Earlier this month, I had the incredible opportunity to spend the weekend at 1440 Multiversity to take a course on Dynamic Aging co-taught by movement and yoga/mobility pioneers Katy Bowman and Jill Miller. While I am still processing all of the juicy content from the weekend, the one overarching message from the course is that our bodies are smart and they adapt quickly. As you delve into the details, this can be both good and bad.
The benefit of quick adaptation is that we are resilient. For example, if you’ve ever broken your toe, you know that your body adopts a new walking pattern so that you can still walk while giving the damaged toe time to heal. However, once your toe has healed, you likely still walk like a person with a broken toe because your body has adapted to that new movement pattern. The magnitude of the movement change depends on the severity and duration of the trigger that caused it. This change in movement pattern can cause excessive wear and tear on tissues and joints and be a trigger for chronic movement dysfunction and pain.
The good news is that you can break this cycle (and Alkalign can help). First, identify your (bad) adaptations. Do you have imbalances in your strength, coordination or mobility on one side vs. the other? What is your body compensating for and why? Alkalign’s balanced strength building classes and trained instructors can help you identify this for yourself. Then, restore and maintain mobility by staying for the final stretch and taking Recharge and + Recharge classes.
Finally, move mindfully and diversify your movement. All Alkalign classes help you learn how to do this. However, 1 class is only 4% of your day. Take your education outside of our studios and into your car, office, and home. Sit in as many different ways as possible; put your pants on with your left leg first; walk to places that are less than 1 mile from your home. Your body will thank you today and for years to come.
Want to learn more? Check out this video on the Alkalign YouTube Channel on how Alkalign can help you rehab your movement.
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