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fun functional movement blog titleOur ancestor's survival depended on the ability to move their bodies. They moved to secure food, shelter, and safety. There was no need to go to a gym because movement was incorporated into their daily life.

Hunting required fast agile movements and endurance to outlast prey. Once secured, they had to carry it to the village. Without indoor plumbing, they had to bring water to the village too.

Today we see how naturally children incorporate movement into their daily lives. They play at the park, run down the sidewalk, wiggle in their seats, spin in circles, and tip upside down.

Unstructured movement is good for their growing bodies. In fact, we would benefit if we reclaimed some of this natural movement ourselves.

Let’s learn from our ancestors and children how to include natural movement in our lives today.

 

Natural Movement

There was a purpose to our ancestors' movement. They were not doing repetitive movements to strengthen individual muscles; they were running, lifting, throwing, and pushing things. These movements are what the human body is designed to do.

Movements that functionally engage multiple muscle groups are more natural movements.  Isolating specific muscle groups may create imbalances that can cause pain over time. We see this with overuse injuries in young athletes if they are not guided to strengthen and stretch multiple muscle groups.

 

Practical Ideas

Movement doesn't have to be strenuous. It could be as simple as walking to the water fountain, standing up for a phone call, or stretching in your seat. It is easy to incorporate it into your daily life if you are intentional about it 

  • park at the far end of the parking lot
  • walk when you meet with a friend or take a call
  • walk barefoot outside to engage your muscles in different ways (especially on an incline)
  • take the stairs instead of the elevator
  • carry your child instead of using a stroller
  • shop with a basket instead of a shopping cart
  • play with your kids when they are running in the yard
  • sit on the floor instead of reclining on a couch
  • dance to music around your house

 

Remember the Fun

Let’s change our mindset around movement. It's not just what we do in the gym and does not need to be strenuous to be beneficial. Rediscover the joy that can be found in movement by thinking about what you did as a kid. Did you like gymnastics? Maybe you can't do the flips anymore, but could you roll down a hill? Perhaps your balance beam days are over; where else could you practice your agility? If you enjoyed playing sports when you were young, a local club or class at the Warrenville Park District might interest you. 
 
 
Let me know how you include fun functional movement in your day when you come in for your next appointment. And, if you need help coming up with ways to do this we can brainstorm together.