Change Your Movement Mindset to Exploration
We often say that movement is medicine. But physical activity might not feel very therapeutic if in the past it has been associated with pain. In order to get back to a place of confidence and comfort with movement, we have to first change our mindset to one of exploration. This is an essential part of the Movement Remedies approach when working with chronic pain clients who want to get active again but don't know where to start.
Exploratory movement has the following characteristics:
1. Spontaneity
If you are accustomed to thinking of movement as an unpleasant obligation or part of a weight loss program, you may be inclined to push through a specific routine as fast as you can. This is quite the opposite of moving to promote learning and observation. You may be restricted to a certain window of time because of the schedule of your day, but with this approach there is no set structure to the movement program or expectation that a certain threshold of repetitions, sweat, or fatigue is required for the activity to be “enough.” Instead, we try to let the body guide us in determining what activities to do and at what volume. On certain days when we are well-rested and have had time to eat well, we may feel up for more physical challenges than on other days when we are fatigued or under a lot of stress. This is especially true during various hormonal changes throughout our lives, as the body’s peak stamina naturally ebbs and flows. Staying in tune with our bodies to make sure movement feels particularly nourishing and meaningful is not only essential for pain management, but also for injury prevention.
2. Provokes curiosity rather than judgment
Get it out of your head that exercise’s primary role is to burn calories. Taking aside the fact that exercise alone is not an effective weight loss strategy, this “maximize the burn” mindset has completely distorted our collective relationship with movement. Rather than fixating on getting the most possible intensity in the fewest number of minutes, it would be more beneficial to our overall health and state of mind to see movement as a chance to step away and connect with ourselves at various points throughout a hectic day. When we move to explore, we give ourselves permission to notice how some gestures come more easily than others; how different activities bring about different sensations and feelings. We go into the start of an exploratory movement session wondering, “What am I going to learn about myself today?”
3. Mindful
To observe our bodies from within, we must be focused on what we are doing. If we allow our minds to endlessly wander or replay the scenes of the day, we will be going through the motions of physical activity without really feeling it. Like any other form of mindfulness or meditation, this takes practice. The mind will invariably seek to stray away from the task at hand. Especially if you are unaccustomed to creating quiet space without the noise of an internal monologue, your thoughts will rush to fill any gaps you generate. You will likely find that tuning into your physical sensations also brings up emotions. If these are unpleasant or related to a situation or feeling you have tried hard to ignore, it will likely be even harder to stay mentally present in movement. But learning this part is crucial for healing so that we can find safety and security in our daily activities. With consistency and diligence, mindful movement will become easier.
3. Led by the breath
Learning to hone in on a deliberate, rhythmic breathing pattern will help with the mindfulness aspect of exploratory movement. But it is so much more than that. Breath facilitates movement because of its essential role in mobilizing the core, as well as network of connective tissue that is woven throughout the body. Particularly when speaking of the trunk and upper extremities, breath is an essential pillar of a mobility-focused movement program. Breath also helps us address and release the tension we tend to carry that may strain our muscles if we use them incorrectly or overload them. For those of us with chronic pain, it is common for the tissues surrounding an area of prior injury to perpetually guard against damage by tightening instinctually. By developing a habit of releasing muscle tension in combination with every exhale, we can build new biomechanical patterns that facilitate ease of movement and prevent protective rigidity in our muscles. This was a huge part of my own journey with addressing my low back pain as I became more in tune with my body and realized that I tended to strain my back muscles when I loaded just about any other part of my body.
4. Allows for pauses and reflection
When we move for exploration, we are looking to create space for healing and growth. We are building a movement practice that is expansive, supportive and promotes progress. If we predetermine all our actions and leave no room for discovery, we are not allowing the body to teach us everything it has to share. And fully appreciating that requires the space to observe and reflect on what we are learning before the moment is lost. I believe we each possess an innate wisdom in our physical beings that is the result of both what we have inherited from an evolutionary perspective as well as our lived experience. Rarely do we take the time to engage that well of knowledge and let it inform our decisions. My own observation of the healing process, both as a pain-oriented service provider and a pain sufferer, is that our emotional and physical existence are very much intertwined so we have to be open to working with both. To me this aspect of exploratory movement is like a continuous improvement version of mindfulness. Not only must we be physically and mentally present as we move, but we must also take note of what we learn about ourselves and then incorporate that knowledge back into the movement experience as it is happening.
