Build a Strong Foundation to Optimize Yourself in the Modern World

Human movement fascinates me. The seemingly infinite ways our species expresses itself through movement is incredible. What is also incredible is that we appear to have a genetic knowledge of the benefits of movement, a drive to move our bodies, and yet, we've designed much of our modern world to eliminate it from daily life.

The consequences of this are becoming impossible to ignore.

Diabetes, heart disease, depression, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases are just a few of the side effects of sedentary lifestyles.

The link between movement and mental health is being studied all over the world, and the results are clear, we NEED movement in order to function properly. There is no way around that.

It can be difficult to start.

Many of us are inundated with information about health and fitness each day, so much so that it's become its own form of passive entertainment.

Social media can be overwhelming. Most of fitness experts have great intentions - they really do want to help people.

Once you're locked in, that demo of a proper squat by another shredded 20-something becomes just another 12-second blip on the ride down the doom-scroll.

People want to get healthy. They seek out information and either never take the first step or burn out before the magic starts to happen.

So, how can we simplify all of this so it makes sense for the average person?

The 40-something that just wants to FEEL better each day and get rid of the belly and low back pain. Not striving for a 6-pack and a 500lb deadlift.

Somebody that wants to run around with their grandkids, to travel the world in their 60s, or just live pain-free after retirement?

That's what I'll try to break down over the next few weeks. I'll attempt to provide a basic framework for movement health along with insights into the mental component of getting healthy. The path isn't easy, and it's mostly because of how we think about it.

To begin, we'll establish a basic system of categorization. A system that captures all things human movement so we're starting from the same page.

As we go through this, terminology may differ from other schools of thought. I'll try to be comprehensive without being overwhelming. Largely speaking, the lists below are exhaustive, at least when it comes to establishing a solid foundation of movement health and longevity.

Movement patterns - we can list pretty much everything we DO in a handful of categories.

• Push

• Pull

• Squat

• Hinge

• Lunge

• Carry

• Walk

• Run

• Jump

• Throw

Within these movement patterns, we have a few dimensions or characteristics of movement.

• Strength

• Power

• Endurance

• Stability

• Mobility

• Coordination

At the heart of these movement patterns and movement characteristics lie the energy sources.

• Aerobic Efficiency

• Anaerobic Performance

Building a routine that incorporates all of these aspects can feel somewhat daunting. There is an incredibly wide variety of approaches that are comprehensive and well-rounded - there isn't a single path, which is great.

This is the base of our movement health pyramid. Establishing this foundation will serve you well in daily life, well into old age

You could also continue to build - adding in more advanced elements like Iron man or elite strength training competitions.

Over the next couple of weeks, we'll dig more into the details of each category and provide examples of how any person can implement routines into their days and weeks to touch on all of them.

My hope is to provide guidance on the principles of a foundational movement health routine that can be adapted to just about anyone and will last you the rest of your life.

Peace,

Geoff