21 August

One of the reasons I never go to gyms is because they encourage a view of the body as like a lump of plasticine which you have to bash into shape. We live in extreme times and sport and exercise are no different, the idea that more of it is better for you. Terrible damage is done, and the forces on cells can easily become cancer-causing. Ordinary everyday activity provides plenty of force and stretch to give you all the toning you need. But you have to know how to do that activity using the body’s natural coordination and balance. Most of the physical energy we waste doing exercise could be building and maintaining beautiful gardens, for example.