Have you ever done something knowing you probably shouldn't have and paid the price for it a day or two later?
Now have you ever woke in the morning and felt tight or had a weird pain and wonder what you did that made you feel the discomfort and racked it up to 'it must have been the way I slept'?
This is when you likely did something because you felt you could and you probably did it incorrectly or in a way that compromised your body and now your body is letting you know.
That comes down to the saying, just because you can do something does not mean you should.
You might be able to lift 75 pounds off the floor without bending through your hips and your knees but, that does not mean you should. It is no different than eating a gallon of ice cream in one sitting. You can and you will likely pay the price.
To get the most health benefits for your muscles, joints, tendons ligaments, and bones when exercising it is essential to recognize what you can do well versus simply what you can do.
When you approach an exercise there are some key things to think about and they will become second nature, require less 'thinking' and yield great feeling results once you become consistent.
1. Set up before you load up = Make sure your body is in the best alignment before you add weight. Once you add weight, you are locked in that position.
(Insider tip: Pulling your shoulders down and back, pulling your abs or glutes in does equal good alignment.)
2. Find and maintain your three-dimensional breath throughout each exercise.
(Insider tip: Belly breathing is not three-dimensional breathing)
3. Create efficiency in your exercises by using the right muscular effort for that exercise.
(Insider tip: If you are doing squats, you should stop at the top of the squat and not squeeze your glutes or push or thrust your hips and pelvis forward.)
This month we are talking about what our clients call the 'magic' they feel in their bodies during and after a session. It is not magic:) It is following the Integrative Movement SystemTM, which is based on principles that teach or retrain your body to move the way in which it was intended even after injury, surgery, the aging process, and more.
We understand that sometimes the basic principles we follow of alignment, breathing, and control can seem so different than you and we previously have learned. Yet, the principles along with the consistency of application are what make up the 'magic' we help people feel in their own bodies every day.
So what messages is your body sending you? If you are feeling tight or discomfort during or after exercise or other activities...it is telling you something is not right.
If you find you are looking for that 'magic' feeling in your body, reach out. We can help.