Movement is Medicine
It’s January 2021. In the words of Stewart Stafford, “January is the calendar’s ingrown hair.” We’re half way through the first month of a new year, and looking around...everyone is exhausted. People are discouraged. The pandemic isn’t anywhere close to being over, kids are home from school again, the lockdown continues, and it’s grey and cold and hard to get out of bed in the morning. Our sleep has been disrupted, finances and relationships have been stressed, our routines have been altered beyond recognition. It’s a challenge to hit those 10,000 steps, or roll out the mat. It’s like we’re living through a permanent Groundhog Day without Bill Murray to make us laugh.
Change happens through movement and movement heals.
Our habits become our reality. When we’re bent over computers all day, our musculature begins to accommodate that position: over time we start to slouch. Movement like Pilates can correct our posture through exercises developed to strengthen and stretch the muscles around the spine–people can literally end up taller! In the words of Joseph Pilates, “Change happens through movement and movement heals.” Right now we’re living through a strange time that has us sitting more than we ever have before. We’re walking less, and staring at our phones more, so it’s natural that some of our muscles are becoming deconditioned. But besides building strength and flexibility, movement also helps with memory and clear thinking, improves our sleep, increases our resilience, and gives us energy. Both aerobic and mindful movement, like Pilates and yoga, help to activate and replenish Gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in the body’s response to stress by sending chemical messages through the brain and the nervous system, regulating communication between brain cells. Regular exercise can decrease and prevent depression by helping the body and brain to relax and de-stress.
When our spirits are low, it’s harder to find the motivation to exercise. Objections are plentiful--we’re too tired, overwhelmed, feeling hopeless, living with pain. Finding space in our homes and our schedules for a few hours a week of fitness can feel impossible. Sometimes we need to start small--the 7-Minute Workout became a phenomenon for a reason. Sometimes we need to capitalize on the time of the day when we have the most energy or when our schedule is least likely to fall apart. If we tend to get dragged into late afternoon meetings, scheduling early morning workouts might be more successful and give us a boost of energy for the day. If our days are chaotic, winding down with a short fitness session after the kids are in bed might be the ticket. It’s important to choose the activities that give us pleasure--if we’re missing the social element of group exercise, taking part in a class with an opportunity to chat with friends at the end can be a balm. If you want that endorphin kick or need to get sweaty to feel a sense of accomplishment, riding the stationary bike or taking a power Pilates class might be ideal, whereas a restorative yoga class might help with sleep or anxiety. Treatments like acupuncture can also manage stress.
How can CoreWorks help right now?
Instagram Fit Breaks--Tune into our IG feed for a mix of live and pre-recorded five-ten minute Pilates sessions to give you a taste of the old razzle dazzle, i.e. some popular CoreWorks exercises and Pilates classics. Break up your work day, strengthen and stretch, and revisit some of your favourite exercises in detail. Keep an eye out for kid-friendly posts, too...just like you, we want to keep those kids moving!
Virtual Mat Classes—Ongoing 3 times a week (Mondays at 8:45am, Wednesdays at 8am, and Fridays at noon). $10+hst per class ($15 from Feb 1st).
Virtual Private Sessions—At your convenience, 30 or 60 minute sessions. $25+hst and $50+hst respectively.
And unless something changes:
Physiotherapy—Thorough assessments, as well as treatments that benefit both physical and mental wellbeing—soft tissue and joint mobilizations, laser therapy, acupuncture/dry needling, cupping, taping, and therapeutic exercises. Appointments available in clinic or online.
Physio Pilates—Virtual or in studio sessions taught by members of the Pilates team from programs prescribed by our Physiotherapists.