Spin and the Slow movement
Tempo giusto
When people learn that I am the 'godfather of the Slow movement', they sometimes assume I am anti-speed. That I must be some kind of slowness fanatic.
Wrong!
I love speed. Faster is often better.
We all know slowing down is sometimes the wrong option. You wouldn't want to:
🤦🏻♂️ Drive at 20mph on a highway
🤦🏻♂️ Drag your heels at work and miss a massive deadline
🤦🏻♂️ Cook a stir fry low and slow
But there are times when slowing down is exactly what the doctor ordered. Like when you want to:
🐢 Have a deep conversation
🐢 Solve a complex problem
🐢 Savour a hot drink
The Slow movement is about doing everything at the right speed. At what musicians call the 'tempo giusto', the right tempo. That means cranking up the pace or dialling it down to fit the moment.
I love spin classes. One reason is the killer cardio. Another is that spin is 'Slow' in action.
In a 45-minute class, you ride a stationary bicycle through a range of tempos. You sprint at full pelt. You slow down for a heavy climb. Then you're up out of the saddle pedalling at a pace somewhere in between. Occasionally you settle into a groove that allows you to rest and recover.
Spin optimises your workout by mixing up the tempo.
The same goes for life. When you move through the world at the right tempo, speeding up and slowing down to meet the moment, giving each task the time and attention it deserves, everything falls into place.
Which brings to mind the words of German novelist Sten Nadolny: "The whole struggle of life is to some extent a struggle about how slowly or how quickly to do each thing."
How do you find the right tempo?