Body Awareness: The Third Step Towards Improved Sitting
How much do you value movement in your life?
It's intriguing how many people tend to overlook the profound impact of movement on their health and well-being until it's temporarily taken away due to injury or an unexpected musculoskeletal issue. At that moment, motivation surges to take action and regain movement. The inability to move has a significant impact on both physical and emotional well-being. Recall the last time you suffered from debilitating lower back pain, rendering you unable to perform everyday tasks. In such instances, you'd do anything to restore pain-free mobility and regain the freedom to move without discomfort. Movement suddenly holds tremendous value.
How does comfort influence your movement?
Here's a question to ponder: Why does this cycle of moving from one painful episode to another persist throughout your life? You move from discomfort to discomfort with the intention of restoring and maintaining relatively pain-free movement, only to return to the familiar and comfortable routines that have become your default. For many, this comfort zone comprises activities like:
Achieving 10,000 daily steps.
Hitting the gym for a favorite workout.
Performing daily back stretches.
Going for a post-dinner walk with your partner.
Attending your preferred fitness classes (e.g., yoga, pilates, boot camp, spin).
Each of these activities offers benefits in countering the adverse effects of prolonged sitting. However, if you find yourself wondering why you continue to experience musculoskeletal issues despite these efforts, consider this: What truly motivates you to engage in these tasks, and how much attention do you devote to your body during them? Do you merely go through the motions to check them off your list? This is where many of us fall short – in the realm of body awareness.
Body Movement Communicates Vital Information to Your Brain
Body awareness results from the interaction between environmental input and your body's response, feeding information to your brain. In the context of movement, we often understand the importance of moving more throughout the day, akin to filling up your car's gas tank and changing its oil regularly. Many strive to achieve 10,000 daily steps. However, an aspect less emphasized is the quality and execution of these movements – akin to adhering to the manufacturer's recommended maintenance for your vehicle. The quantity and quality of your movement significantly shape your experience of the world. Think of body awareness as advanced, high-tech warning sensors in your car that signal when attention is required before a crisis unfolds.
Enhanced Body Awareness = Improved Movement Instincts = Fewer Episodes of Physical Pain
Heightened body awareness enables you to instinctively detect subtle changes within your body and respond effectively as they occur. This process aids in better movement, reducing the onset of insidious episodes of musculoskeletal discomfort. So, how can you develop these movement management skills that enhance body awareness? A solid starting point is to gain insight into the structural and functional organization of your body and apply relevant movement management principles to your daily activities.
Here's a brief video providing insights to boost your body awareness while sitting.
Inject Purpose into Your Sitting Experience
Take the time to infuse intent into your bodily responses relative to the environment you're in. Observe your body within its environmental context and in relation to its internal structure, as discussed earlier in this series (i.e., the core kinetic chain - CKC).
Don't hesitate to share your experiences with me. Your feedback informs me about what works and what doesn't, enabling me to provide information tailored to your movement practice, physical health, and overall well-being.
Until our next encounter,
Rick
