Whether you are familiar with the term or a newcomer, this life-giving work is often misunderstood, or confused with other therapies. So today, let’s take a look at what it is, and also what it is NOT.
- It is recovering, through movement
While most people do use it to reclaim movement that has been lost, the term actually refers to the process, not the outcome. When you work with a movement recovery specialist, you will be taught how to use the right movements that will allow your body to recover (from chronic pain) naturally (versus using pills, shots, surgeries, or having to fall in to the trap of repeat appointments that are often tedious and uncomfortable, or boast short-term relief).
2. It is tailored to each person
The right movements for you will look different than the right movements for someone else simply because our bodies all breakdown in differing ways. Your movement recovery plan is completely tailored, from start to finish, to you. Other therapies and interventions are often based on protocols and plug-and-play templates. Not here. It is truly the personalized experience you have been looking for!
3. It is a FULL-BODY approach
No regionalized or spot-specific work here. To find long-lasting relief, your movement recovery plan has to address not only what you are feeling right now, but also what you are not feeling yet. Because what good is feeling better today if it leaves you vulnerable to feeling bad tomorrow?
4. It is NOT exercise
So often when I’m talking with people about what I do they are confused about how it’s different than exercise or working with a personal trainer. And the answer is simple- there is nothing exerting about this work. It is not meant to raise your heartrate, or increase your anaerobic capacity. It is not meant to build strength, or help you lose weight. It’s purpose is to help you reset the positioning of your body and learn how to move correctly again, which takes focus, concentration, and practice – not speed, not intensity, not resistance.
5. It is NOT time-consuming
The goal of movement recovery is to focus on using only the movements your body needs- not the movements your body needs plus a bunch of others it doesn’t. And when you can hone in on those select movements, it significantly reduces the amount of time you have to spend on your recovery each day.
6. It is more than stretching
I am so pleased stretching is finally getting the attention and space it deserves, but it is only part of the equation- the first part. To truly find lasting relief, you have to learn how to re-engage the nervous system as well, which is something stretching does not do.
In short- it is a gentle, full-body approach that uses movement to help you find lasting relief in a quick and gentle way that is easy to implement. What could be better than that?!
