A couple of months back I started going back to the gym. I was surprised at how quickly my fitness improved and my strength increased.

Even though my strength had increased and I was having success with what I was doing, I have changed my routine.

Now, rather than focusing on how much weight I could move in short heavy sets; I have embraced slow and low. Slow movements, low weight, increased repetitions and increased range of motion.

This change of routine was greatly inspired by YouTube videos from Ryan Humiston. In Ryan’s videos he often talks about posture and connection to the muscle being exercised.

Focusing on connecting to the muscle being exercised is possibly one of the most important things I have learnt regarding exercise. While it seems rather obvious it wasn’t until I started doing this, I became aware of how little connection I previously had when exercising.

This raises the question, how connected are we to our bodies?

During a recent workout, I was having a short rest between sets. I scanned the gym and everyone seemed to be a having a break too. They all seemed very focused on connection but the wrong type. They were all hunched over looking at their phones.

Our reliance on technology not only prevents connection to our surroundings but also connection to our bodies.

Could hunched positions and poor neck alignment impede our connection to our body?

If we can’t feel that connection to our bodies, how do we rely on our gut feelings? That instinctual feeling when something isn’t right!

How do we know what our heart truly desires, if we can’t hear its beautiful beat?

Not being able to tune into our body and receive the valuable information it holds leaves us stuck solely in our heads.

It’s time to connect to our physical body. Practises such as meditation, mindfulness, yoga and other exercises can help.

An even simpler practise could be deep breathing. As you inhale, take your breath and awareness to different parts of your body. You may be amazed at the innate wisdom your body holds.

You may also connect to far more!

Mark- The Alchemist’s Journey