The Joy of Slow Movement
Last Updated on July 18, 2024 by
I had a new client drop into my class the other day doing Pilates for the first time. She seemed like she was enjoying the class but afterwards when I checked in with her she told that she only does high intensity cardio exercises so this class wasn’t really up her alley. I understood her so well in that moment bc a decade ago that was me.
I would say for the majority of my life I often pushed myself through fitness focusing mainly on high intensity cardio in order to try to hit my goals.
It’s only been in the last few years probably since Covid really but I’ve dialed back and focused more low impact exercise, including resistance training and of course, Pilates.
As we age, priorities shift. As do hormones.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good sweat session. I recently started including spin classes back in my weekly workouts to get the heart pumping benefits of cardio back in – dance isn’t enough. But is this my main source of exercise? No. I’m still focused on resistance training & Pilates.
The Slow Movement campaign has been gaining traction over the last few years, focusing on prioritizing rest & low impact movement as a way to restore our bodies & offer strengthening support in a way that most of us in this modern era needs badly. We don’t need to hammer away high intensity training drills on cardio or do insane amounts of plyometrics – while it’s helpful to include this in our weekly workouts it shouldn’t be the main focus. Our adrenaline & cortisol levels are stimulated enough from our modern lives already and these activities keep our bodies overstimulated and running on this high.
Bringing back gentler and low impact forms of exercise helps our bodies because #1 – it FEELS GOOD! Which means you might actually want to do it (and more!). Workouts aren’t always about chasing the burn, its about building, maintaining & building mobility (who wants to keep moving in their 80s?! ME!), reducing joint strain (although it IS important to apply some stress to our joints & bones for density), and tapping into a more mindful form of exercise. Low impact does not necessarily mean EASY but it does allow for a gradual build of muscular endurance, integrated core work and building long lean muscles.
Resistance training is important to include because we need to do hard things. Our ancestors had a much more active lifestyle than us and our bodies are designed to move. Resistance training helps us strengthen our bones & muscles allowing for proper metabolism, improved strength gains, happy cardiac activity, and don’t forget a better mood!!! Over the age of 40 as women head toward the perimenopausal years, the rates of osteoporosis increase due to the declining rate of bone density. Incorporating resistance training will help build your bone density and keep you dafe should you fall in your later years.
Pilates is also a powerful inclusion into our weekly workouts because again, slow movement. The breathwork and body/mind connection alone is important because we don’t give ourselves alot of time to just “BE” with ourselves. And if you have been to a pilates class you know that most classes are NOT a walk in the park. Mat-based pilates classes mainly work either with body weight or light hand weights which can be as tough as lifting!! Reformer classes have the added benefit of spring work which works as resistance training. Pilates allows for muscle integration by isolating the muscle groups, focusing on core and then using breathwork to tie it all in together. The breathwork alone actively strengthens the pelvic floor & abdominal system so imagine the benefits of tying that in with ab work? Genius. And gentle.
Returning to wellness can be found in many ways. Slowing down in our frantic modern era takes time and a shift in our thinking about what Fitness & Exercise looks like to us.
Being fit doesn’t mean fitting into a particular size of clothes or identifying with one particular activity. As we all know, variety is the spice of life and our bodies grow best through challenge.
So I invite you to take a breath, slow down and bring some slow movement into your week. Let me know how it feels!
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