Core strength to me is the ability for my body to respond appropriately to any physical task and ideally is something that would be acquired dynamically on a daily basis. Core strength is often reduced down to a few isolated moves in a class but how do the moves you learn in an exercise class translate into your everyday life (carrying a heavy suitcase, stepping off a kerb, bending down to tie shoelaces)? I want my core to kick in and respond accordingly in any of these scenarios …
Are you walking?
It takes an inordinate amount of mindfulness to get movement back into our lives these days but walking is one of the easiest and best ways to do it. The benefits of walking are many and well documented. The notion of 10,000 steps a day has crept in as a daily movement prescription and I love the way that various devices like Fitbit can motivate someone to get up every hour to hit their number but we can do better than 10,000 steps!
Moving into Summer
May is one of my favourite months. Spring turned into summer over the bank holiday weekend and it's been great to shed the layers, free our feet, get outside and soak up some vitamin D.
Movement as opposed to exercise is something I write about a lot. Exercise alone doesn't seem to make us healthier and use it or lose it remains true. With that in mind, I strive to find ways to make any activity, whether that be working at my laptop or a household chore more movement rich.
Moving in Winter
Belated Happy New Year! I hope that you are settling into 2018 and the dark January days are not getting you down too much. Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been reflecting on 2017 rather than setting any New Year’s resolutions. It's been a worthwhile experience looking back at what I have achieved, focusing on the positives rather than what I didn’t do or didn’t get done. Try it, I’ll bet you’ve had a much better year than perhaps you thought!
Fit for Life
On this date last year I published a blog post titled Fit for What? which clearly struck a chord because it was shared widely and read thousands of times. I talked about why I had stopped running and wrote “I want to try lots of different things, move in many different ways. Climb a few trees, become less fearful of heights, play more and do it all with a body that is getting stronger not weaker with age.”
Evolve Move Play
I had the pleasure of attending an Evolve Move Play seminar with Rafe Kelley a couple of weekends ago in London. Always a student of the body, I have many movement teachers who inspire me on a daily basis and Rafe is one of them. As a former runner, I came to understand how limiting only running as exercise was for my overall ability to use my body well. I had become a movement specialist, working on my running form for many years but neglecting many other forms of movement. I was movement starved in general being mostly sedentary the rest of the time.
From the ground up
If I had a penny for every person I hear complain about foot pain, I would be rich! As someone who has previously suffered with chronic foot pain for years, I understand how frustrating and debilitating foot problems can be. When our feet hurt, our whole body hurts. Wearing stiff, cushioned, positive heeled shoes with narrow toe boxes has not only changed the shape of our feet but also our bodies and indeed how our whole body functions. Plantar fasciitis, neuromas, bunions, hammer toes, metatarsalgia, to name a few, are just some of the many foot complaints I come across.
A Movement Practise
You may have heard the term a movement practise but wondered what it means. Many years ago I was introduced to the idea of a mindful movement practise through Chi Running. The value of a practise became clear to me as I learnt to truly enjoy running and eventually run injury free over time by paying close attention to how I moved. This was the beginning of getting to know my body better and learning how to move well in all sorts of ways.
Fit for what?
For many years I have been a distance runner, I loved it. I worked on my form every day, running defined me. I would often be greeted by a stranger when I was out and about “Not running today?” Although it came to be something I loved to do, I also assumed that an added bonus was that it was good for my health, that I was fit. Most people who know me think of me as fit and therefore healthy.
Everyday Movement
As much as I would like to spend more time outdoors in nature, stuff needs to get done, the house needs cleaning from time to time, etc. In an effort to get more natural movement, I find myself looking at the household chores differently. Once something I did not look forward to, I now see housework as one way to get the thing I crave more and more - varied movement throughout the day.
Don't Just Sit There
I am one of those annoying people who takes up too much space in a restaurant or café and will have you tripping over the legs of my chair! Why, you ask? Most chairs are designed to make it impossible for you to sit well and have a bucket type seat. This means we have no option but to sit with our pelvis tucked under which can have negative health consequences particularly if we inhabit this position for many hours each day. So, if I find myself in a chair, I sit right out on the edge of it which allows me to sit with a neutral pelvis, gets me off my tailbone and puts me in a much better position to support my bodyweight.
New beginnings from a Movement Perspective
New website, new blog and a place to share my thoughts on what I have learnt and continue to learn on my journey to understanding what my body needs in order to live a healthier life. A life that nurtures both mind and body, one that allows me to take care of myself and my family to the best of my ability and help others who are open to doing the same.
