The final part of the Movement Series with Amy Slater and John Sinclair. Read the final part and start your journey to a healthier you.
The most common reasons that adults do not adopt more physically active lifestyles include:
- insufficient time to exercise.
- inconvenience of exercise.
- lack of self-motivation.
- non-enjoyment of exercise.
- boredom with exercise.
- lack of confidence in their ability to be physically active (low self-efficacy)
These reasons could also be labeled as barriers to our single most powerful intervention against diseases of the mind and body. Exercise has a role in the management of mental health disorders, most notably depression and anxiety. Both aerobic and resistance training have a positive impact on post traumatic stress disorder. A consistent physical activity program carries out many protective and preventive benefits such as improvements in memory, cognition, sleep and mood; growth of new blood vessels in the nervous system; and the reduction of stress, anxiety, neuro-inflammation, and insulin resistance. The benefits of exercise continue when we broaden our lens to reduction in cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes. As coaches, we desire our clients to achieve a long health span living active, pain free lives with a sharp mind and fully functional body. Movement, exercise, physical activity is the greatest asset that we all have to help achieve that goal.
Micromovement Method allows provides a solution to the barriers to engaging in physical activity on a regular basis. This method removes the inconvenience of exercise and grants access in a very doable amount of time, in a convenient dose. Following along with the simple videos removes the need for self motivation and gives strategy and a guide. If you are not an exerciser or get bored easily with exercise, reframing your time spent moving as your daily dose of activity removes the mindset of not enjoying exercise and adds an element of fun. Perhaps the most powerful aspect of the micromethod is welcoming those who lack confidence in their ability to be physically active. The movement series are digestible for all levels.
Micro-dosing movement or what we call the Micro Movement Method at Seven Movements combines the art of applying the right dose of movement based on the tolerance of the individual at that moment. What we curate is specific movements and programs that match your desire, tolerance for stress, and movement competency to prescribe you a daily dose of 1-7 minute doses of movement performed at intervals throughout the day. So instead of doing a larger dose of exercise all at once, we break it up into smaller doses, just like you would with your prescribed medications.
Kickstart Your Day with a 7-Minute Morning Stretching & Mobility Routine! This energizing morning routine with John Sinclaire is designed to wake up your body and mind in just 7 minutes! Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced fitness enthusiast, this quick and effective stretching and mobility workout will help you feel more flexible, focused, and ready to tackle the day.
Hip Opener for Low Back Pain This series is designed to help you create more movement around the hips which takes the strain off the low back . Plug this series into your day whenever you wish and enjoy the benefits of moving more freely afterwards.
7MM-The Hips Don’t Lie This 7 minute workout is another great strategy to introduce movement as well as an assessment of how your body is moving, focusing in on the hips.
7 Minute Metabolic Boost (body weight) This bodyweight workout is perfect to insert into your day when you may be feeling a little sluggish or less alert. Get your HR and respirations up to help increase energy and focus.
Human beings are built to move. When our body becomes stagnant for extended periods of time on a regular basis, a state of dis-ease can develop. Strategically adding in regular bouts of exercise throughout the day will leave you feeling strong, resilient and empowered.
Read more from our movement series
Read Part 1 – Embracing Holistic Fitness
Read Part 2 – Using Exercise To Bolster Health Instead Of Fitness
Read Part 3 – The Micro Movement Method
Read Part 4 – Nutrition And Strength For Aging Strong
Amy Slater
Amy Slater is a mother of two sets of twins (two boys and two girls) and currently practices as a women’s health coach. Amy has been in the health and fitness field for 22+ years with a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics, a fellowship in Applied Functional Science, and several advanced certifications. She is currently working toward her NP with an emphasis in Functional Medicine. Keep up with Amy on her Instagram and Facebook, and learn more on her website!
John Sinclair
John Sinclair has been coaching for over 20 years and his experience with athletes, as an athletic trainer and performance and health engineer, allows for unique and creative strategies and programming insights for IoM.
John lives with his wife Lisa and dogs Jersey and Poppy in sunny south Florida. Follow John on Instagram.
SOURCES:
Koh, Y.S., Asharani, P.V., Devi, F., Roystonn, K., Wang, P., Vaingankar, J.A., Abdin, E., Sum, C.F., Lee, E.S., Müller-Riemenschneider, F. and Chong, S.A., 2022. A cross-sectional study on the perceived barriers to physical activity and their associations with domain-specific physical activity and sedentary behaviour. BMC Public Health, 22(1), pp.1-11.
Mahalakshmi B, Maurya N, Lee SD, Bharath Kumar V. Possible Neuroprotective Mechanisms of Physical Exercise in Neurodegeneration. Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Aug 16;21(16):5895. doi: 10.3390/ijms21165895. PMID: 32824367; PMCID: PMC7460620.
Manaf H. Barriers to participation in physical activity and exercise among middle-aged and elderly individuals. Singapore Med J. 2013;54(10):581-6.
Sallis JF, Hovell MF. Determinants of exercise behavior. Exercise and sport sciences reviews. 1990 Jan 1;18(1):307-30.
Smith PJ, Merwin RM. The Role of Exercise in Management of Mental Health Disorders: An Integrative Review. Annu Rev Med. 2021 Jan 27;72:45-62. doi: 10.1146/annurev-med-060619-022943. Epub 2020 Nov 30. PMID: 33256493; PMCID: PMC8020774.
