4 Tips to Move Better
Earlier this month, I shared with you 5 Tips to Move More. But sometimes it's not just about moving more. Actually, most of the time it's not. If you are moving for health (which enables you to move for pleasure), it's also gotta be about moving better.
There are a whole bunch of ways of doing this that actually require very little additional time, and I want to share a few of those with you. This isn't to say that taking the time to move, to exercise isn't essential; it's just that big changes can come from relatively simple adjustments.
1. Change your footwear
It's hard to overestimate how much what we put on our feet impacts the entire health of our bodies. Transitioning to a more minimal shoe doesn't need to (and generally shouldn't) happen overnight. But if you are serious about changing the health conditions you have, you'll want to play around with your relationship to your footwear.
For more, read this post about shoes, this one about foot exercises and consider buying the book, Whole Body Barefoot.
2. Stop sucking in your belly
You know all the stuff in your abdomen? When you suck it in to look good, to fit some cultural expectation, to manage your tension, you are interferring with your breathing, your digestion, your reproductive health, your spinal integrity and your pelvic floor function.
For more, check out one of my most visited blog posts, Your Ego Wasn't Made for This.
3. Release a few other things as well
Take a moment to scan your body. Are you squeezing your glutes? Are your kneecaps locked in the upright position? Is your pelvic floor trying to shake hands with your diaphragm? Holding "artificial" tension doesn't only NOT make us stronger and healthier, but it erodes function over time.
You can watch a video here about letting the kneecaps relax and if you are interested in a deep core release (that may make lots of other releasing possible!), you can check out this post on the psoas.
4. Deal with your stress(ors)
A stress response unleashes a beautiful chemical cascade in your body that impacts just about everything. The pain you feel, the range of motion available, the chronic diseases you get or don't get...it's serious stuff if you have a nervous system that is overloaded.
Since I am Exhibit A (or maybe B) for an overloaded nervous system, I've spent lots of time working to repair the damage its done to my body and cultivating an internal and external reality to support that. If you are feeling serious about dealing with this aspect, check out my post, The Hard Part.
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I'm often amazed at how simple changes create such a big impact in overall health. And we haven't even talked about straightening your feet or widening them to pelvis-width or the benefits of nasal breathing!
So yes, go move more. But if you are moving for health, don't forget to also move better.
