The Value of Human Movement
“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing”
- George Bernard Shaw
I fucking love everything involving movement.
Preference being that which occurs outdoors.
But if it entails some element of motion - be that picking something up, throwing or hitting something somewhere for some sort of purpose, or getting from point A to point B in some way, shape or form - chances are, I’m chomping at the bit to get involved.
Without sounding too much like a wanky motivational video popping up on your social media, movement plays so many roles in my life.
It’s my therapy; my meditation; my structure; my psychological release.
I could go into exactly WHAT exercise does in my life, but I fear that would turn into an epic romantic ballad that would bore the pants off you…
…when what would be more interesting is delving into WHY I move so much; the foundation of reasoning that drives me to devote a large chunk of my daily life to moving the body.
And it all boils down to one single statement.
One that I think more people can recognise, appreciate and apply in their own journeys towards a healthier, more active life.
“Because I Can…”
Simple.
You were probably expecting something more groundbreaking or innovative - 3 magical words that will change your perception of exercise.
But give me a couple of minutes of your time below, and it may do exactly that.
I do a lot of slightly unhinged things on the fitness front - things that have my friends, family and Athletes questioning my sanity.
Things like running 40mi to London instead of catching a train.
Or paddleboarding for a day from Tonbridge to Maidstone (and back).
Or deciding to cross a landmass on foot in my most recent endeavour of physical endurance (or clinical insanity, whatever you’d prefer).
Although there ought to be some profound reason as to why I do these things, I usually feel like Tom Hanks out of Forrest Gump.
Your attempt at an impression was shite. But A for Effort…
I just run. Simply because I can.
I have the capability to do so, so why not?
Do something cool. See some cool shit along the way.
The psychological buzz that comes from ever-nudging your perception of what you are capable of further from baseline.
Don’t get me wrong, there are usually other reasons as to why I choose to do the things I do.
But the one idea that underpins everything is that my body can do it, so why not?
An internal narrative driven by self-defined capability - borne out of various experiences which I’ll explain below.
A Change in Perception
In my teens, my relationship with exercise was tumultuous to say the least - as it was a key aspect of the anorexia that plagued me for a number of years.
At my worst I was told that, due to being at a dangerously low weight, I wasn’t allowed to do any form of physical activity.
For someone who had played sport nearly every single day as far back as I can remember, this was devastating at the time - but equally a period that I am wholly grateful for due to the shift in mindset that occurred.
Stripped of the ability to exercise, I reevaluated the role sport and movement played in my life up to that moment - looking beyond the laser-eye focus on calorie expenditure, towards what it had gifted me over the years.
Structure. Satisfaction. Friends that I will have for life deriving from my time playing rugby and cricket at school.
Those 3 months made me realise that movement was so much more valuable than what I had reduced it to during my ED; something which would serve an essential purpose in recovery in the time that followed.
It was then that I started to go the gym for the first time in an effort to rebuild the body that I had lost, and improve my strength so that I could start running.
The total shift in HOW I approached movement and exercise allowed me to tap into the wealth of benefits that had previously been left untapped - as I noticed the drastic improvement across all aspects of both my mental and physical health.
Focusing on how training made me FEEL - empowered, more confident, less anxious etc etc.
I had finally weaponised my exercise routine for positive purposes - that is, the perks of processes required to push your body to feats of strength and endurance in a sustainable way.
A shift in mindset that took care of my physical health without conscious effort.
Capability > Obligation
Its so easy to devalue your ability to move under the guise of obligation; “I have to run today”, or “I have to train”.
Of course, we all go through periods where motivation wanes slightly and the prospect of moving becomes more of a chore.
But when I feel like this, I always refer back to the time when I couldn’t - when my physicality didn’t allow me to move even if I wanted to.
Whereby I craved it, yet couldn’t have it.
Subsequently, I reframe “I have to run” to “I GET to run” in recognition of the fact that being able to stomp out 1’s & 2’s is a gift in its own right.
The capability to do so is something we take for granted as active individuals; the realisation of which will mean you never feel obliged to complete a planned session of running, lifting or the like.
Although you may not be raring and ready to go, you will still pay the dues and come out the other side accompanied with the mental and physical benefits that come with getting the heart pumping.
A celebration of what your body can do and subsequent recognition of the inevitable benefits, as opposed to the more negative framing as an obligatory chore.
Case Study - Mama Grips
Take my old Maw as a prime example.
Now Mrs G grew up much like me - surrounded by sport 24/7, engrossed in everything movement as someone who preferred playing to studying.
At 18, Mum was playing both rugby and lacrosse to a high level, and looking at a potential career in the Army deriving from her love of sport and exercise.
That was until she sustained a spinal injury playing badminton which left her unable to walk.
Although she defied so many of the things the Doc said she’d never do again, including walking and having (two incredibly beautiful) children, Mum struggles more and more with walking nowadays.
However, in the face of chronic pain (and the rest), she tries to focus on what she CAN do as opposed to what she can’t - finding ways around her various conditions to try and move her body as best she can.
I know it breaks her heart that she can’t do certain things that, as an actively minded person, she would love to do - as I have no doubt that, had it not been for what happened, she would be the one joining me on all these crazy adventures.
It is one of the things that makes me value the ability to move well and pain-free so highly - and why I take every opportunity I can to do something active.
Seeing Mum doing everything in her power to move her body to the best of her ability drives me to do the same - hence why I choose to do the things I do. Because if you have it in the tank, and you know how to tap into it sustainably and safely, then why not?
The Final Word
So there you have it; the secret to my weird and wonderful quests in the World of Ultra-Endurance lies largely in how much I value the ability to move the Rig.
A constant adventure to find where the upper limit is - as I believe in the positive correlation between extremity of challenge and positive benefit on the mind.
Movement is an unsung superpower that has the potential to give you insanely valuable experiences, see some stunning scenes, and transform quality of life from both a psychological and a physical standpoint.
As soon as you recognise this, and act on it, you’ll find yourself subconsciously manufacturing time for movement within your busy schedule, making better lifestyle choices to support said movement, and feel a closer connection to whatever form of movement you enjoy that ultimately promotes a longer, healthier, happy life.
