Movement Ecology, Part X (the Conclusion)
Movement Ecology: The A to Z study of human locomotion.
In Part I, we identified the four aspects of movement ecology we wanted to explore. Since then, we've explored three of those aspects:
The internal motive of the one moving. Why is (or does) one move (or want to move)?
The forms and systems of movement themselves. Basically, what are healthy (and unhealthy) forms of movement, how can one move more healthily (or less unhealthily), and how can one do so more often?
The navigational capacities (or skills) of the one moving. Basically, how can one assess one's current movement capacities, create a plan for improving those capacities, and then implement such a plan?
Today, we're going to look at aspect 4: The external factors affecting or influencing one's movement. Basically, what's aiding or hindering your movement? Can such aids be enhanced (or more readily capitalized upon), and can such hindrances be reduced or, perhaps, eliminated?
What's aiding your movement?
Your suppleness?
Your agility?
Your grace?
Your strength?
Your explosiveness?
Your endurance?
Your cardio-vascular (aerobic) capacity?
Your anaerobic capacity.
Your internal disposition (basically, your degree of equanimity and the quality of your self-talk)?
Your commitment to yourself and your training?
Your training routines and their weekly variability?
Your training environment?
The people around you?
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Now, I'll ask a similar question: What's hindering it?
Your suppleness?
Your agility?
Your grace?
Your strength?
Your explosiveness?
Your endurance?
Your cardio-vascular (aerobic) capacity?
Your anaerobic capacity.
Your internal disposition (basically, your degree of equanimity and the quality of your self-talk)?
Your commitment to yourself and your training?
Your training routines and their weekly variability?
Your training environment?
The people around you?
This is the paradoxical nature of movement influences. Barring injury, those things that limit your movement can also be the same things that bolster it. If you want to strengthen the factors aiding your movement or lessen the factors hindering your movement, work on the above attributes.
Sometimes, we spend so much time on skill training(1), we forget to work on those things that underly the performance of such skills. I've found it to be extremely helpful to create (or adopt) exercises that build two or more of the above attributes. For example, if your train in yoga (or yoga-like movements), you'll bolster your suppleness, agility, grace, strength, endurance, internal disposition, and commitment to yourself and your training. Adding regular yoga or pilates practice will also improve or freshen-up your training routines. It may also lead you to regularly modify your training and living environments to some extent. And, if you invite others to join you, the team camaraderie you experience will not just further bolster your self-talk and your commitment to training but strengthen your relationships with those you train with (and care about!).
Keep the above attribute list in mind, and work at such things. They'll undergird your movement strengths and chip away at your weaknesses. Aspect 4 really is all about your attitude and approach to training.
Take care...
Notes:
I've found this to be especially true in things like the martial arts, gymnastics, dance, cycling, and long-distance running.
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