What does listening to your body really mean?

“Listen to your body and do what works for you”. How many times have you heard that in one of my classes or training sessions? Probably too many to count! This is a huge part of the Discover You philosophy, but unfortunately something I feel gets overlooked by those on the outside looking in.

I was a varsity athlete and I love competition, strength training, and higher intensity workouts. But, I also love teaching cardio dance party (highly recommend for a fun way to kick off the weekend), and instructing barre and Pilates classes. My knowledge and experience in movement is across many disciplines. Sometimes I feel that because of that, when people hear me talk about people listening to their bodies, they assume that the workouts are easy. So today, I wanted to dive deeper into what this phrase actually means to me, and how it can be applied to anyone, regardless of their experience or fitness goals.

Fitness has long been thought of as a grind. That if you weren’t sweating or sore for days afterwards, you probably didn’t push yourself hard enough. So now, when so many loud voices in the industry are delivering more gentle messaging rooted in loving yourself rather than coming from a place of hate, it is automatically assumed that hard work, strength, and power aren’t found in these types of classes.

Every single person that chooses to move their body does so for their own set of reasons. Physical health, mental health, a sense of community and belonging, confidence…the list could go on forever. I am also a strong believer that we cannot give our best in a workout if we aren’t taking care of the other pieces of the pie like sleep and nutrition. Each piece affects the next and it has to be a team effort in order for you to have success in a safe and positive environment.

Before my small group strength training classes, Strength 101, I have everyone rate their energy level on a scale from 1-10. 1 is the lowest energy and 10 is the highest. They do that so they are aware of what they can give to the workout on that day. The class is designed to help people get strong and lift heavy things, but I also want my clients to remember that sometimes we can’t show up and give it our 100%. Life happens and some days we are there simply to show up and move our bodies, and not hit a personal best.

Listening to your body could mean so many different things including:

Taking a rest day. If you’re exhausted and overwhelmed, sometimes rest is what you need. I understand the motivation behind the “never regretting a workout” movement, but sometimes what we need is to take a step back. We don’t always have to push through.

Pushing the pace! On days when you’re feeling energized, well fuelled, and well rested, up the intensity. Hold your plank longer, squat deeper, or pick up a heavier weight. Those are the days when it is fun to see just how much your body can do.

Implementing a modification. If you’ve got an injury or pain, take a modification to suit your needs on that day. 

Making the movement work for you. Not all bodies are built the same. If you watched 3 people squat, they would all probably look slightly differently. Instead of trying to force a movement that isn’t working or feeling good, make an adjustment. It could be how you hold the weights, or a slight shift of your body into a more comfortable angle.

Stepping out of your comfort zone. If you feel like your body is hitting a plateau, you may decide that it is time to make a change. Whether that is consulting a trainer for 1-on-1 support, trying a new workout program, or taking a new class, you may want to give something new a try, just beyond your comfort level.

I pride myself on intentional movement. I never teach from a place of moving for the sake of it. I want you to be in tune with your body, understand how you’re supposed to execute any given movement, and feel your body work in the right places. When you can listen to your own body, you usually start to understand what your body wants and needs on any given day. This in turn should help guide you to feel better and get stronger in whatever way it is you’re hoping to do so.

Yours in self-discovery,

Rachel