Our bodies are designed to move and adapt, but they are also designed to be consistent. “A body in motion stays in motion. A body at rest stays at rest.” This applies to more than physics, but our bodies as well.
I don’t know about you, but starting a workout is the hardest part of the fitness process. Once I’m moving, I continue to move until the end. But the 10-15 minute warm up is like pulling teeth. My body resists the initial movements. Shoulders, hips, and all my joints want to stay still and comfortable — and it only gets worse the older I get.
Our bodies need to warm up because they don’t want to change their present state. If you’ve been inactive for several hours or days, your body has adapted to the positions you’ve put it in. They feel comfortable. Loading your muscles and joints with activity becomes painful or at least uncomfortable.
The opposite can also happen. If you are moving a lot, like a workout or running, your body wants to keep moving. When you stop moving you start to cramp or you feel like something wants to lock up.
So how do you teach your body to handle the transition between action and inaction?
You don’t. You teach your mind to ignore the discomfort and signals preventing your movement. People who have great movement typically have better control of how their mind handles the input from their bodies.
You are in control of you. Your body is an amazing machine, and repeatedly does more than you expect. There are so many stories about people doing the impossible without any training for that specific event. They do the impossible because of necessity and their mind is no longer holding them back.
If you mind wants to work out, then your body will work out. If your mind wants to go for a walk, then your feet take you out the door.
It works both ways though. If your mind doesn’t want to get off the couch, your body won’t. Your mind says a three hour stint at your desk is productive, so you sit and never change positions. You have to tell your body to move. Otherwise, inertia kicks in and your body will stay in whatever position it is in.
Action leads to action. Schedule a free discovery call with Dr. Samantha to see how she can help you teach your mind and body to move. She can help break down the mental restrictions preventing you from reaching your movement potential.