Pay Attention, Modify and Choose You

When approaching the most effective, injury-free pattern of physical activity or exercise, we must first accept that our body is not stagnant but forever in a process of repair, recovery, refueling, rehydration, building, and aging (may also include growing if one is in years 0-25). Becoming attuned to our physical sensations is a productive way to guide ourselves through movement with the intention of making progress but with the underlying goal of “doing no harm”. It is appropriate to apply principles of training such as progressive overload that entails increasing resistance, sets, repetitions or shortening rest periods during weight training or increasing speed, duration or frequency during cardiovascular activity—however, as a guide what we need to do is listen to our body before, during and after our exercise sessions. Somehow exercise science’s best-kept secret is that cross-training—or the regular varying of exercise activities—is one of the best ways to prevent injury while challenging/improving aspects of fitness such as muscular endurance, muscular strength, cardiovascular activity and flexibility.

If we consider cardiovascular activity, for example, the mode of activity can include an array of possibilities such as brisk walking, running, continuous dancing, cycling outside or inside, elliptical machines or stair machines, swimming, arm ergometers or rowing, or even sports such as soccer and basketball.  All of these can be considered productive for improving the health of your cardiovascular system but choosing which to execute when has everything to do with how your body is feeling. Depending on your age, pre-existing injuries, current fitness level, available energy etc. running may be out of the question or something that you can modify (choice of surface, speed, duration, shoes) into your schedule based on your body’s responses.  When you find a movement pattern, perhaps brisk walking, that you can generally execute without pain during or after the activity, that might be one to include in your rotation throughout the week. However, if you performed brisk walking seven days a week, you could end up with foot pain, knee pain, or back pain because the highly repeated pattern of movement creates its own challenges. Similarly, flexibility exercises help to increase the range of motion about the joints and balance the musculoskeletal system through all the planes of movement. If you don’t include flexibility training (can be gentle yoga) in your weekly schedule, you are more likely to have a limited or imbalanced range of motion, and tightness that can become painful, ultimately creating more pain not less with a higher chance of injury.

As we learn to pay attention to our body’s sensations, we have the opportunity to connect with all that it offers us and can cultivate a sense of self-care and appreciation while using movement as a form of celebrating our strength and perseverance. If we practice the skill of turning our lens inward, it ultimately becomes clear that no one outside of your body can be as adept as you are at knowing and choosing how to enhance your wellbeing and fitness.