All Movement Matters #23thingslearnedin23years

Once upon a time, all I taught was high impact aerobics, group cycling and kickboxing. And, when personal training, one’s workout needed to include burpees and jumping jacks and crunches (many, many crunches).   Fast forward a few decades, advances in research in physiology, anatomy and biomechanics have taught us how to move ourselves in more efficient and safer methods.  Additionally, listening to class participants, personal training clients and my own body, I was hearing how our bodies often hurt after these activities (and not the “good hurt” of muscles being tired and a bit stiff from activity, but that joint pain, chronic muscle ache hurt).  This all lead to adaptations to what was being taught in classes and prescribed to clients.  Now? Strength and mobility. Endurance and flexibility.  Cardiovascular fitness and balance. All movement types matter.

And, another point of view for “all movement matters”: the amount of sitting that people do today vs. two decades ago, we know, has skyrocketed.  So, while its true we must participate in physical activity to improve the above fitness components, adding any kind of movement on to what you’re doing now is going to be beneficial.  Do you sit at your desk for 60 mins in a row?  Stand up every 15 mins and do 5 squats, or sit up tall and stretch your rounded shoulder posture and tap your toes on the ground in front of you 10 times.  Or, in whatever way feels right for your body, add little bits of movement here and there throughout the day. These add up! 

What is your favourite way to add a bit of movement in your day?

In kindness and health (and movement!),

Deanna