Can you age well?
Aging better?! What a thought. Did you know the “anti-aging” industry is estimated to be worth $610 billion by 2025? We are spending so much time and money to look and feel younger yet no one is training to age well in the process.
IF YOU DON’T USE IT YOU LOSE IT.
Because everything we do is a skill, if we are not training our body, eyes and balance, then not only will we not improve, we will get worse. How many lost skills do we blame age as the contributing factor of our decline?
What do you blame age for…?
Arthritis
Poor Vision
Low Energy
Knee & Foot Pain
Weakness in limbs
Incontinence
Low Back Pain
Poor Balance
Foggy Mind
More Falls
Imagine 30+ years of no vision training. Staring at a computer. Looking at our phones. Less and less outside time. The eyes would naturally get weak. Because of age? Or because of little use over time? Inactivity can confuse the brain. The brain is learning that some systems (visual, proprioceptive and vestibular) are not being utilized for proper function and survival. The outcome can result in pain, weakness and inability.
Form follows Function.
YOU ARE HOW YOU SIT. YOU ARE HOW YOU MOVE. YOU ARE HOW YOU BREATHE. YOU ARE HOW YOU EAT. YOU ARE HOW YOU WALK. YOU ARE HOW YOU SLEEP.
You have this stuff called fascia that acts like butter. I prefer to say ‘buttah’ like Barbara Streisand. Your fascia encompases the body from head to toe, a watery-like connective tissue that wraps around your muscles and organs, encasing your entire body. Your body can literally melt into proper biomechanics or poor biomechanics (fancy word for “movement”). When you constantly sit a certain way, constantly move in a certain pattern, the ‘buttah’ solidifies into a shape that essentially wraps your body into a sticky position to showcase “Oy, this is what I do every day!”
Take a look at the kiddo in the photo. His body posture is affecting the compression of this spine and affecting how he breathes. Staring at a computer reduces your blinking rate which drys your eyes. The lack of physical and visual movement can be rejuvenated with dynamic movement but it’s about time.
2 hours at a computer, 2 hours play can balance things out. (Also, taking breaks is a big part of balance)
But 5 hours at a computer and only 1 hour play, how do you think the body will begin to respond?
The form or posture of the body will follow how you function every day. Form follows function.
So? What can I do about it?
Movement melts the ‘buttah’!
Break out of static habits. Try to not get stuck in a rut with the same movement and learn to train dynamically. Reach, crawl, lunge, etc. Move like a bear. Move like a snake. Explore what your body hasn’t done in YEARS!
A similar concept when it comes to Qi. When we move, we move Qi. When we use our bodies, we use Qi.
We can waste Qi, expend Qi and even create Qi stagnation due to the choices we make in our lives.
Get creative in your small movements. Don’t just get stuck. Reach, rolls, stretch, walk, etc.
Train Dynamically
When we think of fitness or physical movement, it often results in linear, static, boring exercises. That’s not dynamic training. You need to challenge the visual system, the vestibular system as well as your sensory and motor maps.
Here are some dynamic moves you can try!
Vision Training Drill | Rapid Blinking
Take a break from the computer to blink 39x as fast as you can looking off into the distance.
Vestibular Training Drill | Drop the pen
If you’ve been seated for a while, ‘drop your pen’ to bend over and tump your head upside down to ‘look for the pen’ hold here for 5 seconds to 30 seconds and breathe. Slowly return to an upright position.
Sensory Map Training | Scrub the face
Long hours traveling? At the office? No matter what you’ve been up to, when you need a quick pick me up, scrub the face vigorously. (Make sure your hands are clean!) Scrub your hand around your eyes bones, the ears, brush the forehead, etc.
Motor Map Training Drill | Big Small
Make yourself as BIG as you possible can, standing, seated or lying down, doesn’t matter. Reach, stretch, yawn! Now, make yourself as tiny as you can. Curl into a ball, tighten your fists, scrunch your face, etc. Try repeating this 3x.
Speed Training Drill | Fast slow
This one is quite fun. Perform an action. Example: Walk across the room. Now try the action as S-L-O-W-L-Y as possible. Try it again as FAST as you possibly as you can. You can do this with anything as long as you are smart about it. Maybe skip this during meals. You might stab your cheek with a fork if attempting to feed yourself quickly.
Branch out with non-linear movement and explore how your body was meant to move with small daily movements. You deserve it! Invest the time as age is only a number.
It’s what you’ve been doing with that time that counts!
