Nothing stays the same, and our body is not an exception, as we age our body fights to repair and regenerate those muscles and organs we use in our life.
The term “use it or lose it” is often used in association with exercise motivation and refers to the consequential degeneration of muscles through lack of use.
Our bodies are efficient at “shutting down” unused muscles and building strength in smaller inappropriate muscles for the same movement. The resulting movement pattern is unstable and creates muscular imbalances.
Symmetry is nature’s preferred state; muscle imbalances occur when one muscle is stronger than its opposing muscle. For example, if you sit all day at a computer your shoulders are likely pulled forward creating a strength imbalance between the front of your body and the back.
While these muscle imbalances may not be a problem at first, the real issue occurs over time. Without a well-balanced muscular foundation, you can exercise as much as you want, but at some point, the body under this unnatural stress is likely to break down.
In other words, unless you identify and fix whatever imbalances exist, you may be headed for injury without realising.
In our Shape-UP class, we focus on exercise with quality whole body movement. The Shape-UP circuit may include some exercises that for your particular pattern of movement may be difficult, if not impossible for you to do.
However, with time, patience and perseverance, you can slowly establish the neurological pathway necessary for correct and naturally symmetrical movement patterns.
Exercising with correct form will give your body the ability to be “reborn” with the carefree movement of youth and allow you to blossom with the vitality of life.
I leave you this week with word by Anais Nin an author and poet, who recognised that sometimes staying as you are is harder than becoming who you are meant to be.
Give time to exercise and with it comes a new life.
Eat well and live well
Anna
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