Specific Movements for Building Longevity
Various forms of media may highlight different forms of sports and exercise routines to be the all-time best. Yoga, CrossFit, paddle tennis, reformer pilates and more have each taken their turn in the limelight of the ultimate workout scheme. However, as with diets, there can never be one size fits all when it comes to movement. Because since bodies, nervous systems and people in general differ, we each need different things for optimal health and movement. Muscle building and cardio will never go out of style since any body will always need both to be geared for longevity. However, a thing that is often overlooked is the importance and impact of how we move. The muscles we use, our mobility, our body control and our balance each contribute to our posture and physical resilience.
To help you choose movements that will support your body for longevity, here are a few keys…
FOCUS ON UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY’S OPTIMAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS
The body will always use the movement patterns it activates most frequently and believe them to be the best, so how we move repeatedly becomes our default. This is because our bodies are made to adapt and save energy where possible. Hence if there are muscles we don’t use, our bodies simply forget these options exist - even if these are more beneficial and optimal for our bodies. This becomes a problem, if we are in the habit of using our body in a way that compromises our joints or holds us in a posture that is out of alignment. In fact, for every 2.5 cm the head is tilted forward it can increase the weight of the head on the spine by 4.5 kg.
Therefore, whenever I work with clients I seek to help them move, look and feel better - and increase their likelihood of longevity - by beginning with helping them achieve optimal movement patterns. Not only will this help improve their posture, which increases body circulation, energy levels and physical appearance, but It will also help their bodies function at greater ease throughout the day and help them improve their performance in most sports. Additionally, optimal movement patterns help prevent injuries and prepare for living longer, healthier lives. Therefore, when exercising in the gym, don’t simply train for muscle building or cardio benefits; work for better body posture and muscle activation.
LEARN HOW TO BUILD OPTIMAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS
What optimal movement patterns mean is improving our muscle memory so our bodies move more efficiently on autopilot. I help clients achieve this by teaching them to (re-)activate muscles in the most optimal way for them. A common example of this is how many people tend to have over-active traps (the muscles around our neck and shoulders) because we don’t use our lats (the muscles down the slides of our backs). Here I help them re-connect with the bigger and stronger muscles whilst relaxing the smaller muscles so that, after a while, this becomes their default pattern. Another common example is to have shortened chest muscles and extended muscles in the back because we round forward, working on our computers or looking at our phones all the time. This is also what tends to cause our head to tilt forward adding more weight to the spine. To adjust this pattern, doing pull-back exercises for the upper body such as different forms of rowing is great since this helps us open the chest and strengthen our back muscles. If desk-bound, many will also benefit from lower body movements that help open the hips to counter the position we’re in whilst sitting.
It’s important to remember though, that these exercises will not be right for everyone. Although many desk-bound people may suffer the same challenges, we must treat our body as an individual since height and body proportion can play a big role in our movement patterns. Therefore, look at your individual body and the movements you do daily. Seek to open up where the body is tight, strengthen any weak systems and choose exercises that counterbalance the movements you do constantly in your daily life. The body is smart and over time it will adapt. Better muscle activation may take a while because we’re rewiring our brain, but through repetition and small exercises of activation, our body will adapt. And it will be worth it.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STABILITY VS. FLEXIBILITY
Another important thing to assess when choosing what movement would best support your body is whether you need more stability or flexibility. You could also need both in different places. Perhaps you are very strong with lots of muscles, yet you have tightness that limits your range of motion - then seek to improve this with mobility drills and yin yoga. Or maybe you’re very flexible, but as a result, your joints are unstable as they’re not supported enough. Pilates could be a good option here, as this is all about body control.
I would never suggest anyone begin weight training before they’ve gotten the stability of their joints in check. I would also never load somebody up with weights until I’ve made sure their muscle chain activates correctly for this particular exercise, which a lack of flexibility could easily impede. If we do weight training before having our foundation in order, this is where we will be injured. Unfortunately, I’ve seen this happen with people who have done CrossFit too many times to count.
HERE’S WHY LEARNING SOMETHING NEW COULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU DO FOR YOUR HEALTH…
If we want to care for our body and create a strong, healthy home to live in for years to come it’s important to be mindful that most of us tend to do what we’re already good at or what we’ve always done. Perhaps you’re really good at doing push ups so you simply keep increasing your reps or maybe you’re strong in plank so you keep adding minutes to your time. It could also be that you’ve played a sport since childhood and this is what you do for exercise. Although being good at something is great, it doesn’t necessarily mean these exercises are what our body needs to work best or build more resilience. Because chances are, your body has already mastered the art of what you’re doing, which means you’re not increasing your resilience.
For instance, once we’ve reached the point where we can plank for a minute, the benefits we’ll get from increasing our time in plank are limited. However, what would increase our gains here, would be to experiment with instability and lift a hand or leg and challenge ourselves differently. The same goes for our sport. Perhaps Tennis or cycling has always been your sport. You don’t need to stop playing your sport - unless it is causing you injuries - but is there another form of movement that would complement your sport and support your body better for the age you are now? Maybe there are mobility drills, strength exercises or flexibility gains that would help you optimise your performance. Chances are there will be, but we must be open to trying something new - and most likely suck at it at first - to perfect our movements and support our bodies better.
Never forget our potential is always outside of our comfort zone, it lies in what we haven’t mastered yet, and also remember that we don’t have to be great to start, but to be great, we have to start. Longevity comes from us preparing for a long life through how we meet ourselves in the present. It comes from being dedicated to a life of health and well-being by continuously evolving and caring for ourselves.
Much love,
To book a movement session with Mai, inquire here.