The 5 benefits of slower movement
BLOG BY AIMEE SICS
Here's why you should consider slowing it down
As the New Year begins, so does the influx of messaging about setting goals and resolutions, often of which include creating a fitter, stronger, leaner, healthier self. You may be reading these and already be stressing out about trying to fit in laborious, taxing workouts in order to reach these goals.
However, getting into shape doesn't have to be about hours of cardio, Crossfit routines and endless running. No doubt high intensity exercises have their place, but you can certainly gain strength and tone muscle with slower style workouts - such as yoga, tai chi and Pilates.
Just like when you're eating - it’s better to take 30 minutes to eat a meal than 10 minutes and give that digestive system an opportunity to do its job effectively. And needless to say, with the pace of life often going at full speed, these slower style forms of exercise allow us to slow down our breathing and explore the relationship between body, mind, and movement.
So if cardio ain’t your thing, read on. Here are some top reasons why engaging in slower styles of movements is beneficial for everyone:
1. Decrease the risk of injury
These slower styles of exercises involve plenty of stretching and mobility. Stretching your muscles regularly makes them less likely to shorten — and when this starts to happen, it leads to an increased risk for muscle cramps, muscle damage, strains, and joint pains. Even bending down to put your shoes on becomes an arduous task. Ugh.
Slower style exercises allow the body to stretch slowly through a range of muscles, helping them to be longer and more flexible. They’re also good for when you’re recovering from an injury as they can be quite restorative and a less intense way to get back into activity.
2. Variety is the spice of life
Our fitness levels increase and our bodies respond better when we vary our workout regimes. Keeping your body physically challenged avoids plateauing with performance or weight loss as it doesn’t take long for your body to adapt to the repetitive nature of the movements. Moreover, sometimes hitting the gym hard five days a week is too challenging to maintain, physically and mentally, and so low-impact workouts like Pilates or yoga are a great way to break up the routine and still move your body regularly!
3. Effective for weight loss
Yep, good news for those who are keen to lose the kg’s! One study even found that longer duration exercise at a moderate intensity is more effective for weight loss than vigorous exercise in shorter time frames. This study was performed on 201 overweight women in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine showed that those who participated in more leisurely workouts lost more weight than those who pounded the pavement or hit up a boxing class. Even more excuse to take the pup for a leisurely stroll around the park.
4. Improves your form for other workouts
If you’re not a workout expert, and don't have a personal trainer, then chances are you could be performing your exercises incorrectly. Well it’s time to start from scratch and go back to the basics: going through exercise movements slowly, such as in Yoga and Pilates, allows you to become more aware of your form, render the move correctly and thus activate the right muscles. The slower you move, the more able you are to focus on the muscles working and reap the benefits.
3. Effective for weight loss
Yep, good news for those who are keen to lose the kg’s! One study even found that longer duration exercise at a moderate intensity is more effective for weight loss than vigorous exercise in shorter time frames. This study was performed on 201 overweight women in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine showed that those who participated in more leisurely workouts lost more weight than those who pounded the pavement or hit up a boxing class. Even more excuse to take the pup for a leisurely stroll around the park.
4. Improves your form for other workouts
If you’re not a workout expert, and don't have a personal trainer, then chances are you could be performing your exercises incorrectly. Well it’s time to start from scratch and go back to the basics: going through exercise movements slowly, such as in Yoga and Pilates, allows you to become more aware of your form, render the move correctly and thus activate the right muscles. The slower you move, the more able you are to focus on the muscles working and reap the benefits.
5. Balances the nervous system
Everything is governed by the nervous system and so we need to work closely with it in order to be stronger, fitter, healthier and happier. Exercise stimulates the nervous system and by moving slowly throughout your workouts, you can tap into the brain-body conversation and pay attention to the cues your body is giving you.
Yoga, Pilates Tai Chi involve movements that are not rushed or hurried, and so they are great for relaxation and bringing a sense of calm to our stressful and anxious lives. The onset of cortisol and adrenaline in our bodies once stress kicks in creates an imbalance of the nervous system, and so by being mindful of each pose, you can help offset these unfavourable reactions and restore balance to the mind and body.
So we can see that by breaking up our workout regimes with some slower style exercises really increases an overall body sense awareness. By pacing our workouts, we can hit that sweet spot and really engage your body to have a valuable, rewarding experience. We are all for intensity - but in various seasons of life your body and mind will thank you for slowing down!
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