Balance!

My flexibility is truly shocking in relation to my physical strength. True strength is being strong at the point of full mobility and extension- i.e. In full range of motion. And likewise great flexibility is nothing without strength to control it.

This is something i didn't truly understand the extent of over the years. As a young person involved in every sport imaginable, often to a high degree I pushed my body to its limits but without the knowledge, education and consequently understanding I now have. This led to repetitive strain on my joints, namely my shoulder and knees.

The body is very clever and will always adapt to whatever it endures. However, not necessarily in ways we want it to. It adapts to survive. Your body has its own intelligence so to speak. Physical intelligence reacts to the immediate demand placed upon it. It has no idea that you are engaged in leisure activity in a manmade gym and that you have chosen to move in such a way. Your body assesses everything according to current risk and the likelihood of repetition of the same activity according to muscle memory. It is this muscle adaption that facilitates hypertrophy (muscle growth) but likewise it is this same process which causes tightening of muscles. Exercise as such (in any form) is a stressor.

So what is the answer?...

Everything in moderation?... Some people fear training hard or carrying heavy weights for this very reason and avoid doing so. But we will never get super strong or push the boundaries of our bodies and human capabilities this way. No, the answer is not moderation but ...BALANCE!

A balanced body is a healthy body. But a balanced body can also mean one that is highly strong and highly flexible at the same time, in equal measures. To me, this is an ultimate warrior and something I now strive for.

Patience will be key in this process I now face. I have 20 years of muscle memory to undo so to speak. But the bigger task will be that of the mind. Leaving the ego at the door and retraining the mind. The human body is remarkably clever. Be patient with it and repeat the same activity for long enough and it will soon adapt to its new command. But the hard part is keeping up the new practice. Taking it back to basics, being humble and embracing the change.

In some ways I am very strong but not at all in the correct alignment or path of motion. It is this that has led me to the work I do today.

Led me in to training with a focus on overall health and strength with an obsession with alignment and posture. Placing a great emphasis on control and technique and an awareness of range of motion and flexibility.

Sure it's great to be super strong and likewise super flexible, but if they do not occur in combination with each other then the risk of injury is high.

My body tells the story of my past experience. It may not be as functional as I would like but I hope the journey I now undertake to realign my body and return it to full health can perhaps be a comfort to those experiencing the same.

It is my life experience that brings me the knowledge I have now. And it is this knowledge that I now wish to share with others. This is the reason why I do the work I do.

We are simply humans, not machines. We are imperfect and things don't always go to plan. But We can learn a great deal from mistakes and I hope that how I react to mine can be an inspiration to others.