Talking about exercise at a seminar is always interesting as the already healthy will simply do more. The “sloths” threatened to be exposed at this unenviable task avoid any sight of exercise even more by the humiliation it may trigger. Indeed, they will avoid exercise rooms and be embarrassed when pushed. Exercise is very emotional for many but is also like a diet as we yoyo through full commitment to total avoidance when we join with great initial intention.
Every day we should do at least 20 minutes of cardio. We should stretch for five minutes, and we should do weight training for at least 5 minutes. This requires a commitment and is not really an option it's a necessity.
We do live in a life with forward flexion is our dominant posture all day long. That means if we do not commit to a certain amount of exercise today, we are going to suffer in the long term. In the USA it is now established that 2-year old’s have begun to show signs of degenerative spinal arthritis.
When we are born, we need to have tummy time to develop a cervical curve and that curve is not present very often in young adults today. We were supposed to crawl and develop a lumbar curve and cross lateral brain pathways which again are absent in many of my patients.
To make changes in your posture requires motivation. To develop new habits to perform certain exercises - discipline. It's therefore essential that you commit to exercises that work, understand why you are doing them and how to do correctly.
The bottom line is that you need to want to change. You need an anchor to drive that thought. Look at the reasons why you must change and drive that emotion. Cancer rates, joint replacements etc.
Both stretches and strengthening exercises are very important. But they are also very dependent on your age, who you do them with, when you do them, what you do, what intensity and for how long. Be aware of the price you will pay if you do not do them or do them wrong.
Playing team sports is good for the body and mind as it has a socializing aspect.
Jogging is a repetition action where if the athlete has a compensatory gait will cause further problems with the imbalances resulting in arthritis and injuries. Jogging as opposed to running is the body stopping itself from falling forward!!! Walking allows easier correction of this and better for the body with use of flexion in knee drive. Imbalances are also easier to remedy.
Our brain remembers movement patterns so exercises should reflect how we move. A great initiative is to simply video yourself when walking, sitting and exercising. Your imbalances may be obvious and quite easy to correct.
You may not have been aware of that foot turning out or the arm swaying across your body. Look at how you can gently balance your movement patterns in everyday activity which will then reflect when exercising. It is great to move and better to move well.