Let’s take for example walking pretty much everyone does it yet not everyone does it right. When we’re young activity is just second nature we walk we run we play and it all comes naturally then as we get older, we begin to exercise “work out“ and so this becomes more of a disciplined effort. We focus on reps and sets, form, tempo, and load.  Although this is all well and good, the margin for error in performance is much larger than we often realize. In this discipline the focus is often on the end goal – getting stronger, fitter, faster, etc. In this, we lose sight of the mind body connection in the movement we are performing moment by moment. Pair this with our increasing reliance on cognitive demands in work, relationships, & parenting and we very easily function more out of our heads than our body. 

Over this time, fitness efforts lead the way and quantity overrides quality. We increasingly rely less on the inherent wisdom of the body as we aim for a rep goal or to PR on a lift. The result? We unknowingly compensate for weaknesses. We engage or disengage other parts of our body that are not meant for any particular exercise. Often, we don’t even inhabit our bodies because we’re pushing so hard towards our goal. Our bodies become some “thing” outside of ourselves (our heads) to manipulate and change 

This is the case when it comes to sitting, standing, and walking too. We carry the weight of the world on our shoulders as parents, for example and we sacrifice – as we should – our own desires, preferences, and at times well-being for the benefit of our kids’. Our body might be telling us it needs rest, but we must press on. Our gait when healthy is, well, healthy. Normal. When under stress or forced it literally becomes unbalanced. We might subtly lean more to one side than the other or walk hunched over to keep our head up with tension in the neck and shoulders.

Although this may not seem like a big deal this behavior repeated over time becomes our MO when we walk, sit, stand, or move. 

As the saying goes, “practice makes permanent”.

Fitness on the other hand requires a disciplined focus. This must be paired with  conscious movement to be truly beneficial…