Getting In Touch With Your Adult Body
As some of you may know, I quite like some indoor rock climbing when I get the chance. One of the infuriating things for me is when I am working on a particular problem, I will try and try again and still struggle. And then a kid will saunter over, do the problem I was working on like it was nothing and walk off nonchalantly. Cheeky devil!
But it does get me thinking about how young people have such a knowledge of their own limitations and abilities, far exceeding most adults. So let’s talk about how we can get back in touch with our adult bodies.
The innate body knowledge of children
If you want to see the perfect squat, watch a toddler pick up a toy from the floor. Look at that straight back, the ankle mobility, the position of the knees! Us adults can only look at that with envy. The thing is, toddlers have a huge advantage - they are basically made from elastic and magic, and their muscle to mass ratio is incredible!
Children have such incredible knowledge about the capabilities and limitations of their bodies. We know this because, well just watch them go! Not content to lie down in the sun, they are doing cartwheels and hand stands in the park, getting grass stains everywhere, climbing trees and scraping knees. We built soft play parks for them, and they constantly challenge themselves to climb every obstacle, or jump over the gap, or crawl through the space. They are in a constant state of pushing the limits of their physical capability, and what else do you notice? It’s fun!
The shift in adulthood
At some point as we grow up, something changes. We stop moving as much and start sitting down more. After all, there are exams to take, and jobs to do. It becomes more important to develop our minds than our bodies, and rightly so. If we keep some passion and interest, we might engage with sports but for many of us exercising becomes more like a chore than a joy. And even if we do engage with sports, we don’t exactly do cartwheels in the park once we hit adulthood.
Injury is another reason we lose contact with our bodies. Initially an injury can stop us from moving in the way we normally would whilst our bodies heal. This is often times vital for healing, however once the healing is done, we can often develop some fear over the movements that brought on the initial injury. It is then tempting to avoid such movements, which leads to a lack of confidence in our ability to move at all.
If you feel like you have lost touch with how your body moves for one reason or another then know that you are not alone! Read on to learn how to reconnect.
Reconnecting with our adult bodies
Embrace playful movement: Reintroduce playful movement into your routine. Some wonderful ways of doing this are:
Dance! Even if it is just in your living room.
Indoor or outdoor rock climbing – this is basically soft play for adults.
Martial arts – from Krav Maga to Taichi, there is something for everyone.
Using the equipment or obstacles in parks (if appropriate!)
Incorporate natural movements into your day
Practice your squat form, even if it is just one squat per day.
Become aware about how you pick things up from the floor, or lift things, and improve on them when you can.
Take microbreaks from sitting for too long, stretch and move in these breaks. Even 60 seconds would make a difference.
Bedroom activities. The benefits of adulthood! ‘Nuff said.
Seek professional conservative care: I appreciate that not everyone can move their bodies in these ways. I am not advocating that an octogenarian should do cartwheels down the hill. But there are safe and enjoyable movements for everyone. Speak to your chiropractor about your specific needs to help find out what they are, and to improve on your mobility.
By taking steps to reconnect with your body you can enjoy numerous benefits, including improved physical health, increased flexibility, strength, mobility, enhanced mental well-being, and a better overall quality of life. It can even improve your creativity and sharpen your sense of humour!
A final note
If you are in doubt that you can engage with play as an adult, I would like to point out that Edinburgh has a quidditch team. That’s right, the sport that featured in Harry Potter? They now call it Quadball. The Edinburgh team is the Holyrood Hippogriffs, and they compete internationally. Matches involve players throwing balls at each other and into hoops, as well as chasing the golden snitch, all whilst holding a broomstick between their legs. I think this is absolutely mad and wonderful! Go be like the Holyrood Hippogriffs, get out there, move your body and have fun!
