Principles
Awareness
Understanding what we are doing without judgment.
It’s a versatile concept, applicable to many aspects of life. When it comes to physical activity:
- It means tuning into our movements, listening to our bodies, without overly criticizing ourselves or trying to control every little thing. Overdoing it can be counterproductive.
- Think of it like noticing the way your hands move, the rhythm of your stride, without stressing over matching an ideal reference.
- Imagine a runner checking their heart rate during a workout – they don’t panic if it’s slightly off target for a moment.
These are your friends on the journey of motor awareness:
- Stay present, focus on how you feel in the moment, physically and emotionally (hic et nunc).
- observe your body’s automation: how do newborns build mastery of their hands and feet.
Sometimes, discomfort in a part of your body is just asking for attention, you should consider it’s there it’s purpose and how it’s performing.
Center of gravity
Why don’t we fall when standing?
Ever wondered why we don’t topple over when standing upright? Think of it like this: just as the leaning tower of Pisa remains standing as long as its center of gravity stays within its base, we stay upright when our center of gravity remains within the support of our feet.
Standing upright simplifies this concept, but understanding the center of gravity is vital, especially when it comes to movement.
Our body continuously adjusts to keep the center of gravity within our base of support. It does this in two ways:
- Musculoskeletal effort: muscles contract and relax to maintain balance.
- Modifying the base of support: think about how we adjust our footing when walking.
It’s crucial to grasp that when the center of gravity aligns closely with the base of support, we minimize effort and energy consumption during movement.
Concentration
Concentration is the ability to focus, whether it’s on a specific point, a goal, a situation, or a thought.
This skill comes naturally, it isn’t achieved by forcing it, but rather by freeing yourself from constraints. Similar to sculptors, it’s attained by removing anything unnecessary. A focused individual can zero in on their objective as a natural outcome of cognitive development. When moving, concentration helps in understanding the body’s dynamics more clearly, acknowledging both its limitations and strengths.
We’ll explore how smooth and mindful movement can aid the concentration process, and conversely, how lack of focus can hinder it.
Simply being aware of any stiffness in my crunch or throw is evidence of improved concentration! Regaining focus on the movement will promptly improve its fluidity.
Fluidity
In the realm of physics, fluidity refers to how easily particles in a fluid can move past each other, as seen in the graceful flow of water or the flickering flame of a candle. Conversely, we can observe a lack of fluidity in the stop-and-go nature of urban traffic.
Applied to sports or everyday movements, fluidity means executing actions smoothly, effortlessly, and with precision. Smooth movements enhance the circulation of force and the efficient transfer of energy, leading to improved performance. Think of the flexibility of a bowstring; if its movement were choppy, the arrow wouldn’t travel as far.
It’s crucial to recognize that, despite being influenced by emotions and consciousness, the human body is ultimately governed by the principles of physics.
Precision
Refined Movement
Precision isn’t just about being accurate; it’s about meticulous care, minimizing errors, and striving for excellence.
In our “pursuit of greatness“, we often confuse precision with perfection as if in front of a judge, but precision in movement isn’t about reaching flawless dance moves, big movements like a quarterback’s throw or a slam dunk, but there’s more to it: it’s about improving performance, your starting point doesn’t matter.
Our daily routines are filled with subtle, often overlooked movements that we take for granted until they’re compromised. Consider how the intricate coordination of small, hidden vertebral muscles keeps us standing upright. These small movements are the building blocks of larger actions like the aforementioned sporting feats, where muscles stabilizing the spine precede those in the arm.
Breathing
Life begins and ends with a breath.
Breathing in the human body is closely tied to the diaphragm muscle, which moves rhythmically from top to bottom, allowing the lungs to take in and expel air. Considering that the average person breathes about 6 to 8 times per minute, it’s easy to see that the diaphragm makes roughly 10,000 movements each day!
Its central position also involves it in the engagement of many other muscles and organs in the human body, such as aiding digestion.
With this in mind it’s clear how crucial it is to be aware of our breathing when approaching movement and exercise routines.