CLOCKWISE - v- ANTICLOCKWISE

scooby1298

I have recently become aware of the results of a study that suggests people in the northern hemisphere find it a lot easier to exercise in a clockwise circuit than anticlockwise. I recently tried this for the first time, I am not sure if it was mind over matter or what, but I seemed to go faster for longer and felt a lot better after it.
Some minor reserach I have done indicates that some scientists are of the opinion that it is because you exercise with the rotation of the earth as opposed to walking against it and thats what might make it a little bit easier.. I am aware that some reasearch in the UK quite a few years ago indicated that more accidents happened on the anticlockwise section of the M25 than on the clockwise.
What do you think???? I have mentioned it to a few friends and they are going to try it out as well as most of them thought that they for whatever reason exercise by running anticlockwise

Loko_Ino

isn't exercising all about resistance and exertion so you would want to take the path of most resistance?

Lyadeia

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you mean by "exercise in a clockwise circuit?" Do you mean moving from weight machines or benches around the gym clockwise or something???

Sorry to sound dumb...just trying to understand your question before I attempt to answer it.

SallieBeige

This sounds like a similar theory to the coriolis effect to me

http://sciencebasedlife.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/the-hemisphere-youre-in-does-not-change-the-spin-of-the-water/
This site explains that it has to be HUGE things that are affected by the Earth's rotation, like hurricanes. I would consider people to be more like toilet bowls (with reference to the site)

There is a Physics man here who posts great responses. I hope he sees this post.

vampiresrme

i think you should have people doing it without them knowing and then asking them.

James_1954

I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you mean by "exercise in a clockwise circuit?" Do you mean moving from weight machines or benches around the gym clockwise or something???

Sorry to sound dumb...just trying to understand your question before I attempt to answer it.

You don't sound dumb. At least, I hope not, because I wondered the same thing. I think, however, that the original poster was referring to running laps around a track.

Like Sallie, I think this question refers to what is called the Coriolis effect. This is a formulation in mechanics by which we explain why the physics we observe on the earth's surface is not explained exactly by applying Newton's laws of motion in an "inertial" (i.e., non-accelerating) frame of reference. Since the earth is in constant rotation, it is not, in fact, an inertial frame. Atmospheric scientists find it convenient to account for the constant acceleration of a coordinate system that is at rest with respect to the earth's surface by inventing a fictitious force (the "Coriolis force"). As Sallie suggests, however, the departures of the behavior of earthbound objects from that predicted by Newtonian mechanics on the assumption of an inertial frame are completely negligible, unless the objects involved are very large or very massive, such as weather systems (large chunks of the atmosphere).

It's been suggested that draining water swirls one way in the northern hemisphere and the opposite in the southern, due to the Coriolis effect. I think that for a system on the scale of a basin or sink full of water, any Coriolis effect is completely dominated by variables of much greater significance, such as the state of motion of the water before the drain is opened, the shape of the container, the shape of the drain, and so forth.

Likewise, for humans circling a running track, there isn't going to be a Coriolis effect that is measurable. We are very complicated by our psychology, and the exerciser's expectations are bound to be very important in determining whether we think it's easier going clockwise or counterclockwise. As a practical matter, I would say that the correct direction is the one that you find makes you feel the best -- for whatever reason.

Cheers!

SallieBeige

I had to look up the word "coriolus" on the Internet before I posted and that is as far as my knowledge took me.

James you add a flair to our questions that I thoroughly enjoy. :glasses:
Thanks I am glad you responded!

scooby1298

That is the basic jist of it but more so when exercising out doors on runs, walks, cycling etc.
The last few weeks I have been doing the same route but alternating between clockwise and
anticlockwise, and for some unkown [as yet] reason it takes less time clockwise, albeit the route when
measured is exactly the same length.

Some reseach apprently suggests it has something to do with the Earths rotational axis.

Let me known what you think

scooby1298

Hi James,

You were exactly right in your assumption of my original post re running tracks etc.

I did not realise that what I asked had a background in the laws of physics,
but thank you very much for the update initially I thought Coriolus was a disease of
something. Many thanks for the great input. I actually now exercise both ways
it seems to even my days out. especially when you get the sun on yopur face first thing
in the morning, no better feeling to set you up for the day

Regards

Paul