The Art of Mindful Movement

It can be extremely hard to tune out the excessive babble about what it takes to effectively workout. We come from a generation where standard gyms, pumping pre-workout, and rigorous hour-long push days are deemed normal. In truth, there is nothing wrong with these workouts if they satisfy you and work for your body, but if you set yourself to incredibly high, rigorous workout standards, you will find yourself quickly burnt out.

There has been a shift in recent years, especially with the rise of self-care and wellness focuses, to practice something called “mindful movement.” The point of mindful movement is to incorporate movement into your day that doesn’t put an excess strain on your body, feels good, and benefits you mentally as well as physically. An important factor in mindful movement is somatic awareness and intention. Why are we moving our bodies? How is it making us feel?

Moving your body is so important! It boosts your endorphins (you know, those feel-good chemicals), improves cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, you name it. Countless studies tell us that taking the time to move your body every single day will benefit you in more ways than you can count. But when there are consistently added stressors regarding when and how you should be working out and what you should be doing, a lot of the enjoyment is taken out of something that should be a time of mental rejuvenation.

What are some ways that people practice mindful movement? One way is incorporating low-impact, aerobic exercise into their regular routines. Your 10-mile run is great, and if it makes you feel good, push yourself to complete it! But if you wake up and can’t even bear the thought of lacing up your sneakers and getting yourself out the door, taking a second to intuitively stretch your body, going for a short walk, or doing some yoga may be a better option. The trick to mindful movement is acknowledging what your body needs. Putting excessive stress on it could increase your cortisol levels over time, and lead to more negative effects than positive ones.

What does it mean to have an “aware” or “intentional” workout? In short, it means adding a mental dimension to your physical activity. Take time to reflect on what you want to gain from your workout. Do we want to be healthier and stronger? Do we want to blow off some steam? Are we just bored and restless and want to go sprint for a while? Whatever it may be, let this be the lens that you view your workout with. In addition to the intention of the workout, think about your intentions for the day ahead of you. Use your workout as a time to reflect on what you want to accomplish, and practice positive self-talk and compassion. Taking care of our bodies and respecting them is so important, and we can’t do that if we go into our health routines with a negative mindset.

Remember to take care of yourselves. Move your body today; feel the sunshine on your skin.

Strike Out,

Writer: Sarah Bourloukas

Editor: Blake N. Fiadino

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