In case you may be wondering this post, titled “…Movement Mojo”, is not a Digestive or Gut-health article about certain “movements” (although we do speak about these delicate topics a lot)!

Now we have that cleared up, lets talk about “Movement”. It is a term being popularised by trainers and experts in fitness and health to describe the art of movement, primarily from a physical sense. An encapsulation, but not limited to, all things exercise and fitness. Think exercise, flexibility, mobility, dance, strength, aesthetics, martial arts etc. Any form of movement that is intentional and going to assist your quality of life.

We are finding that far too many people in todays world are living a sedate lifestyle and not using our bodies enough to move. It’s all too easy to excuse movement as a daily activity and can often be the first good habit to drop “as it is time consuming”.

On the other hand, many who do engage in daily movement to some degree, are losing their way from an enjoyment perspective and having to use will-power to get them to the gym, or to hit the pavement. There can be many reasons for this from physical to emotional, however it is critical to a wellbeing lifestyle to find the joy in daily movement and practice this regularly.

We all know that the issues of obesity, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease etc. are worth preventing, but daily movement goes deeper than that and affects our mood and mental performance also. Moving well changes your life today as well as tomorrow.

If you change the way you move, you will change the way you think and feel.

There is a lot of data linking movement to physiological  and psychological changes. In a 2012 study published by the journal Neuroscience, it found that regular exercise (a brisk 30-minute walk 4 times a week) will markedly increase cognitive memory and reduce perceived stress! The conclusion was able to isolate that the frequency or consistency is what yielded the greatest benefit. The control group exercised only on the day of testing however they didn’t score anywhere near as well to that of the regular movers.

Our minds are dynamic and they don’t simply deteriorate with age – we let them age by choice (albeit mostly subconscious and unknowingly).

TonyRobbins.com says that: “you have the power to enhance your brain function, protect your brain from damage and counteract the effects of aging! It all comes down to your everyday decisions.”

The daily decisions and habits we make today, create our future tomorrow.

So how is your movement going?

• Need a new challenge?
• Are you bored with your current exercise?
• Or are you too busy and have fallen off the bandwagon completely!!

I have been in all 3 situations before and it can certainly be challenging to remain motivated day by day, year in year out. But that was until I changed my paradigm around movement. Now, there are so many modalities I want to try and explore that I have a new problem – being patient and only doing a few things at a time!

After a full-on sporting life as a child playing 2-3 sports per year, after I left school so too did the team sports I was playing. I delved more into action sports like surfing, skateboarding and snowboarding as they were something I could do on my own or with mates, and were just seriously fun!

The other thing I got into more seriously was weight training at a local gym. I loved the constant challenge of getting better each day and pushing my body to its limits. I also loved learning and testing the components outside the gym that had an effect on my recovery and performance. I never stepped into a “Bodybuilding supplement store” and was all about a natural and holistic framework. After 10 years or more I had created my ideal physique and was the healthiest I had been in my life, yet in my training I had reached a plateau which had me reach a point of wanting more. Not more muscle development or body aesthetics, but more challenge and something that would stimulate my mind further: help me to grow more in the broad sense of the term. I was also at a point that had unfortunately left me with poor flexibility, limited range of movement and specific, over functional strength.

Kate was also fed up with the gym after practically living in one for 5-6 years as a Personal Trainer, and didn’t have any desire to go to a facility and workout.

After meeting now good friend and movement coach, Matthew White, he introduced us to a new way of thinking.
He shared his experiences after studying under world renowned mover, Ido Portal and we began learning from Matty in fun group sessions in our local park with the other “Barefoot Locos”. Not only was I starting to move better with an increased range of motion and functional strength, but Kate and I were having some serious fun!

Other sources of inspiration and wisdom come from Keegan Smith and the Real Movement Project, who are really getting this kind education out there and equipping trainers to teach their clients.

You don’t have to pay an expert to teach you new things, but the kind of results that you can achieve are extraordinary. They are lifetime lessons also. It would have been very difficult to experience this newfound fun and freedom without having met someone like Matty who could teach us the new skills, and ensure we were learning them correctly and safely.

We have expanded our mind on movement. We have learnt how to exercise– move in just about any location, with very little equipment. We now have freedom around how we can incorporate this into our schedule and don’t rely on a gym, membership or facility anymore. We certainly use them however if we don’t have access to one whilst we travel, we can still incorporate movement every day. We have an excitement for putting movement into our daily lives, be it 10 minutes, or an hour. Our excitement for the future has grown also and we are eagerly awaiting the next challenge be it Capoeira, Ballet Barre, Gymnastics, Breakdancing, Crossfit, or walking the dog!

You Can Enjoy Movement Too

No matter where your movement is at the moment, it can be better. We say this for everyone including us (and even an elite athlete). There is always a new skill or level that can give you energy, focus your mind, or ease your pain.

Let your mind wander for a moment. What is it that you have always wanted to learn or do, that you haven’t yet tried? Salsa class anyone?!

Everyone is different. You may be in a place of ill-health or physical restriction of some kind and feel that it is hard for you. I get it. We all have our unique situation which is why there is no “one size fits all”. This is for movement and for all areas of health and wellbeing. This is why generic online exercise programs or diets generally won’t suit you or help you to get the longterm results you deserve. We also have different goals and interests which really need to be tailored to our physiology and capability.

So if you don’t like the gym, don’t go! If you aren’t into running, don’t be doing that either! Let’s find something that works for you, your lifestyle and your goals.

Shout out in the comments below or via our Contact Page, if you have any questions comments or challenges with your Movement Mojo 🙂

Happy moving Lifestyle Artists!