Mindful movement is a phrase that bounces around quite a bit here lately.
You have more than most likely seen it in some capacity, whether social media or popular blogs. Maybe your bestie has been talking about mindful movement and you just can’t seem to wrap your head around it.
Mindful movement is to fitness what intuitive eating is to nutrition: confusing to say the least.
Mindful movement is a catch-all phrase that seems to have started in the mind/body industry. Yoga practitioners are always talking about being mindful. Pilates enthusiasts are obsessed with the mindfulness of the Method. Mind/body teachers often tell students to practice mindfully both on and off the mat.
But what is it really?
Lucky you, in today’s chat I’m going to give some quick and mindful tips on how you can start a mindful movement practice AND how this little shift can actually change your life. True story, so read on to see how.
What is mindful movement anyway?
Mindful movement is being MINDFUL (i.e. focused) on how movement affects your body (spirit and mind as well, but we will get to that some other time). It’s making the shift from “I have to work out” to “I get to move.”
In our culture, killing ourselves during workouts has become the norm.
Bonus lesson: killing yourself during a workout is NOT normal…so stop that.
The reality of what scientists are finding happens to the human body in these situations is not something I found fruitful to continue. Yes, I am a recovering workout killer. It gets better.
In order to move more mindfully, we have to tap into our intuitive resources that give us feedback on how our body is actually adapting to exercise. That means, more isn’t better and sore isn’t winning.
Now, when I talk about mindful movement I totally understand that if many of us were to ask our body what it WANTS to do, a couch habitat with plenty of Netflix and salty snacks would probably be choice number one. The human body just wants everything to be easier and it is always working to that end, so no, I don’t think we should follow our initial instinct on that.
We can begin to move more mindfully TODAY with just 2 super easy and timeless classics.
1. Biofeedback
Sometimes when I introduce mindful movement to clients, they begin to panic that they won’t be able to do their favorite workouts anymore. That’s not entirely true (though in some cases we DO have to back off).
My favorite way to get internal feedback is through biofeedback testing.
This is super easy, people don’t look at you weird, and you can do it throughout ANY workout to see how your central nervous system is holding up.
Here’s a fabulous how-to tutorial from Dave Dellanave on biofeedback testing.
2. Internal Cues
Internal cues can be a bit more complicated, especially if you have ever believed that you should push past the pain. The days of NO PAIN NO GAIN are behind us now.
Internal cues as to how your CNS is adapting are just a series of questions you can ask yourself on the daily or even weekly basis to determine your state of being. Once you’ve determined this, you can decide what the next best course of action is for you. Some things to ask yourself are:
- Level of soreness during, after, and next day (note: you should still be able to walk)
- Level of hunger
- How is your sleep
- General stress level
- General mood
- Are you having cravings
One of my favorite tools to give clients comes from Jade Teta and it is called SHMEC.
Keep
your SHMEC in check and you won’t be a wreck ![🙂]()
that’s the deal.
that’s the deal.- Sleep
- Hunger
- Mood
- Energy
- Cravings
Notice any changes that occur in these, especially as you pick up a new workout routine or diet.
So, what if something IS off?
Consider taking a break from the heavy duty workouts for a week.
WALK as much as possible and at a pretty easy pace.
Consider adding a yoga class, mobility work, or a simple stretch routine to your day.
If you’re feeling particularly OFF, I do suggest seeing a specialist.
Start with the basics: if it’s been a while since you’ve had a physical (hey, we all slip from time to time), make an appointment and get your basic labs done.
If you’re still not quite well, follow that with a full hormone and nutrient panel.
Often times our hormones can be an underlying factor in things such as fatigue, chronic pain, stiff joints, lack of sleep, and general well being.
If you aren’t absorbing your nutrients (hence the nutrient profile), then your body won’t be getting the very basics and can act out from there.
Speaking of basics, take a thoughtful look at your sleeping patterns.
Aim for 7-9 hours of good sleep per night.
If you find yourself waking constantly, do some investigative digging to figure out why.
Sleep disruptions can also be caused by hormone issues as well as ill-absorbed nutrients.
The Takeaway: Pay attention to your physical, emotional and mental well-being.
Your body will always tell you when something is not quite right…unfortunately we live in a day and age when we are far more encouraged to ignore it. Paying a little attention goes a long way, and at the end of the day you may be able to catch something small before it morphs into something gigantic, such as an inflammatory disease.
The post Your Introduction to Mindful Movement appeared first on Michelle C Fitness.