Hi there… I hope I got your attention. Stop exercising? Okay, sort of…. Stop solely sticking to the ways of exercising that will not better facilitate better movement in life.
Stop…
going to the gym and making a b-line for the equipment and only sticking to that the whole time. Yes, they can be effective. The suggestion is to not just design your workouts around machines. Think about how you move in everyday life. Are those groceries you carry evenly weighted? How does equipment challenge and improve your balance? Can equipment help you travel with weight? We move with weight in various directions every day.
Here is a short video I did about leg press machines vs. everyday life that talks about this.
Stop…
solely isolating body parts when you are exercising. By isolation I mean when you are performing a movement that involves only one joint and a limited amount of muscle groups. It can have its place when you have a certain goal in mind. However when is the last time you have only used your legs to do something? (Squatting is using more than your legs!) When you walked, didn’t your arms move? So when on the treadmill don’t hold on for dear life, adjust the grade and use your arms to walk or run. When is the last thing you have only lifted with your arms? Don’t we usually put something somewhere after lifting it? We move with weight. Our everyday life is often full of complex movements.
Stop…
trying some really cool move you have seen at the gym or in some video. Trends are trends. Some trends stick around…some trends get people injured…and some trends die (and don’t deserve a memorial). But even with all that said…if you are drawn to a trend…train for it, practice and get advice from those that know what they are doing. Those you see nailing that cool move often have a good foundation of the movement. If they don’t…well there are many YouTube videos out there of outtakes.
Here the is an example of a “cool move”… This is not a usual part of her sessions. I decided to throw it at her because I knew she had a good foundation. Her squatting form is great and I know that she has done other movements that added up could equal a successful and safe attempt at this. She nailed the tire flip with very little cueing from me. Would I have a client that did not perform a good squatting form do this? Probably not. If a client had shoulder or knee issues would I have her do it? I really doubt that.
Start…
moving in ways that help you move better every day. You do complex movements in your everyday life probably with little to no thought. Examples include: getting in and out of your car, picking something (or someone) off the floor – turning – and putting it somewhere else. Why not practice complex movements when you are improving the way you move? Also, these complex movements involve memory, eye-hand coordination among other things. So standing like a zombie during dumbbell curls is not complex…get it?
Start…
discovering what you can learn, practice and get better at. This does not mean that you can’t ever move like you used too…this means moving in a positive way. Getting in your head as to what you used to do can only lead to compounding negative thoughts.
There are what we may think are simple movements…that can become difficult when we can’t do them. Enjoy vacationing, playing sports or golfing? Discover how you can do those and over activities easier, better and with less discomfort. How? If you are playing a sport then research how to be better at your sport by increasing not just your strength but also your ability to move better aka agility. Your vacation may involve a good amount of walking. If you don’t want to be sore during those weeks away or be able to navigate some rough terrain that involves mountains…get your body ready for that!
Start investing in your health. If you want to stay as independent and active for as long as possible, invest. Invest in someone that can help you move better in life. That investment will help keep you moving better, recovering quicker and continue doing what you want and like to do in life. I am happy to help you do just that.
