Movement that Matters

I'm using the title from the book Movement that Matters by Paul Chek because it has great significance. I observe dozens of people performing exercises that have minimal carry over to how they live their life and more importantly exercise that takes away health. Yes your 1 hour 3X per week aerobic class just might be causing you to be more stressed out and depleted in the long run. And more stress results in decreased vitality, aesthetics, and performance in work, sport and leisure activities. This also applies to the strength training guru's who belt out endless reps with the barbell not knowing that exercise actually depletes our body and it is the resting phase with proper nutrition that builds our body. Thus they may look good but their inner physiological health is plummeting. If we are already depleted these types of exercises will only deplete us unless we understand some basic principles.

Basically there are two types of exercise:

Energy Going Out type such as weight lifting, Zumba, Cross-Fit, Peak 8, spinning class, most pilates classes, aerobics, the dreaded treadmill or elliptical machines, or just jogging, long challenging hikes, swimming, ice hockey, skiing etc...This is why it is often referred to as 'working out'. That's a correct phrase because with these types of exercise they cost you energy! If you go in feeling tired and already depleted this type of exercise will only deplete you more in the long run. That is because they stimulate the sympathetic nervous system or 'fight or flight' emergency response. During these exercises powerful hormones such as cortisol are released into the blood stream and you get an exercise induced drug high which one assumes is a good thing. It is an illusion! Just like a cup of coffee is used to get you moving you are actually needing something to stimulate you because you are depleted underneath. Whipping a dead horse is not going to bring home the trophy. Dr Larry Wilson says "Do not exercise to feel good rather exercise because you feel good!" What he means is reduce the amount of Energy Going Out exercise that you do and start doing more Energy Going In type as described below. Consider this the Western Philosophy of Exercise.

Energy Going In type such as Yoga, Tai Chi-Qigong, Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, even some forms of corrective functional exercise, Brain Gym, even meditation, journaling, drawing, gardening, conscious breath work, gentle rebounding and a hot infrared sauna are forms of movements that exercise our being without depleting us. With these exercises the focus is slow conscious and deliberate movements that bring you into your body. They require your full participation and concentration. These type of movements stimulate and strengthen the parasympathetic nervous system or the 'rest and digest' system. The phrase here is "The slower you go the more Chi or Energy will flow!" Consider this the Eastern Philosophy of Exercise.

You can also use the money analogy; Are you in the red or black? If you are spending more money than you have you are operating with a 'burn rate'. If you keep spending more than you are earning you are sure to hit a crisis or eventually bottom out. With health and fitness bottoming out is usually fatigue, reduced sexual energy, a greater risk for injury-even away from the gym, and of course aggravation or new diagnosis of a chronic illness. I'm not against exercise at all, in fact I am more for movements that really matter and bring our nervous system and body back into the black. Then we have established an energy savings account to draw on. In other words, we have something to give without needing anything in return.

Remember our current modern way of living is almost 100% sympathetically stimulating. I'll bet you didn't know that watching TV is actually stimulating your adrenal glands and creating stress even though it appears relaxing. The only exception is programs that make you laugh really hard to the point of tears.

In my next blog, I will continue with the 7 Primal Movements that Matter.

Until we met, keep your body tuned up and your soul tuned in,

Dan