A saying I came across during my time in the United Kingdom while studying my masters in Physiotherapy. This one really sticks with me as an empowering analogy when I start to work with more and more people. In a lot of cases, we often can fear moving into positions that are unfamiliar or provoke the memory of a previous injury. As a result we can suddenly start to move less and less, through smaller and smaller ranges of motion. As a byproduct of this, we can start to feel stiff and less mobile and confident with how we move.
The message I give to clients who are struggling with stiffness and fear exercise in the gym with the perception that it will make things worse is that we need to think of our body as similar to that of the engine in your car - if we don’t drive a car and leave it parked up for long periods of time - it is much more likely to seize up or start causing problems.
When we start to increase movement at a particular joint in the body - we can to start to initiate a process we can refer to as synovial sweep - where the synovial fluid which acts as a lubricant for our joints is released and generally helps us to improve movement at that joint which allows us to better strengthen and load the muscles around it!
Having some exercise little and often spread throughout our week is more than enough starting out on our journey to improve how we feel and move our body. Stiffness is generally as a result of lower activity levels, fear of movement and in many cases muscle weaknesses. Gradual exposure to exercise and daily efforts to move around more is generally what’s is needed here if you want to start improving how you move and feel - the risk of injury or making things worse is highly unlikely - starting slow and building things up base off how you feel after each exercise is a good place to start. Keep in mind that muscle soreness for a day or two after exercise is completely normal - especially when starting out! If you want to speed up and increase the quality of work you are doing - hire a personal trainer and invest in a few sessions each week to help get a better understanding of how amazing the human body really is at adapting to the challenges you set it!
"Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance, you must keep moving" - Albert Einstein
I am also delighted to announce that I am now offering an in person Personal Training service at kingfisher fitness club Waterford! Please get in touch through the contact information below or call into reception to check availability and avoid disappointment as spaces are limited! Please visit my new website www.coachedbycashel.com for more info!
Lastly, I would also like to clarify that I am not a registered dietician. All advice disclosed here is simply advisory based on my qualifications as a fitness professional and personal experience and knowledge gained working with individuals and helping them reach their goals. The advice given is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any health problem - nor is it intended to replace the advice of a physician. Always consult your physician or qualified health professional on any matters regarding your health.
I hope someone out there found some of this information useful here, just some food for thought. For any questions in relation to this topic or training, nutrition, etc. or for coaching inquiries simply message me on my business page on instagram @coachedbycashel_ or by email - contact@coachedbycashel.com
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