In this week's post we will jump off of last week's newsletter where I shared the major influences of flexibility. If you missed it, here it is.

As we dive deeper into flexibility this week, I present the next instalment of Physical Activity QuickPlay to explore the various types of flexibility.

Grab a mat and all your flexibility tools and press play!

Imagine how you can now grow your flexibility practice! There are so many ways how. If you are looking for support in exploring more, reach out to me directly and I would be honoured to work with you!

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

​If I had a dollar for every time someone has said this to me over my career, I'd be a millionaire!

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I find this statement intriguing and wonder what is the data or rationale one uses to define whether or not they are flexible.

I find it interesting that we describe ourselves in terms of what I am not. Have you every heard someone say, "I am inflexible?" Typically it is the former rather than the latter.

Also, rather than saying my body is not flexible or my hip is not flexible, we assign it to ourselves like it is a personal fault. Would you agree that it is another way to say something is wrong with me? It is likely we've come so accustom to the statement that it rolls right out of our mouths.

Let's clear the air for a moment and define what is actually working and not working in your body instead of a singular blanked statement of I am not flexible.

Flexibility is defined as the range of motion around a joint or a group of joints. It is important for both joint health and for body positioning in certain activities. Imagine reaching for your seat belt before you start to drive or bending down to pick something up off the floor. It can also assist in strength development when an external load is applied to the muscles surrounding the joint.

Flexibility can be improved by conducting appropriate stretching exercises. Yay! It is possible to move and improve joint function!!!

Flexibility is highly dependent on the structure of your joint.

Boney structures, muscle elasticity, ligaments and other structures associated with the joint capsule as well as tendons, connective tissue, and skin elasticity will influence flexibility.

The joint capsule and muscle elasticity will contribute to the greatest responsiveness at the joint.

Other factors to consider are:
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1. the ability of the muscles around the joint are able to relax and contract
2. the temperature of the joint and associated tissues, and
3. the presence of a previous injury at the joint.

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All in all, whether you think you are flexible or not, there are numerous factors at play.

I encourage you to consider the way you define your flexibility and the factors at play in your joints.

If you know what is working and not working and are unsure what to do next, I would be honoured to work with you. 

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa​

How has your week been?
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This time of year is a demonstration of change and what is possible. Trees that had no leaves four weeks ago now are stretching up to the sky filled with leaves. Baby Canadian geese are starting to thrive with their parents and lose some of their bright yellow fluffy fur (see image below). The once brown lawn is now a lush green playground for insects.

So much change.

If our environment and pieces of our world can change so much, why can't we?

I am fully immersed in yoga therapy training this week. Eight days, eight hours a day and SO much information. I wanted to quickly send you a message this morning with one of the videos from my training. We are going deep into the pain experience this week. I would like you to ponder this,

Pain is...a call to action for change and part of the human experience. 

Learn a bit more from a video from Greg Lehman from Movement Optimism below.

​Nothing happens if we don't put insight into action.

The questions from the video are a good place to start…

1. What is in my cup?
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2. What can I change or address in my cup?

3. How can you build a bigger cup?


Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

This little family greeted me on my walk this week. They were venturing out onto the street so me and another person gently guided them out of harms way. The sense of adventure in the little ones was so fun to watch. And I was only hissed at once by momma!

Almost every conversation I've had with patients and clients recently has involved some discussion about Spring activities, most specifically - gardening.

Spring has sprung - at least only now in my neck of the woods! 🌷

With all the new physical activities that gardening requires, do you know when enough is enough?

Granted if you are a big garden lover, your garden is never enough. Only when the first snow falls do you hang up your trowel.

Keeping in mind that the physical demands of gardening are new to you in 2022 (catch the rhyme!), it is essential for your gardening longevity to know when enough is enough for one day.

Just like play off hockey (Go Oilers Go!), our goal is to make it to the stunning pots in August (i.e., the Stanley cup of gardening) and now is not the play off season. I would argue that we've only just begun the preseason of gardening.

Those professional hockey players have been training for their competition for months. They eased into their season many months ago and so should you!

Key things to remember as your gardening competition, er, I mean gardening activities ramp up.

#1 - Warm-up

This seems obvious and yet it isn’t something we necessarily do. Guilty as charged here!

Take a walk around your property and scope out what really needs doing.

Gather your tools and walk them to where they are needed.

Ease into movement before lifting that heavy shovel of dirt!

#2 - Do the Big Stuff First

The earlier in you gardening session you can fit in the big movements (i.e., lifting, pushing, etc.) the better. Your body is the "freshest" its going to be at the beginning and less neuromuscular fatigued compared to later in your session.

#3 - Do What the Plants Do

Take your time. Be deliberate. Flowers don't show up instantly. Nor does your garden need to be instantly "done".

Drink water throughout. No plant grows without water. You need it too!

Nourish yourself particularly if you are gardening over many hours or days. You can't perform on low nutrient dense foods. Neither do your plants.

And finally rest. Imagine those flowers that close up as the sun recedes for the day. You need rest too (and even maybe a soothing bath).

All in all, know that gardening is a process and with each session you do, help yourself by knowing when enough is enough.

No one wants to be stuck indoors and in pain with the beautiful Spring weather. Take care of you and your garden will take care in due time.

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

🙋🏼‍♀️ Oh wait - last week I mentioned that I'm teaching an upcoming in person workshop on Saturday June 11 at Yoga Within in Edmonton. Feeling your yoga: Bringing more awareness to your practice workshop fits so well with the concept of knowing when enough is enough. Our bodies send us messages. Do you feel them? This workshop will provide a chance for you to take a pause and listen.

​ Space is limited so register early if you want to work in person with me!

Happy  Spring to you!

As Spring moves into full swing, many people are talking about getting outside and enjoying the nice weather. Gardening is one of the top physical activities that they are talking about!

Some people, though, struggle with the demands of gardening and yard work. The stimulus, meaning digging, bending, lifting, raking, etc., is in many cases too much for their joints particularly if they have osteoarthritis. In this case, reducing the stimulus' load may be the answer.

In this week's Physical Activity QuickPlay, I talk about the possible lifesaving (and pain saving) effects of being physically active for our joint health. Osteoarthritis is common and I reflect on WHY being physically active is so important (picture me rubbing my hands together with anticipation and excitement to dive into the anatomy and physiology).

Need some help with your joint health? Simply reply to this email and we can set up an appointment.

One other fun opportunity coming up is an in person workshop.

You heard it right. In person at Yoga Within in Edmonton.

The workshop is Feeling your yoga: Bringing more awareness to your practice and will be on Saturday June 11 from 9-11 am. Space is limited so register early if you want to work in person with me!​

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

Ask yourself these questions below.

​Pause between each and reflect on what question you gravitate towards.

Is it the why or the what question?

Which question gave you more information about yourself?

Over this past week, I've been playing with both of these questions and here is what I found for myself...


The why question is a need to fix something.

The what question is more expansive and gives me more information on what is possible.

The why question is looking at one single aspect of me and potentially a problem. For example, an issue with a specific part of my body or my ability to do something. The why question is laser focused.

Compared to the what question, it has a wider and zoomed out view that can provide many options and may show me my capacity for these options.

The why question could stand out as very one dimensional and may almost tell you nothing of substance. The answers that come with the what question are greater and more expansive of the context.

The more I worked through these questions I started to feel the pull of a negative, fixed mindset versus a positive, growth mindset. Do you feel that?


You may guess that I gravitated towards the what question. It wasn't instant. As I took time with the questions, I started to shift my perspective. I'm a lover of data and research and those are usually the answers I want from asking the why question. Yet, the what question gave me so much more.

I am not saying I will give up the why question.

Heck no!

You know that I love the "why do you move" question. It helps you find purpose in your physical activity and exercise.

However, this week it might be time to ask yourself the "what is happening" question. In any and all areas of life. And see what answers you come up with for yourself.

Stay well and happy moving,

Lisa

Listen to your body.

No - really. Listen to your body.

What do you hear?

Maybe a crack, pop or crunching sound.

Or maybe nothing at all.

So many time you've heard, just listen to your body. What does that actually mean? Do you ever wonder what am I suppose to hear?

Let's switch up the words to better clarify what this statement really means.

​What do you feel?

Depending on how much you feel your body will determine what you can actually hear.

And let's be honest, the hearing is not the traditional way through the auditory system.

When we reconfigure the words - "feel" replacing "listen" - this can allow us to truly drop into the process of what is my body trying to tell me.

Are you open to feel?

To take it one step further into the physiology, this is the process of sensing the internal state of the body. This is interoception.

Although interoception at times can be below our level of awareness, our bodies are constantly processing internal information. So many automatic processes occur every minute of every day and quite frankly thank goodness we don't feel them all! They just happen.

Yet, when we are physically active and move our bodies there is a shift in our physiology and we can sometimes feel the change. For example, an increase in breathing as you reach the 4th flight of stairs, the pounding of your heart while walking and talking with a friend, the possible pain sensation when you've gone beyond your flexibility level and/or have poor movement mechanics.

Interoception is the mechanism where the feelings or sensations show up.

How in tune are you with them?

Now, the statement again -

What is your body trying to tell you?

Are you recognizing the signals or not?

No judgement. Simply tune into what you can find.

The better you become in feeling what is occurring in your body, the more you are able to tap into your amazing body. Yes, your body is one awesome being!

Insight to Action

Here's a challenge for this coming week. Feel your body as you move. What is your body saying in different movement patterns and/or physical activities?

Need some help with this? I'd be honoured to work with you one on one to help you grow your ability to feel.

Or join me next Thursday to practice in the workshop, Soften Your Centre!

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

Well hello,

Short and sweet message for you this Easter Sunday.

If you are celebrating, Happy Easter! Well wishes as well if you are celebrating Passover or Ramadan this month too.

One tool that could support you in your physical activity behaviour is Nordic walking poles. I could go on and on about the benefits of adding poles to your walks but instead will leave you with a video from The Why I Move Project vault I created over 5 year ago.

Enjoy!

Still have questions about Nordic walking poles? Reply back to this email and I would be happy to chat!

Have a great day!

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

A few weeks back I was invited to sub a Hatha yoga class. It isn't a regular time I teach and it gave me lots to think about.

What was most interesting to me was that one third of the class were new to the studio and new to the class. The room was full of regulars and those ready to start/restart their yoga practice.

Yay!

It got me thinking about how people "come out of the woodwork" or shall I say hibernation from winter. We can be super gung ho and let our brains drag our bodies along. That never turns out well!

The beauty of a Hatha yoga practice is there are opportunities to stop and rest. Not like all forms of exercise. The philosophy of rest can be a lost science.​

In this week's instalment of Physical Activity QuickPlays, I discuss one way that rest is an essential part of exercise via intermittent exercise.

Check it out!

If you are heading into a new physical activity or exercise routine, give the intermittent workout a try.

I am here to support you on your physical activity journey. Reply to this email if you are needing some support figuring out how intermittent exercise might work for you. I'd be honoured to help!

Stay well and happy moving,
Lisa

Oh - one more thing…

I am hosting a free 60 minute workshop later this month. I'd love for you to join me! Here are the details below.

Seeing the snow melt away this week, I am slightly sadden and excited at the same time.

Mixed emotions with seeing winter move out and spring flow in.

You may wonder why that is the case…

I'm sadden to know that my cross-country skiing season is done and I'll have to hang up my skis for another year. The sadness doesn't stick around for too long because I know snow and skiing will come again next year. I'm so new at the sport that it feels like I need more time this season.

My excitement is growing, though, as the snow vanishes because I am one step closer to getting out on the road with my bike.

Yippee!

As we move into this transition period of seasons, how is it impacting your physical activity? Are you making a mindset shift too?

If we all know one thing, change is constant. We all experience it.

Just like taxes.

How timely, am I right?!

I'm no expert on taxes nor am I an expert on mindset. Yet I know your mindset (aka your attitude and how it shapes your thoughts) can dictate how you feel about a situation.

The very interesting work of Carol Dweck dives into the fixed mindset and the growth mindset in her book aptly titled, Mindset.

When I think about snow I start to realize my mindset. I acknowledge the bummer of it going away and can switch gears to think of what good is coming from it vanishing. My own little example of a growth mindset.

Curious about mindset?

I sure am.

That is why this coming week I'm attending Effloresce Coaching's workshop on mindset. Nicole McLeod, is my executive coach who does amazing work asking the right questions and helping expand my mindset. Her workshop is called The Great Mindset Shift: Sticking Things Out vs. Quitting or Stepping Back and I encourage you to consider joining us on the call. She is definitely not asking me to promote this and I do it simply because the work she does has been transformational for me. I want you to have that opportunity too!

Have fun thinking about your current physical activity mindset this week and maybe see you at the workshop this week too!

Stay well and happy moving,

Lisa