The old way of exercising teaches us to isolate one part of the body from the next.
First, you work your biceps. Then your triceps. Arms one day, legs another.
From a young age, we’re taught to “stand straight,” “throw your shoulders back,” and “tighten your core.” Exercise becomes about control, not connection. But your body doesn’t actually work that way. There isn’t a traditional exercise program that reintroduces us to how our body integrates one part with the next. It’s easier to learn exercise this way but we have to do it different!
You can still do your favorite exercise programs while incorporating a different physical experience. These directions enable you to undo so many of the areas of excess muscle tension that could be hurting you. But not so you can go limp, so your body can naturally make the adjustments it needs to get stronger without the chronic pain and injury.
It may sound confusing—but that’s only because it’s unfamiliar.
When you move your body naturally, the way we did as very small children, it integrates all its parts without effort. Movement becomes whole again. Children have great bodies because there is still that sense of adjustment, and balance throughout.
The reason it feels difficult is that we’ve been taught to move with excess tension and fight with gravity. That creates roadblocks to our body’s ability to adjust naturally, like a child’s body does. Over time, that excess tension can lead to chronic pain, stiffness, and even injury.