Where do we begin when it comes to movement, exercise and fitness?
Our fitness culture has evolved from following a general fitness routine to increasing specialisation, competitiveness and intensity.
If you tell someone you do yoga, they first ask you what kind. ‘I don’t know – just yoga?’. The next question is usually ‘can you do a headstand?’ Uh – ‘Nope!’
We are stuck in the ‘weight loss’ and ‘body building’ ideals or the performative goals of fitness. And we’ve lost our sense of what is ‘essential’ when it comes to movement and well-being.
It’s great that we have so many options for exercising and working out. For some, this level of choice is great. For others, it’s overwhelming and they don’t know where to begin.
Teaching older adults has made me appreciate the value of learning essential, fundamental movement skills and keeping up the practice as we age.
Aging and movement
I spent my 20s and 30s working out in the gym, running, doing yoga and/or playing a sport — all at the same time. Two decades later, I will crash and burn in the first week if I follow this routine. Aging has not only changed my energy levels, but also my interests.
Nowadays, I don’t care so much about how I look or how much ‘exercising’ I do. I care more about building up my energy levels.
I’m not looking for newer and newer movement and exercise routines — and there’s plenty of it on the internet. I’m focussed on learning and practicing movement skills – the essential ones.
As I pare down my possessions and design a minimalistic life, I want to do the same with my movement and exercise practice. My goal is to work from a simple, yet essential menu of exercises. But I also want to build a bit of variety in my bouquet of physical activity now and then.
Essential movement skills
My aim is not to lift the heaviest, or to stand on my head. I’d be happy if I continue learning and practicing these skills –
- Being aware of my physical body and breath and the feedback they are giving me.
- Being aware of my posture and gait – making corrections if needed.
- Being able to push, pull, sit, stand, hang, carry, throw and catch.
- Being able to run when I need to.
- Being able to jump.
- Being able to walk for longer than I can run.
- Being strong, flexible and mobile.
I will show and tell more about building physical literacy and fundamental movement skills in this blog.
To explain what I mean when I say ‘essential’ movement, here’s an example of a routine on a chair with a focus on mobility:
This routine can be done on a chair and needs no equipment. Start by mobilizing the spine and work your way to the extremities (your limbs).
- Seated Cat – camel: spinal extension and spinal flexion
- Foot yoga moves: ankle circles, toe spreads
- Seated leg extensions: extending and flexing at the knee
- Hand mobility moves: wrist circles, fist and finger spreads
- Shoulder rolls: circling your shoulders
- Neck mobility moves: gentle extension and flexion, chin-tucks
- Seated forward bends: hinging at the hip and folding forward
- Seated twist: gently turning right and left using your arms for support
This list covers some of the essential mobility moves that a person can do on a chair. This routine can be part of most people’s movement practice – unless they have specific medical issues.
Again, mobility – moving your joints – is only one part of a movement practice. A holistic practice would include essential moves to build strength, balance and flexibility.
Simplicity and minimalism needn’t just apply to our possessions. Maybe it’s time to ‘de-clutter’ our movement and exercise routine (if at all we have one) and simplify it to focus on the essentials.