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“Listen to your body.” We hear this advice often, but it can be hard to know what to listen for—especially when movement feels uncomfortable. What are you feeling? And what do you make of it? In Tuesday’s Move Smart, Feel Better webinar, Should I Keep Going? How to Know What to Do When Movement Hurts, we worked through a four-part framework:  The first part, Notice, deserves a closer look. A recent study explored how four aspects of body awareness relate to physical activity. The researchers used parts of the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA-2) that ask about listening to body signals, worrying about discomfort, using attention to the body to steady oneself, and trusting body sensations. The questionnaire includes statements such as “I start to worry that something is wrong if I feel any discomfort” and “I trust my body sensations.” You can notice a sensation and notice your response to it. The study found different patterns among college students and community adults. It cannot tell us whether body awareness causes people to be more active, but the questionnaire offers a useful starting point for your own reflection. Something to try this week: During a walk, an exercise or another familiar movement, take one brief moment to notice:
You don’t need to monitor every sensation or answer every question. Choose one that feels useful and see what you learn about your own Notice step. If you’d like to see how Explore, Adjust and Reassess build on noticing, the webinar replay includes a guided movement experiment you can try for yourself. It’s available inside The MedFit Movement Studio. Join the free MoveNOW membership to watch the replay! Stay well and happy moving, Lisa
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This week, I heard something on the radio that caught my attention. Céline Dion was back on stage.  After six years away from full concerts, she returned to Paris this month for a residency—something that, not that long ago, she didn't know would be possible. In 2022, Céline publicly shared that she had been diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological condition that can cause muscle stiffness and painful spasms. Her symptoms had affected both her ability to move and the voice that had been such a significant part of her life and career. So I became curious: What had the last several years looked like for her? What I found was a story not simply about getting better, but about learning to live with a body that had changed. In a 2024 interview with Vogue France, Céline was very clear that her condition hadn't gone away. She said she was learning to live with it. And movement was part of that process. At the time, she was participating in athletic, physical and vocal therapy five days a week, working with a medical team and addressing everything from her toes, knees and calves to her fingers and her voice. She described it as taking things one day at a time. Two years later, she's back on stage. Change is possible. But I don't think the lesson here is that if we simply work hard enough, we can get our old lives back. Bodies change. Health changes. Circumstances change. And sometimes moving forward includes learning to live with something we wish were different. I see versions of this in my work all the time. People may want to get back to walking, working out, gardening, travelling, playing with their grandchildren, participating in a favourite activity or simply feeling more confident moving through their day. There can be progress and setbacks. Good days and harder days. Sometimes goals change along the way. The destination doesn't need to be a stage in Paris for it to matter deeply. What are you hoping to move toward? And perhaps just as importantly: Can you start from the body you have today rather than waiting for the body you wish you had? Being present to where you are right now doesn't mean giving up on change. In fact, it may be where change begins. Movement, when it's appropriate for you and supported with the right guidance when needed, can be one part of that process. It can help us explore what our bodies are capable of today, make adjustments, gather information and gradually build confidence. Not necessarily to get back to exactly where we were. But to keep moving toward the things that make our lives meaningful. Céline Dion's return to the stage is an extraordinary example. Your version doesn't have to be extraordinary to anyone else. It only has to matter to you. And if pain is one of the things making it difficult to know how to move forward, that's exactly what we'll be exploring together this Tuesday. On September 22 at 10:00 AM MT, I'm hosting my next free* Move Smart, Feel Better webinar: Should I Keep Going? How to Know What to Do When Movement Hurts We'll explore how to notice what your body is telling you, experiment with movement rather than automatically pushing through or stopping, make adjustments, and reassess what happens next. If this feels like a conversation you need right now, I'd love to have you join me.
Stay well and happy moving, Lisa *The webinar is included with your free MoveNOW membership in The MedFit Movement Studio. This is an invitation to spend some time with your body. That might sound kind of weird. But think about how much of your day you spend in your head. You’re being strategic at work. Solving problems at home. Thinking about what needs to happen next. Taking care of the things—and often the people—that need your attention. How often do you take the time to notice what your body needs? Maybe there’s some pain or irritation that has been getting your attention. Maybe you’ve been feeling stiff or tight. Or maybe nothing hurts at all—you just want to move your body in a way that feels good. That’s part of what coming to the yoga mat can offer. It’s not about beating yourself up, pushing as hard as humanly possible, sweating profusely, overstretching or moving into pain. It’s an opportunity to be with yourself and notice:
You don’t have to arrive flexible. You don’t have to be able to do every pose. And you certainly don’t have to make your yoga posture look perfect. Instead, you get to notice the little nuances your physical body is sharing with you. You can move. You can breathe. You can be still. And you can allow yourself to feel good. For one hour a week, you can set aside some of the thinking, planning and problem-solving and give your attention back to yourself. That’s my invitation to you. Everyday Yoga starts this Thursday, September 17. You can join me in person at Grandview Heights Community Hall or live online from home, with class replays available when you can’t make it live. If this sounds like an hour you need in your week, I’d love for you to join me. Whether you join me or not, perhaps there’s a question worth carrying with you this week: When was the last time you spent some time paying attention to your body? Be well and happy moving, Lisa September is here. For many of us, that means returning to routines that may have looked a little different over the summer. That was the theme of our Community Conversation in the MedFit Movement Studio on Friday: RETURN. One of the things we explored was what might support us as we return to movement. And as we talked, that idea of support became much broader than I had anticipated. One person shared that when she really doesn't want to do some of her exercises, having a reward waiting for her can help. It might be a good coffee or another chapter of her book. Another person had a completely different response. She didn't need a reward to return to her Dance Fit class because the class itself was rewarding. She enjoyed it. Neither approach was better. They were simply two different people who had figured out something about what helps them move. And I think that's worth paying attention to. We spend a lot of time talking about what physical activity or exercise we should be doing. Go for a walk. Do some strength training. Stretch. Take a class. But knowing what to do doesn't necessarily mean we'll do it. Sometimes the support we need has very little to do with the movement itself. Maybe it's putting the time in your calendar. Having your shoes and clothes ready to go. Signing up for a class. Making plans with someone else. Or giving yourself something to look forward to afterwards. None of those things are exercise. But they may make physical activity and exercise easier to do.  And what helps one person may not help another. It's one of the reasons I struggle with advice like, "Just go for a walk." The walk might not actually be the problem. There can be so many other pieces involved in getting from I want to move to I'm actually doing it. So, as September gets underway, perhaps there's another question we can add to all the talk about getting back into routines: What would make it easier for you to move in September? Not what should work. Not what works for someone else. What supports you, in your life, as it looks right now? You might be surprised by the answer. Curious about these conversations? Our next Community Conversation is Friday, October 2 in the MedFit Movement Studio. Studio members have complimentary access to these monthly conversations where we explore our relationship with movement, learn from one another, and consider what might work in our own lives. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If having a class on your calendar and a community to move with is one of the things that supports you, Everyday Yoga returns September 17 at Grandview Heights Community Hall and live online. Learn more about Everyday Yoga. Sometimes finding what works means discovering what doesn't. I saw both sides of that in my clinical work this week. A few clients returned after some time away feeling really good in their bodies. There was less pain—or no pain at all. Movement felt freer and lighter. One person even commented that she felt like she could go for a run. What struck me wasn't simply the absence of pain. It was the sense of possibility that came with it. The usual activities of daily life weren't using everything they had in the tank. There was energy left for something else. Movement wasn't something that needed to fix a problem. Their bodies felt ready and open to doing more. And then there was a very different experience. Another client had been trying some movements I'd prescribed the week before. There was a clinical rationale behind why we'd chosen them. Based on what we knew at the time, they were reasonable things to try. But their body had a different response. The movements repeatedly amplified their pain. After trying them several times over a few days, the client stopped. I celebrated that. Not because I was happy the movements hadn't worked. I celebrated because the client didn't feel obligated to continue just because I had prescribed them. They didn't wait for me to give them permission to stop. They gathered information from their own experience and decided: This isn't working for me. I think that's some of the most important work we can do with movement. I can bring years of clinical experience, knowledge of anatomy and exercise science, and a rationale for why we might try something. But I cannot be the expert in someone else's body.  That's why my work is collaborative. We're constantly gathering information about what works, what doesn't work and what we haven't tried yet. Sometimes the response is, Yes, this feels good. I think I can do more. Sometimes it's, No. This isn't right. And sometimes it's, I'm not sure yet. Let's keep exploring. With this particular client, we pressed pause on two movements. We're still gathering information about another. And then we explored something completely different. Interestingly, the same area of the body responded again. At first, the response was subtle. But as we continued, it became clearer that this area had something to tell us. So rather than continuing to push—or, as I sometimes say, poke the bear—we became curious. What else might be contributing? What could we learn from this response? Could we approach it differently? That's the art and science of movement. We use what we know. We make thoughtful choices. We try something. And then we pay attention to what actually happens. The answer isn't always to push harder. Sometimes we pause. Sometimes we change direction. And sometimes allowing yourself to stop is progress. This has been on my mind as I've been working on a new resource called Could Yoga Work for Me? Because I don't think the answer to that question should automatically be yes. Yoga offers a different way of exploring movement. We move the body through different ranges of motion while incorporating the breath. There can be opportunities to slow down, notice and explore—and there are always ways to change what you're doing. It's not simply stretching. And it doesn't have to be about pushing your body into a particular shape. But could it work for you? That's something you get to decide. I've created a free guide with 12 questions to consider if you're curious about yoga but aren't quite sure whether it's the right fit. The goal isn't to convince you to do yoga. It's to help you gather some information, ask some questions and make that decision for yourself. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa This past weekend, I spent a lot of time at the pool. My son was competing at the Alberta Summer Swimming Association Provincial Championships, and it was an exciting weekend for our family. He became Provincial Champion in the 200-metre, 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle events in the 13–14-year-old age category. Yes, I am a very proud mom.  But as I sat in the stands watching race after race, I found myself thinking about something else, too. Swimming is interesting because, in many ways, it is an individual sport. Each swimmer steps onto the blocks on their own. They have their own race to swim. Their own time on the clock. Their own goals for that race or that season. And their own experience of success or disappointment. Over the course of the weekend, I watched all of it. There were medals and personal bests. There were races that went exactly as hoped. And there were races that didn't. But surrounding all of those individual experiences was a team. Teammates cheering from the side of the pool. Parents sporting team shirts and hats in the stands. Coaches offering encouragement. Swimmers celebrating one another's successes and being there when things didn't go quite as planned. Everyone was working toward something that mattered to them individually, but they weren't doing it alone. And somewhere during the weekend, I realized how much that reminded me of the community we create when we move together. In Everyday Yoga, we all come to the mat together. But we aren't necessarily there for the same reason. One person may want to improve their balance. Someone else may be hoping to move with a little less stiffness. Another person may be rebuilding confidence after pain or an injury. Someone may simply need an hour at the end of the day to slow down, breathe and reconnect with their body. And those goals can change from one week to the next. There isn't a finish line. There aren't medals. And there certainly isn't a stopwatch. But there is something powerful about being surrounded by other people who are also choosing to show up for themselves. Maybe that's one of the things I've come to appreciate most about moving in community. We don't need to have the same goal to support one another in working toward our own. And success doesn't have to look the same for everyone, either. Sometimes success is doing something you couldn't do before. Sometimes it's noticing that you need to do less. Sometimes it's choosing a different option than the person beside you. And sometimes success is simply getting yourself there. That's what I want Everyday Yoga to be. A place where we come together—in person at Grandview Heights Community Hall or virtually from home—and each have permission to work with the body we brought to the mat that day. Together, but not all doing exactly the same thing. Part of a community, while still having our own individual experience. If that sounds like the kind of movement community you've been looking for, I'd love to have you join us this fall. Everyday Yoga returns September 17. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Every Thursday evening, there's a moment I look forward to. It isn't a yoga pose. It isn't the end of class. It happens during the first five minutes. People arrive carrying their day with them. Some have come straight from work. Others have rushed through supper, errands, or family responsibilities to make it there. Their minds are often still on the conversation they just had, the email they forgot to send, or the list waiting for them when they get home. As people arrive, there's conversation. Shoes come off. Mats are unrolled. Someone almost always smiles and says, "I'm so glad I made it." Then I invite everyone to begin. The room becomes quiet. Most people choose to lie down on their mats. Not because they have to. Some prefer to sit. Others begin in a chair. There isn't one right way to arrive. I intentionally don't rush these first few minutes. There's often a little fidgeting. A shoulder adjusts. Someone stretches a leg. A deeper breath appears. It's completely normal. Our bodies and nervous systems have been "on" all day. They need a moment to catch up. And then it happens. The movement settles.  Brows soften. The room grows still. It's almost as if everyone has quietly set down what they've been carrying. Over the years, I've come to realize that this isn't separate from yoga. It is yoga. Because before we move our bodies, we first have to arrive in them. We have to notice our breath. Notice how we're feeling today. Notice the places we're holding tension. Notice that we've been living in our thoughts all day and gently reconnect with the body that's been carrying us through it all. Only then do we begin to move. I sometimes think this is the part of yoga that isn't talked about very often. People imagine yoga is about flexibility or balance or learning poses. Those things can certainly be part of the practice. But long before any of that, yoga offers something much simpler. A chance to pause. To reconnect. To become present to this moment instead of replaying the last one or worrying about the next. I think we all need places where we can stop being everything to everyone else for a little while. Maybe that's why, after all these years, those first five minutes are still my favourite part of class. If you've been wondering what it would be like to come to Everyday Yoga for the first time, I hope this gives you a glimpse. The hardest part probably isn't the class itself. It's deciding to come. After that, we'll simply begin where you are. Together. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Have you ever learned a new word or idea, and then suddenly started seeing it everywhere? That happened to me this week. I was listening to The Curiosity Shop podcast when Adam Grant introduced a phrase I'd never heard before: a just manageable difficulty. I couldn't stop thinking about it. He described it as a challenge that's right at the edge of our capability—enough to stretch us, but not so much that it overwhelms or overloads us. As soon as I heard it, I started seeing examples everywhere. Earlier in the week, one of my clients shared that she had decided to stop wearing her Apple Watch. Following an injury, she had already adjusted her movement goals, but she realized the watch was still setting the volume too high. Instead of feeling encouraged, she felt like she was constantly being asked to do more than her body was ready for. Then, just a couple of days later, my partner, Cam synced his Fitbit with Google's Health app. Based on very little information beyond his age, it congratulated him for meeting his weekly exercise goal... after just one day! This time, the challenge wasn't too much. It was too little. Two completely different experiences. The same lesson. Neither device truly knew the person wearing it. Neither knew where that person was in their recovery, how they were feeling that day, or what their body was telling them. As I reflected on those conversations, I couldn't help but think of Goldilocks. Not too much. Not too little. Just right.  Then my thoughts wandered to yoga. It also made me reflect on my own movement practice. Some days my body is ready to explore a little more. Other days it asks me to slow down, soften, or simply breathe. Twenty-five years of working in exercise science has taught me that the "right" amount of challenge isn't something we discover once and then follow forever. It's something we continue to recalibrate as our bodies, our lives, and our circumstances change. One of the yoga principles I return to often is sthira and sukha—steadiness and ease. I see it as an invitation to find the balance between support and challenge. To explore something new while still feeling steady. To be curious without forcing. The "just right" amount of challenge changes from person to person. It changes after an injury. It changes with stress, sleep, confidence, and experience. It can even change from one day to the next. That's one of the reasons I chose the name Everyday Yoga for my weekly yoga classes. Not because I expect people to practise yoga every day. But because I wanted to create a class where every body is welcome, every day they walk through the door. Every pose has options. Every movement can be adapted. You decide what feels like the right amount of challenge for your body that day. Some days your body asks for a little more. Some days it asks for a little less. Neither is better. Both are part of learning to listen. Perhaps that's what a just manageable difficulty really looks like—not letting a watch, an app, or even someone else's expectations decide what is right for your body. Instead, learning to recognize your own version of "just right." Registration is now open for the Fall 2026 session of Everyday Yoga. If you've been looking for a yoga/movement class that meets you where you are today—not where you think you should be—I would love to welcome you. Together, we'll explore postures with curiosity, discover what your own "just right" feels like, and learn that steadiness and ease can exist together. I’d love for you to join us! Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If you've ever thought, "I'm too stiff," "I'm too out of shape," "I've never done yoga before," or even "I'm not a yoga person," you might be exactly who I had in mind when I named this class Everyday Yoga. Every body is welcome, and every movement has options.   Last week, I asked you to consider a question: How much is enough today? A member of our email community replied to say that she agreed wholeheartedly with the message—and that it was a unique way of thinking about physical activity and exercise. I think it feels different because most of us have been taught to measure movement by the maximum. How far did you walk? How much weight did you lift? How many minutes did you exercise? Did you complete the entire workout? We don’t often talk about the minimum—the amount of movement that helps us feel better, supports our health or allows us to stay connected to something that matters. Recently, on a whim, I took one of my sons to explore a park that had been closed for several years. It didn’t matter how far or how quickly we walked. We enjoyed being outside, exploring the park and spending time together.  Another day, a quick game of catch with my boys turned into a football game—and the realization that I still need to teach them the rules of Canadian football! Neither was a structured workout. I wasn’t tracking my distance, counting repetitions or trying to reach a particular intensity. But I moved. My body felt good. And, perhaps most importantly, the movement added something meaningful to my life. That was enough. I see the struggle to accept “enough” with my clients all the time. Someone will tell me rather sheepishly that they didn’t complete their entire exercise routine or that they had to do less than they planned. They see what they didn’t do. I see the movement they were able to do—and the information they gathered along the way. Doing less does not automatically mean that the movement wasn’t beneficial. For someone living with persistent pain, a smaller amount of movement that doesn’t lead to a significant increase in symptoms can be meaningful progress. Changing the plan doesn’t mean you did something wrong. It means you are learning what might be right for you now. Of course, listening to your body isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes your body is genuinely asking you to turn the intensity down, choose something different or rest. At other times, fear may be telling you a story about what could happen if you try. That distinction can be difficult to make—especially if previous attempts at being active have left you sore, exhausted or discouraged. When you aren’t sure, you might begin by asking: What is the evidence, and what is the story? Evidence is something you know to be true. What has actually happened before? What patterns have you noticed? What has helped? What has made things worse? The story is what your mind may be predicting: This will hurt. I won’t be able to do it. If I can’t complete the whole thing, there’s no point in starting. Sometimes, the only way to gather new evidence is to try something for as little as two minutes and notice what happens. Your body may also communicate through much quieter signals: a headache, tension across your shoulders, tightness in your abdomen or a dull ache in your ankle. These sensations aren’t necessarily instructions to stop. They are information. Learning to recognize that information takes time. It may also require a few moments of stillness before you can notice what you are feeling. The goal isn’t to analyze every tiny sensation. It is to become curious about the patterns that emerge—and to use that information to make a thoughtful decision about what you need today. This is one reason I created my AI Questions Guide, Better Movement Starts With Better Questions. The questions are designed to help you look beneath the surface of your physical activity behaviour and explore some of the beliefs, fears and past experiences that may be influencing it. AI cannot tell you what your body needs. But it can help you slow down, ask a different question and uncover something you may not have recognized on your own. Because becoming more physically active isn’t always as simple as “just take a walk.” It is about learning what helps you move safely and confidently. It is about finding enough meaningful movement to support your health, your independence and the life you want to live. What is your body telling you—and what story might be making that message harder to hear? Comment below and let me know. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If you would like some help exploring what may be happening beneath the surface, you can download my complimentary AI Questions Guide here.  A few months ago, I wrote about how better movement starts with better questions. Lately, one question has come up again and again in conversations with clients. "How much should I do?" It's a great question. As a Clinical Exercise Physiologist, I can absolutely help answer it. I can recommend sets, repetitions, intensity, and progression. But I've realized that sometimes my job isn't telling someone how much to do. Sometimes my job is helping them learn how to know. Because I don't live in my clients' bodies. I can observe how they move. I can listen to what they tell me. I can use research and clinical experience to guide them. But only they know what their body is feeling in that moment. Exercise Is Both Science and Art I love the science of exercise. Research gives us incredible guidance, and I rely on it every day. But movement is also an art. It's learning to notice when your body is ready for a little more challenge—and when today calls for something different. It's understanding the difference between healthy effort and simply pushing because you think you should. That's not something I can prescribe. It's something you learn by paying attention. Maybe We're Asking the Wrong Question Instead of asking, "How much should I do?" what if we asked, "What would feel like enough for my body today?" Enough challenge to become stronger. Enough movement to feel better. Enough that you'll want to come back tomorrow. Because consistency isn't built by doing the most. It's built by doing enough.  A Different Way to Think About Movement Watch children on a playground. They aren't counting repetitions or wondering if they've done enough. They're exploring. Playing. Moving because it feels good. Somewhere along the way, many of us lose that relationship with movement. We replace curiosity with rules. We replace enjoyment with obligation. Maybe it's time to rediscover a little of that curiosity. That's exactly why I created the AI Self-Reflection Questions. Not to tell you what to do. But to help you ask better questions. So here's the one I'd encourage you to carry with you this week: What would feel like enough for my body today? Not enough according to your watch. Not enough according to social media. Enough for your body. That answer may change tomorrow. And that's okay. Your body isn't inconsistent. It's alive. If you'd like to revisit Better Movement Starts With Better Questions or explore the AI Self-Reflection Questions, I've included the details below by simply clicking the workbook cover. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa  P.S. If you'd like to see what this looks like in real life, I recently shared a YouTube video where I put these same principles into practice myself. Here's something that people often don't expect about my work. Sometimes I'm not helping someone prepare for today's exercise. I'm helping them prepare for something that's happening weeks—or even months—from now. It might be a vacation. A hiking trip. Playing with grandchildren. Or, in one recent case... A snorkeling adventure. At first, you might think the concern was the snorkeling itself. It wasn't. It was getting there. Many snorkeling adventures don't begin by jumping off a boat. They begin with what's called a shore entry—walking from the beach into the water. Depending on where you are, that might mean navigating soft, shifting sand, uneven ground, small stones, or larger rocks before you ever reach water deep enough to float. This is something I see quite often. People prepare for the activity itself, but not always for what it takes to get there. So that's exactly what we worked on. We practiced walking on uneven surfaces. We challenged balance in a safe environment. We helped the ankles, feet, and the rest of the body learn how to adapt to constantly changing terrain. It may seem like an unusual request, but it's actually a wonderful example of what I love helping people do. Whether it's building the endurance to explore a new city, developing the strength to lift a suitcase into the overhead bin, or improving balance before a beach vacation, the goal is always the same. To help people confidently participate in the physical activities that matter to them. When we prepare for an activity, we usually think about the equipment. We remember our walking shoes. We pack our swimsuit. We make sure we have our snorkel and mask. Some activities make it obvious what we need to bring. What's less obvious is that sometimes our bodies need a little preparation, too. That's what this week's Real Moves for Real Life video is all about. I want to show you one simple exercise you can do at home using nothing more than a folded blanket or pillow. It's a practical way to challenge your balance and prepare for uneven terrain before your next beach vacation—or any adventure that takes you off smooth, predictable ground. Because the goal isn't simply to walk on sand. The goal is to feel confident saying "yes" to the experiences waiting on the other side of it. Watch this week's Real Moves for Real Life video here: How to Prepare for Walking on Soft Sand & Uneven Terrain | Real Moves for Real Life If you enjoy the video, I'd be grateful if you would like it, leave a comment, and subscribe to the channel. It helps more people discover these practical movement ideas. I'm also curious... What adventure are you preparing for next? I'd love to hear about it. Simply comment below and let me know. Have a wonderful week! Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. Real Moves for Real Life is a series of practical movement videos designed to help you prepare your body for the activities that matter most—from gardening and travel to everyday tasks and outdoor adventures. One of the things I love about exercise science is that it continues to evolve. As new research emerges, we have opportunities to refine what we know and, perhaps more importantly, how we apply it to everyday life. Last week, we explored research suggesting that approximately 90–120 minutes of resistance training per week may provide the greatest long-term health benefits. As encouraging as those findings were, I found myself thinking about a different question. What about the person who isn't there yet? What if you're just beginning? What if you're living with a chronic health condition, recovering from an injury, or simply trying to figure out where resistance training fits into your week? What if ninety minutes still feels like too much? These are the conversations I have every week with clients. Most people don't question whether resistance training is beneficial. They're wondering how to get started in a way that feels manageable. That's why this newest study immediately caught my attention. Researchers recruited adults over the age of 65 who were inactive and already experiencing difficulty walking. Instead of prescribing lengthy workouts, participants completed a brief, home-based functional strength routine each day for 12 weeks. The exercises focused on everyday movements like standing up from a chair, stepping up, pulling, and pushing. The results were encouraging. Participants improved lower-body strength, balance, and functional mobility—abilities that help us get out of a chair, climb stairs, and remain independent as we age. Even more encouraging, participants completed the program on more than 80% of the days during the study. To me, that speaks to something just as important as the results themselves: the program was realistic enough that people actually did it. To be clear, the researchers aren't suggesting that a few minutes of exercise replaces the current physical activity guidelines. Rather, this study reminds us that even a small amount of well-designed functional resistance training can improve the movements that matter most in everyday life. That was my biggest takeaway. Sometimes we become so focused on what is ideal that we forget to ask, "What can I do today?" For some people, today's answer might be ninety minutes spread throughout the week. For someone else, today's answer might be a few purposeful minutes. Both answers move you forward. If you'd like to try the routine used in this study, I've recreated the exercises as a downloadable PDF inside the MedFit Movement Studio.They're simple, functional movements that provide a practical place to begin if you're looking to incorporate resistance training into your own routine.  Remember, we don't have to wait until we have more time. We don't have to wait until we feel stronger. We simply begin where we are today. One small step still counts. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa It's interesting how more and more research is emerging around resistance training. Just a few weeks ago, I shared some of the updated recommendations around resistance training. Now, hot off the press, another study is adding to what we know about the role resistance training plays in our long-term health. What caught my attention wasn't simply that resistance training was associated with better long-term health outcomes. It was the amount. Researchers followed more than 140,000 adults for up to 30 years and found that approximately 90 to 120 minutes of resistance training per week was associated with the greatest health benefits. When I first read that number, I immediately started doing the math. That's only about 15 to 20 minutes per day. Not hours. Not daily gym visits. About 15 to 20 minutes. Suddenly it feels much more achievable. Most people don't start resistance training because they're thinking about longevity. They start because they want to move better, feel better, reduce pain, stay independent, or continue doing the activities that matter to them. Yet what we're learning from the research is that the activities that help us stay strong and capable today may also influence how well we age over time. Many clients ask me: Am I doing enough? Do I need to spend hours in the gym? Do I need to lift heavy weights? Is what I'm doing making a difference? This is something I hear a lot. Many people feel like they're falling behind because they aren't exercising enough. They believe they need longer workouts, more days per week, or a gym membership before resistance training can make a meaningful difference. Resistance training, sometimes called strength training or muscle-strengthening exercise, is any activity that challenges your muscles against a form of resistance. This can include: Bodyweight exercises Resistance bands Hand weights Weight machines Functional strengthening exercises at home Structured exercise classes For years we've been told that if exercise is good, then more exercise must be better. But what we're seeing more and more in the research is that this isn't always the case. From a movement perspective, this makes a lot of sense. Exercise is medicine when it is dosed correctly. Too little may not provide enough stimulus for change. Too much can become difficult to sustain or simply become another source of stress in an already busy life. What we know from the research is that there appears to be a sweet spot. Enough resistance training to challenge your muscles, support your health, maintain muscle, and help preserve function as you age. The goal isn't to do the most. The goal is to do enough consistently. Ninety to one hundred and twenty minutes per week can look very different depending on your lifestyle and preferences. It might be: • Three 30-minute sessions per week • Four 20- to 30-minute sessions per week • Short movement snacks spread throughout the week • A combination of classes and home exercises We can work with this. The best resistance training program is often the one you'll actually do. So I want you to consider: Where is resistance training already showing up in your life? What counts that perhaps you've been overlooking? What is one small way you could add 15 to 20 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity this week? You don't have to push through. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to wait until you have more time. One small step still counts. If you're looking for a place to start, I'd love to invite you to join Move Now, the complimentary community inside the online MedFit Movement Studio. Inside you'll find free movement resources, educational content, and two simple 20-minute bodyweight resistance training workouts that you can do at home with little to no equipment. Research can tell us what works. Community often helps us put it into practice. Let's rethink resistance training. You may need less than you think. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. As I was reading this research, it got me thinking about how many people would benefit from a simple, practical introduction to resistance training at home. I'm considering offering a virtual resistance band workshop series designed to help people build strength, confidence, and consistency without needing a gym. If that sounds interesting to you, email me directly ([email protected]) and let me know. Your feedback will help me decide whether to move forward with it. As we move into the thick of gardening season and spend more time outdoors tending to our yards, flower beds, and vegetable gardens, it can be helpful to ask ourselves a simple question: How am I preparing my body for these activities? For many people, gardening is a labour of love. We look forward to the warmer weather, the longer days, and the opportunity to get our hands in the dirt. What we don't always look forward to is how our bodies might feel afterward. A few hours of weeding, digging, planting, or hauling bags of soil can leave us feeling stiff, sore, or simply more tired than expected. One reason for this may be that we often jump straight into gardening without preparing for the movements we're about to do. When we think about warming up, many of us associate it with sports, exercise classes, or going for a run. But gardening is a physical activity too. This is something I see every spring. After spending much of the winter moving one way, we suddenly head outside and ask our bodies to spend hours kneeling, bending, reaching, carrying, and working close to the ground. It's no wonder things can feel a little uncomfortable afterward. That doesn't necessarily mean anything is wrong. More often, it means our bodies appreciate having a chance to ease back into these movements. If you've spent most of the morning sitting, driving, or working indoors, gardening can feel a little like asking your body to go from zero to sixty. That's why I like to think about warming up a little differently. Not as injury prevention. As a rehearsal. A warm-up gives us a chance to practice the very movements we're about to do. It helps us reconnect with bending, reaching, kneeling, carrying, and all the other tasks that gardening asks of us. In this week's Real Moves for Real Life Garden Edition video, I share seven simple movements that can help prepare your body for gardening season. Think of it as a few minutes of preparation that could make your time in the garden feel a whole lot better. And the best part? You likely already have the equipment. Using a broom handle, rake, shovel, or dowel, we move through a series of exercises designed to prepare the shoulders, hips, spine, hands, and legs for the demands of gardening. Together, we practice:
None of these movements are complicated. In fact, that's the point. Simple, intentional movement before gardening can help you feel more prepared and more confident heading into your outdoor tasks. And perhaps just as importantly, it gives your body a more gradual transition into activity rather than asking it to do everything all at once. So before you head outside this week, consider taking a few minutes to rehearse the movements you'll be using. Your garden will still be there. And your body may thank you for it. I'd love to hear from you: Which of the seven movements surprised you the most? Watch the video and comment below to let me know. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Have you ever said… "My right knee is my bad knee." "My left shoulder is the problem." "My good hip is doing all the work." I hear comments like this all the time. And I understand what people mean. They're talking about the side that hurts. The side that feels stiff. The side they don't trust anymore. The side that doesn't seem to cooperate. And every time I hear someone describe their body this way, I find myself thinking the same thing: What if we're missing the point? Because while one side may be painful, weaker, or more limited than the other, our bodies don't operate as separate parts. They operate as a system. The "good" side doesn't stop communicating with the "bad" side. In fact, it may be helping more than we realize. Recently, I attended a presentation highlighting the updated American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand on resistance training. One of the concepts discussed was something called cross-education. It's a fascinating idea. Researchers have found that when you strengthen one side of your body, the opposite side can become stronger too—even when it isn't being trained directly. Read that again. If your left leg is limited because of pain, strengthening your right leg may still provide benefits. If your right shoulder isn't functioning the way you'd like, training the left side may still help. The exact details are still being studied, but we know this isn't just a muscle story. It's a nervous system story. Your brain is paying attention. Your nervous system is learning. Your body is constantly sharing information from one side to the other. And honestly, I see versions of this every day. Someone comes in with a sore knee. We don't only look at the knee. Someone comes in with a painful shoulder. We don't only look at the shoulder. Someone comes in with hip arthritis. We don't only look at the hip. Because the body is always looking for ways to adapt. Always looking for ways to help itself. Always looking for opportunities to keep moving forward. So maybe we need to stop thinking about good sides and bad sides. Maybe we need to start thinking about helping sides and supported sides. Because sometimes the side that feels strongest is doing exactly what it can to help the side that needs it most. If this idea has you thinking differently about the side of your body that feels strongest, I have a practical resource for you. In this video, I share 9 isometric wall exercises designed to help build strength using your own body weight. Several of the exercises can be performed one side at a time, making them a useful option when one side of the body feels more capable, confident, or comfortable than the other. The goal isn't to ignore the side that hurts. It's to continue finding ways to move, build strength, and support your body where you can.
And I think there's something hopeful in that. Not because it means the painful side will instantly feel better. But because it reminds us that our bodies are remarkably connected. That even when one part is struggling, there may still be opportunities to build strength, confidence, and capacity elsewhere. Sometimes that's exactly where progress begins. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa  When you learn how to use the poles effectively, your entire walking pattern begins to change. People often notice improved stability, longer stride length, increased rhythm, and more confidence moving outdoors. Instead of simply walking through your environment, you begin interacting with it differently. And honestly, this fits beautifully with what we’re doing inside The MedFit Movement Studio this June. This month, our community is participating in 26 Ways to Move Through June — a movement challenge designed around small, approachable movement moments throughout the month. Many of the movement moments pair perfectly with Nordic walking: walking outdoors, exploring new routes, moving socially, connecting with nature, and building movement into everyday life in sustainable ways. Because movement doesn’t need to be dramatic to matter. One walk still counts. One movement moment still counts. One small step still counts. Edmonton Friends We still have a few spots available in the Nordic Walking workshop series beginning June 3. Not in Edmonton? You can still join us virtually inside the 26 Ways to Move Through June challenge through The MedFit Movement Studio. The challenge is flexible, supportive, and designed to help you build more movement into your everyday life — wherever you live. And if you’ve taken the Nordic walking workshop before and are thinking, “I should really start using my poles again…” — hit reply to this email. I’d love to hear from you. Every season invites a different kind of movement. Maybe this June is your season to step outside again. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. Nordic walking is even more fun with other people. If you have a friend who’s interested in joining but doesn’t own poles yet, I do have a limited number of loaner poles available for the workshop series This past week, a client sent me an email that absolutely made my day. She had just returned from the lake where a truckload of firewood needed unloading — 150 logs in total. But instead of simply powering through, she caught herself applying the movement strategies we’ve been practicing and discussing together. She hinged through her hips. Used her squat. Lifted and turned with intention. Paused every 10 logs to breathe and recheck her alignment before continuing again. And by the end? No pain. No medication. Just a great feeling of realizing her body could handle a demanding real-life task differently than before. Honestly, that deserves a standing ovation. Because that’s what I mean when I talk about Real Moves for Real Life. Movement practice isn’t only about exercises done perfectly during a class or program. It’s about building awareness, confidence, and capacity so your body can support you in everyday life — whether that’s unloading firewood, gardening, carrying groceries, getting up off the floor, or simply moving through your day with a little more ease. And truthfully? I’ve been thinking about this myself while cleaning up the flower beds at home lately. I keep catching myself practicing my own hip hinge while moving dirt, lifting pots, and bending toward the garden beds. These little movement moments matter. In fact, earlier this week on Instagram, I shared a short clip of me practicing my own hip hinge while cleaning out the flower beds at home. Not in a gym. Not in a perfect setup. Just real-life movement in real time. Because this is where movement patterns actually begin to matter; in the everyday tasks we repeat over and over again. If you saw the post, I hope it encouraged you to notice your own movement patterns a little differently this week, too. If you haven’t watched the “A Better Way to Bend Forward (Garden Edition)” video yet, you can still catch it. And speaking of movement moments… This June, I’m inviting our community to take part in something simple, approachable, and fun inside The MedFit Movement Studio: 26 Movement Moments The idea is simple: 26 ways to move during the month of June in celebration of the year 2026. No perfection required. No “all or nothing” mindset. Just opportunities to move your body in ways that support your life. Every movement counts. Some days might involve stretching. Some might involve walking. Some might involve gardening, dancing in the kitchen, practicing a squat, or taking a few mindful breaths before moving again. The official challenge launches May 26th inside The MedFit Movement Studio and will run from June 1-30. But because you’re part of this email community, I wanted to open the doors a little early and invite you to join us now with complimentary early access through the Move Now level of the Studio. This is a chance to explore the community, ease into the challenge, and start collecting your own movement moments before June even begins. And honestly? The firewood story above is exactly what this challenge is about. Not perfect movement in exercise machines. Not intense gym workouts. Real life. Real bodies. Real movement moments that slowly build confidence, awareness, and capacity over time. Sometimes the biggest changes don’t come from dramatic workouts or intense programs. Sometimes they begin with noticing: “Oh… my body handled that differently today.” And that matters. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If you’ve had one of those “real life movement wins” lately — big or small — I’d genuinely love to hear about it. Those stories inspire me more than you know. Drop a comment below. The past three weeks have been a lot of fun. I was invited to teach at the Edmonton Lifelong Learners Association spring session at the University of Alberta, and some of you reading this today may have been in class with me there. If that’s you — I’m so glad you’re here now as part of this email community. I hope to continue sharing resources that support your physical activity, movement, exercise, and therapeutic yoga practices in ways that feel practical and sustainable for real life. Over the past few weeks in class, we spent quite a bit of time exploring hip hinging and bending strategies — not just for yoga, but for everyday movements too. And honestly, this feels like the perfect time to talk about it. Gardening season is coming. This week’s new Real Moves for Real Life video focuses on: A Better Way to Bend Forward. This isn’t really about posture. It’s about strategy. Many people get nervous about gardening season because they already know what tends to happen: They spend a few hours outside, and suddenly the back starts “talking back.” But bending itself is not the problem. What’s important is how the movement load is being distributed throughout the body. In this video, we explore a simple movement strategy called the hip hinge — helping the hips and pelvis contribute more effectively so the back doesn’t feel like it has to do all the work. We talk about:
And this applies to so much more than gardening: lifting groceries, loading laundry, reaching into cupboards, picking things up from the floor. These are movements we do every single day — often without thinking about them. So let’s take a different approach. Instead of trying to “fix” posture, we can become more aware of how we move and where the work is happening in the body. One small adjustment can sometimes make a surprisingly big difference. (And yes… Mr. Indiana Bones makes an appearance in this one too.) Watch the video here: And if this topic resonates with you, June has a few upcoming opportunities to continue exploring movement together: Take Your Walk to the Next Level: Intro to Nordic Walking A three-week in-person workshop series starting June 3 in Edmonton. We’ll explore walking mechanics, posture, pole use, and how to make walking feel more supportive and efficient. It’s Not Just Tight Hips A virtual workshop happening June 12 focused on understanding hip tension, movement patterns, and what may actually be contributing to discomfort and stiffness. This workshop will be hosted inside The MedFit Movement Studio and includes complimentary access through the Move Now membership level. As always, if this video was helpful, I’d love if you shared it with someone else, gave it a thumbs up, or leave a comment. It truly helps these resources reach more people who may need them.
And I’m curious: Are you practicing your hip hinge before the grass turns completely green? Have a great week ahead! Be well and happy moving, Lisa Hello! This week’s new Real Moves for Real Life video is about something we often don’t practice enough: Getting up off the ground. It sounds simple — until it suddenly doesn’t feel simple anymore. And with gardening season upon us, this movement pattern becomes even more important. Whether you’re planting flowers, pulling weeds, playing with grandchildren, or simply sitting on the grass for a few moments, confidence getting down and back up again matters. Here’s what I see all the time from a movement perspective: Over the years, I’ve watched clients develop many different ways of getting up and down off the floor. Some strategies are quick. Some are cautious. Some involve furniture nearby. Some involve rolling, crawling, or carefully negotiating stiff knees, hips, wrists, or balance challenges. And honestly? That adaptability is part of being human. We work with the body we have today. But what’s also important to understand is this: If we never practice these transitions, they can slowly start to feel unfamiliar, awkward, or even intimidating. Confidence decreases long before strength necessarily disappears. This video walks through the strategy I personally use with clients to help them get up off the ground, along with some of the key movement concepts that can make the process feel more manageable and supported. Together, we’ll explore a simple framework: Create your base Shift your weight Drive through the hips You don’t have to move perfectly. You don’t have to force yourself onto the floor if that doesn’t feel accessible right now. But it is worth staying curious about how your body moves through these everyday transitions — because these are real-life movements that support independence, confidence, and participation in the activities you enjoy. If this resonates, the new video is now available.  Also — if you’re looking to build more confidence and support your walking this spring, registration is now open for my upcoming Take Your Walk to the Next Level: Intro to Nordic Walking workshop series starting June 3. We’ll explore how poles can help with posture, balance, upper body engagement, and walking efficiency — all while getting outside and moving together. Have a wonderful week!
Lisa P.S. One small step still counts. Sometimes practicing getting up off the ground once or twice is enough to begin rebuilding confidence again. So I sat down with the guide… Better Movement Starts with Better Questions …and I ran through it myself. Not as the person who created it. But as someone willing to be a little curious. Because here’s the thing: It’s one thing to read the questions. It’s another thing to actually answer them. I used AI as a tool—just like I suggest in the guide. And I’ll be honest… There were a few moments where I had to pause. Some of the responses were what I expected. But some of them weren’t. Things like: • patterns I hadn’t really named before • assumptions I didn’t realize I was making • small gaps between what I teach… and what I actually do Nothing dramatic. But definitely insightful. And that’s really the point of this. Not to get perfect answers. But to see your body—and your habits—a little more clearly. If you want to see what this actually looks like in real time, I recorded the whole process. If you haven’t downloaded the guide yet, you can grab it here: Take your time with it.
Start with one question. And just notice what comes up. You might see something you expected… Or something you didn’t. Either way—that’s where things start to shift. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S., If you do try it, I’d be curious what stood out for you. Comment below and let me know! Last week, I shared a small moment from the grocery store… Seeing AI show up in a Reader’s Digest, right there in the checkout aisle. It felt like a shift. From something distant… to something becoming part of everyday life. So let’s come back to that for a moment. Because this is where people often get stuck. Not because they’re not interested. But because they’re not sure how to begin. From a movement perspective, AI isn’t here to replace your body, your experience, or your intuition. But it can be a tool. A way to ask better questions. A way to reflect on what you’re feeling. A way to explore when you’re not sure what to do next. So I created something simple to help with that: Better Movement Starts with Better Questions This is also where AI can become useful. Not as something complicated or overwhelming. It becomes a tool to help you reflect on your body in a more structured way. This guide shows you how to do that—step by step. Inside, you’ll find a simple way to: • Understand how your body is moving right now • Identify what might be helping (and what’s not) • Find your next safe, realistic step These are the same types of questions I ask my clients when we’re working together. The difference here is that you can start exploring them on your own. Nothing complicated. Nothing technical. Just a place to begin. Because this is something I see all the time… People try to do more. More exercise. More intensity. More effort. But often, what actually helps is asking a better question. You’re not broken. Your body is giving you information. This is just a different way to start listening. If this feels like something you’re ready to explore, you can download the guide here: Next, I’m going to walk through this guide myself—and show you exactly how I’d use it. Not perfectly. Just honestly. More on that soon. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If you’re not sure where to start, begin with Question #1. There’s no need to go through the whole guide. One question is often enough to notice something new. Hi there, So let’s start here… I was standing in the grocery store the other day—right at the checkout. You know that moment where you’re waiting in line, half-looking at the magazines, half-thinking about what you forgot to buy. And there it was. A Reader’s Digest issue… talking about AI. It caught my attention. Not because AI is new. But because of where it showed up. Right there. Next to recipes, health tips, and everyday life. It made me pause for a moment. Because over the past few weeks, we’ve been talking about how technology has shaped the way we move. From Walkmans… to tracking steps… to measuring more and more of what our bodies do… And now—this. This is something I hear a lot: “I’m not sure about it.” “I don’t really trust it.” “I wouldn’t even know where to start.” And honestly, that makes sense. We’ve seen this before. New technology shows up… and there’s a period of uncertainty before it starts to feel normal.  I ended up reading the article, and what I appreciated most is how it approached AI. Not as something you have to jump into… But something you can understand—and use—within your own comfort zone. From a movement perspective…this is where I think things get interesting. Because AI isn’t about replacing your body or your experience. It’s another tool. A way to ask better questions. A way to explore when you feel stuck. A way to look at things from a slightly different angle. But here’s the key: You don’t have to go all in. You don’t have to figure everything out. You can stay right where you are and simply be curious. So let me ask you this: What if AI wasn’t something to master but something to experiment with? Next week, I’m going to share something I’ve been working on. It’s simple. It’s practical. And it’s designed to help you use this kind of technology in a way that supports your movement—not overwhelms it. For now, if you’re curious, take a few minutes to read the article. And just notice what stands out. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Over the past few weeks we’ve taken a little journey through the history of exercise technology. We started about 150 years ago with some of the earliest tools that changed how people moved — bicycles, spring resistance machines, and some fascinating home exercise inventions. Then we moved into the era when music made movement more personal. Walkmans, Discman, iPods, and eventually the playlists many of us carry on our phones today. We visited the pool, where a training tool helped synchronized swimmers stay connected to rhythm and timing. And most recently, we looked at wearable devices — the watches and trackers that measure our steps, heart rate, sleep, and other pieces of information about our bodies. Every generation has its version of cutting-edge technology. But if there’s one thing this series has reminded me of, it’s this: Technology changes. But the body still speaks the same language. Your body still responds to rhythm. It still adapts gradually to movement. And it still gives you information about what it needs. Technology can support that process. It can make movement more accessible. It can provide helpful feedback. It can even motivate us to move a little more. But technology doesn’t replace awareness. From a movement perspective, one of the most powerful skills we can develop is learning how to notice what our bodies are telling us. Sometimes the most important signals aren’t the ones on a screen. They’re the ones we feel.  Lately I’ve been wondering what happens when technology doesn’t just track movement — but helps us think about it differently. Next week I’m going to share something I’ve been working on that explores exactly that idea — using AI as a tool to ask better questions about exercise and movement. More on that soon. Before we head there, I’m curious about one last thing. Looking back over the technologies we talked about these past few weeks, which one has influenced your movement the most? A bicycle? Music or headphones? Home exercise equipment? A wearable tracker? Or maybe something else entirely. If a memory comes to mind, comment below and tell me. I always enjoy hearing your stories. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa P.S. If you’re celebrating this weekend, Happy Easter . I hope it brings a little rest, renewal, and maybe even a walk outside. Over the past few weeks we’ve been exploring how technology has shaped exercise over time. We started about 150 years ago with some of the earliest tools that changed how people moved — bicycles, spring resistance machines, and some fascinating home exercise inventions. Then we moved into the era when music made movement personal. Walkmans, Discmen, iPods, and eventually the playlists many of us carry on our phones today. Last week I shared a story from my synchronized swimming days, when a new piece of training technology changed how we practiced and stayed connected to the rhythm of the routine. Each of those moments reflected a shift in how technology interacted with movement. But in the past 15–20 years, something different has happened. Technology stopped just surrounding our movement. It started measuring it. ✔ Step counters. ✔ Heart rate monitors. ✔ Sleep tracking. ✔ GPS watches  Suddenly movement wasn’t just something we experienced. It was something we could track. Devices like Fitbit and the Apple Watch made it possible to see how many steps we take in a day, how our heart rate responds to exercise, and even how well we sleep at night. For many people, this information has been incredibly motivating. It can bring awareness to patterns we might not otherwise notice. But here’s something I see often from a movement perspective. More information doesn’t always mean more clarity. Sometimes people end up with lots of data but aren’t quite sure what to do with it. Your watch might tell you your heart rate. Your phone might tell you your step count. But neither one can fully answer a very personal question:  Your body has always been giving you information. Technology has simply given us new ways to notice it. And that’s where this story of exercise technology gets even more interesting. For most of human history, technology helped us move. Now it’s starting to help us understand how we move. More on that next week. --- Before we get there, I’m curious about one more thing. Have you ever used a fitness tracker or wearable device? A Fitbit? An Apple Watch? A GPS running watch? Did you find the data helpful, motivating, confusing… or a bit of all three? If a thought comes to mind, comment below and let me know. I always enjoy hearing your perspectives. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa Over the past couple of weeks we’ve been exploring how technology has shaped exercise over time. First we looked at early equipment — bicycles, spring resistance machines, and some fascinating home fitness inventions. Last week we talked about when exercise became more personal, especially when music became portable through things like the Walkman, Discman, and eventually the phones we carry today. But today I want to share a story from much earlier in my life. From my synchronized swimming days. At the time, I thought we had the most high-tech training setup imaginable. And honestly, it felt like the future. Synchronized swimming requires athletes to move in perfect timing with both the music and each other. But here’s the challenge. Much of the routine happens underwater.  Which means for years, swimmers often had to rely on counting in their heads and watching their teammates carefully to stay synchronized with the music.
Then a new piece of training technology arrived at our pool. Underwater speakers. For the first time, we could hear the music clearly while we were underwater. It changed everything about how we practiced. We could feel the rhythm more easily. We could match the timing of the choreography more precisely. And we could stay connected to the music throughout the entire routine. Looking back now, it might not seem like a huge technological breakthrough. But at the time, it completely transformed the training experience. From a movement perspective, rhythm and timing play a much bigger role than we often realize. Your nervous system responds to rhythm. Your muscles coordinate around timing. And when people move together — whether in a sport, a fitness class, or even a group walk — rhythm helps create connection. Technology didn’t replace the skill. But it gave us better information while we were training. And that’s something we see again and again in the evolution of exercise. Technology rarely replaces the body. But it can help us notice things we couldn’t see, hear, or feel before. So I’m curious again this week. What’s a piece of training technology that changed how you practiced a sport or activity? Maybe it was music. Maybe it was a heart-rate monitor. Maybe it was the first time you followed an exercise video at home. If a memory comes to mind, comment below and tell me. I always enjoy hearing these stories. Next week we’ll jump forward again — into the era of wearable trackers, exercise apps, and the explosion of data that many of us now carry on our wrists. Technology has moved from machines around us… to information about us. And that shift has changed exercise in ways we’re still figuring out. Stay well and happy moving, Lisa |
Letters From LisaMissed my most recent newsletter? Don't worry, I've got your back. Find all my exclusive letters here on this blog. ~Lisa Archives
September 2026
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