version of this..

First, write a plan
Start on the exercise bike
Third, build that up slowly
Fourth, add some walking distance
(write down your steps, time or distance each day/week)
Fifth, add in some hills that you know well
Sixth, do a short bit of coast path, a flat out + back
Seventh, build up that distance, add in one familiar hill
Eighth, add in 2 or 3 more challenging slopes.

Consistency is key

(more on that later)

And Scale up slowly

The Plan..

And it might not be coast path walking..

Jackie, from last week, scaled up slowly to walking around Exeter + Torquay..

2x consecutive days of walking, that in her words..

'could NOT have done at the start of the year.. NO way.'

The same principles were key to Jackie's plan..

She embraced and lived that plan, because she was '..determined.. to be in that better position.'

Here's to Scaling up slowly 👏👏

Good luck to everyone 👊