4/01/21

This topic is why I became a movement specialist many years ago. Very commonly people will start a workout routine so they can get fitter and stronger, but through poor movement and overload, they end up spending their time managing injuries instead. This either stops them from reaching their fitness and performance goals or it interferes with consistent training and progression.

The thing I love about movement is we do it all the time throughout our day without actually realising it. If done correctly, we are strengthening muscles and reinforcing good patterns within our body on a daily basis, not just at the gym. Examples of these movements are when we lift our kids up, take the washing up the stairs, do the gardening or simply have a social kick of the footy with our mates. However, if we do not move well, these daily activities have the reverse effect, and we end up putting our body at risk of injury. So the question is, how do we get our bodies to work for us, not against us, so we can move well day to day and reach our fitness goals?

Training should first and foremost be to create a better life of movement, then once the body can move well, we can start to add load safely to maximise training results without overloading the body. I like to think of training as three separate parts. Firstly, good movement, secondly strength, and thirdly cardio and fitness. An example of this might be to do a few mobility exercises each day that focus on areas of the body to maintain healthy movement. Then three to four strength and stability sessions each week to improve the overall wellness of my body and resilience in your sporting activities. This might seem like a lot to do If you are someone that does a lot of walking, running, cycling or other cardio-based sports already, but this actually makes it more essential to find time to maintain good movement in your body as these sports can cause your body to become tight and out of balance through their repetitive nature, along with the effects of our sedentary daily work life.

Try adding in a few daily exercises to your weekly training schedule that focus on improving your movement and start to feel the positive change it gives your body and enjoy the benefits it brings to your life!

Naomi
Professional movement specialist