1 super easy way to improve ANY movement…
"Brainy What-Why-How"
Your weekly nibble of science-backed goodness to help you move better and feel unstoppable.
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What (the TL:DR)
Sensory information kicks the motor cortex into gear.
Meaning: touching yourself may help you move better! (No...not touching yourself like that...)
Why (the geeky neurology)
Let's say you're going for a hike. Your skin is helping build a picture for your brain about what's around you.
So if a twig scrapes you as you pass a tree, that information is sent to the sensory cortex of the brain.
It then produces the necessary output (the sensation you feel of scraping, scratching, or tickling).
But what it also does is it says to the motor cortex (which sits right in front of the sensory cortex):
"hey, FYI this thing just happened to our human."
IMAGE BRAIN
This is because as we were evolving (before our cosy little modern lives,) we needed to process information about what we FELT in order to TAKE ACTION if it was harmful.
"Was it a twig... or was it a snake?"
Watch my new YouTube video "Touch Yourself to Improve Mobility!" where I explain this in more depth!
How (apply it to your life)
So how can we use this information to help our movements?
My recommendation is today's new class on Move With Adell: Gentle Opening Flow for Quads, Ankles, and Toes which begins with a "sensory rubdown".
But you can also just rub, pat, or gently scratch your entire body for about 20-30 seconds right before you do any movement, particularly something that may require a lot of strength or flexibility.
I personally like to do it (I like it a lot) in my first couple of standing forward folds of the day when the hammies are still waking up.
A reminder from Victor Frankl that--while the above stuff is reflexive (it happens automatically)--there are elements to our actions that we can control too:
Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. - Victor Frankl
Empowerment is the theme this month on Move With Adell!
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