What is natural movement?

If you have the resources,  you can outsource almost anything.

You can hire someone to mow your lawn, do your taxes, clean your home, cook your meals walk your dog, care for your children. 

One the things you cannot outsource? Moving your body.

Our bodies require movement to function well but in our modern culture, we have become so sedentary we have lost the ability to move in some important ways. Squatting, sitting on the floor, raising your arms over your head, rolling over; these are natural human movements. 

For example, a squat is a natural human movement that is a resting position in many cultures but is lost to most westerners due to years of sitting in chairs.

Another movement that is unavailable for many of us is the ability to hang from a bar or tree branch anymore.

One of the most obvious examples is that many people feel awkward getting up and down from the floor. Even for people who practice yoga or go to the gym or run or cycle, getting up from the floor with no hands can be tough. 

So why is this important? 

Fitness is much more than body weight or how you look;  it includes mobility, agility, flexibility, strength and a whole lot more.

If you can squat properly that means your hips, knees and ankles are in pretty good shape. The thing is, most people do this movement badly. Getting assessed in your squat is highly recommended.

If you can lift your arms over your head without pain keep doing it!  We make cupboards and shelfs ‘convenient’ so we no longer have to reach but you should keep trying to if you can. Grip strength is also an important indicator of health so gentle progressive hanging is one way to keep shoulders happy.

Getting up and down from the floor is the real indicator of all four things mentioned earlier,  mobility, agility, flexibility and strength.

If you can get up and down easily without hands from the ground, keep doing it! 

These are some of the movements we need to keep doing to be natural humans in a modern culture.