Conscious Movement vs. Mindless Exercise

This week I happened across a blog post entitled “Conscious Movement vs. Mindless Exercise” It reminded me of the seismic shift occurring in the fitness community. The elite Equinox gym launched entire program entitled “Conscious Movement” as contrasting modalities like barefoot running, Pilates, Zumba, and Crossfit flourish. My colleagues in movement medicine are shifting what, why, where, and how we exercise. Although I usually eschew dualistic thinking, it’s fascinating to contrast the old and emerging paradigms of fitness: What other qualities could Continue reading

The Only Fitness Goal: Take Care of My Crap

The fitness industry always promotes goals. The bikini body. The final score. Achieving “results” constantly invokes finite competition. As if one day we cross a finish line, arrive at perfection, and no longer need to exercise. No such luck. I want to win this game: Make it to 95 years old. Wake up energized. Walk to the bathroom. Squat on the toilet. Take a triumphant poop. Wipe myself. Stand up. Wash my hands. Head out into a productive day. Actually, that is pretty much Continue reading

(Re)Defining Functional Fitness

What does the nebulous buzzword “functional fitness” mean?  It’s volleyed around in debates about what exercises have real-life application and what is completely frivolous. Many fitness professionals assert that fitness functions to achieve  “results.” Sometime in the future, you could achieve weight loss, lower your blood pressure, or build strong muscles. I propose reverse engineering instead. Start by asking, what do those results represent?  If you lost weight, would you feel hot? If your blood pressure decreased would you feel Continue reading