How Mary Got Her Groove Back
The Anchor Point: Finding a Movement Practice That Sticks
Part 1 of a 3-Part Series
I have a client whose name isn’t actually Mary, but I’m going to call her Mary. She’s extremely intelligent and has a big, important job.
Mary has been trying for years to find ways to get more movement into her life. She’s been seeing me once a week for about six years and, during that time, has gained strength and flexibility. But what about the rest of the hours in the week?
She’s tried a variety of things.
Some worked for a little while—until they didn’t.
Some worked until an ache or pain showed up.
And some didn’t work at all.
Recently, we were chatting about ways Mary could find more consistency in her movement practice. She had just been diagnosed with type II diabetes and was actively looking for sustainable lifestyle changes.
I suggested a program I regularly use during my lunch breaks. It features flexibility sequences set to music with beautiful natural settings as the backdrop. Each session is only 22 minutes, and you’re moving the entire time, which means that when you finish, you feel energized.
The next time I saw Mary, she was excited. My suggestion was perfect for her. She didn’t dread doing it—even though some parts were hard. She felt like she could actually do most of it, her joints felt stronger, and she was more comfortable sitting.
Mary is drawn to movement that flows. She likes music, and I knew the natural settings would make the whole experience feel more enjoyable and less like a chore.
She’s been doing the program for about three weeks now. She’s stronger, has better endurance, and is moving more easily—which means she’s getting more out of our weekly sessions. The best part? She doesn’t mind it. It’s not something she has to “get through.”
Mary is doing other things as well, but here’s the point:
When you have a regular movement practice that anchors you, everything else you add in feels easier and more enjoyable.
A regular movement practice can take many forms. It might be a daily walk or run, floor work, or mobility exercises.* I’ve spent over 30,000 hours working one-on-one with people over the last 23 years, and I can genuinely say: it doesn’t matter what the anchor point is.
Movement creates more movement.
What matters is:
a) You don’t hate it, and
b) You do it (almost) daily.
It becomes a part of your life—without becoming your whole life.
Yours in health and wellness,
Jenn Pilotti
www.jennpilotti.com
*I actually wonder if one of the reasons former elite athletes have high incidences of anxiety and depression is partially because their anchor point of a daily physical practice is no longer a part of their lives.
P.S. — If you’re in the Portland area, I’m filming two workshops for Fusion Pilates EDU and am looking for two volunteers to be models. You show up, I teach a workshop using you as the model, and you (maybe) learn something along the way. If you—or someone you know—might be interested, hit reply. It’s happening May 4.
P.P.S—I read this great paper in the Journal of Science and Sports Medicine about exercise and Parkinson’s Disease. The most effective type of movement for alleviating motor symptoms? Dance. Multi-sensory integration for the win.
What is the programme you use that has 22 min flows? Sounds lovely!