Be Quiet噓，小聲點

A lot of projects are carried out everyday, ranging from neglectable teeth brushing in the morning to a large-scale business takeover. In order to achieve success, we plan our projects carefully step-be-step, and implement them cautiously and consistently. In other words, we want to make sure we are always in control.

When we exercise, we want to be in control too. Not only does it maximize the effect of a workout, but also it minimizes the probability of sport-related injuries.

The first homework I got from my climbing clinic was simple but made a great deal of sense. Our instructor asked us to pay attention to every movement happening around us: if some action makes a lot of noise, then our task is to repeat it again with the attempt to eliminate any sound that might result from it. For example, instead of dropping a magazine on the desk, we carefully put it down as if it were our most cherished treasure.

What are we expected to learn from this homework? My instructor drew a relationship between “making noise” with “out of control.” She wanted to train us to move to the next handhold or foothold in one step without hesitation. “When you climbed, I noticed that your foot pinned higher and you guys just let it drop on a foothold,” she explained, “Didn’t you notice that it made a lot of noise?”

Instead of putting our foot carefully on that foothold, we let gravity do the job. The price we paid was a second of “out of control,” and our body had to make extra efforts to keep us balanced. In the long run, our body will be exhausted way earlier than it should. And if the state of being out of control lengthens or appears more frequently, we might slip off where we stand, or we might bump into the wall. As a result, we expose ourselves to higher risk.

The same principle applies to running too. When you are running, you should not hear a lot of noise. Indeed, your feet are constantly pounding but that does not mean that your feet are drumming. Some people might argue that knee bending already provides media for shock absorption, but you can do a lot more to reduce the workload of your knees, simply by being quieter.

Pay close attention to your feet. Your job is not finished when you put out your stride. You need to feel that it’s you who put your feet on the ground instead of gravity pulling them close to the ground. Land lightly, make little noise, and your knees will feel much better.

While I am editing this article, my cat, Mao-mao paid me a visit. I wasn’t aware of it until she meowed at me. Cats have this ability to sneak in wherever they want to be because they are very quiet. So, be quiet, we can probably earn another eight lives.

地球不停地在運轉著，每天，從早到晚，每個人都在執行大大小小不同的計畫。小到早上吃些什麼，大到規模浩大的企業收購。為了計畫能夠順利實行，我們小心翼翼地規劃出一個一個的步驟，再謹慎地執行，確定每一個環節都不會出問題。換句話說，我們要確定每一步驟，都絲毫無誤的在我們的掌握之中。

運動也是一樣。確定掌握了所有的步驟，不但讓運動規程發揮最大的功用，同時也大大減低運動傷害的機會。

幾週前，去上了室內攀登的課程，拿到的第一份回家功課，看似簡單，卻包含了很大的意義。教練要我們仔細觀察生活周遭發生的每一個動作，如果該動作發出很大的噪音，我們的任務就是重新執行一遍，並且確保盡量不要發出任何聲音。舉例來說，不要用摔的把雜誌丟到桌上，而是要輕輕放下，好像雜誌是我們必須細心呵護的小寶貝一樣。

教練究竟要我們從這份回家功課中得到什麼啟示呢？原來，過份的噪音和動作的掌握有不可分的關係。教練觀察到，在我們攀登的過程中，有好些時候，我們的腳不是準確地放到該放的地方，而是漫不經心地抬高，再試探性地落下，看看腳可以放到什麼地方？教練說：「你們聽到那些不該發出的噪音嗎？」

不要小看這也許不到一秒鐘的主控權放棄。如此一來，我們必須施展額外的功夫，確保重力的作用，不會讓身體失去平衡。長期來看，身體會在比較早期就出現疲倦徵狀。如果這「失去掌控」的時間延長，或是發生的頻率更頻繁，失足或者是撞到不該撞到的地方的機率也大大提昇。等於是自己陷自己於不利。

這個原則也適用於跑步。跑步的時候，不應該聽到過份的噪音。雖然雙足不停地和地面有所接觸，這並不代表雙足必須像鼓棒一樣，盡興地揮灑重節奏。當然，跑步的時候，膝蓋總是微微彎曲的，以供吸收震動或是撞擊，但是如果我們小聲些，可以大大減少膝蓋的負擔。

跑步的時候，請注意聆聽你雙足的韻律。在你踏出下一步，該腳懸空的時候，不表示你就可以讓它去了，要確定該足可以輕輕放下，別讓重力搶走了主控權。輕輕放下，小聲點，膝蓋的負擔就少了些。

在我修改這篇文章的時候，我家貓貓悄悄底跑進我書房，看看我在做什麼。我一直到她開始向我喵喵叫，才發現她的存在。貓咪總是有能耐，不為人所發覺地溜進她們想要去的地方，因為貓咪走路的時候，總是安靜無聲。所以如果我們向貓咪看齊，安靜些，也許可以幫自己多賺八條命，也說不定。

Pictures: sniper’s work. Photos were taken in Taiwan.
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