March 2021
Movement never lies. The way you move tells your unique story: your history, compensations, and adaptations. To better understand—and start to improve—your movement, consider the different types of movement, the benefits of movement, and the tips below for incorporating more movement into your day.
Get to know the different types of movement
To understand movement, you must first know the various types. They will reveal your body’s unique abilities and limitations.
Here are the six different types of movement:
- Flexibility involves extending and contracting your muscle tissues, joints, and ligaments into a greater range of motion.
- Mobility indicates the overall range of motion control within the muscle tissue, joints, and ligaments. By focusing on mobility training—and gaining nervous system control over ranges of motion—you gain flexibility, as well.
- Strength involves the load-bearing capacity of the tissues and can be challenged and progressed with weights or bodyweight. You build strength through repetition and by challenging the nervous system to perform a little more each time.
- Power is your ability to force output in a short duration of time to create explosive movement.
- Endurance is the ability to move your body for an extended period. Often associated with activities like long-distance running or cycling, endurance movements involve the aerobic energy system, which utilizes oxygen to produce energy.
- Stability engages the appropriate muscles to maintain posture and stillness.
What are the benefits of movement?
According to the World Health Organization, physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for noncommunicable diseases and death worldwide.1 It increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes by 20 to 30%.2 An estimated four to five million deaths per year could be averted if the global population were more active.3
In a study published by Sports Medicine, researchers compared the effects of individuals sitting for prolonged periods with those who took breaks from sitting and engaged in light to moderate activity.4 The study results suggest that taking a break from sitting every 30 minutes and incorporating even light exercise had significant effects.5 In those who took breaks, physical activity of any intensity was shown to reduce their glucose and insulin concentrations in the blood up to nine hours after eating a meal.6
Research also suggests that cardiovascular exercise helps create new brain cells via a process called neurogenesis. Neurogenesis occurs in the hippocampus and striatum, improves the way the brain works, and is essential to learning and memory.7 Studies have found that even a single bout of acute exercise can significantly positively affect our cognitive function.8
Ways to incorporate movement into your daily routine
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (such as a brisk walk) or 75 minutes of cardio (e.g., running or jogging) at a vigorous-intensity level per week.9 In addition to cardio-focused workouts, healthy adults should strength train at least twice per week.
To establish a routine that incorporates movement, pick an activity that appeals to you. Jogging, cycling, and swimming are great for building endurance. Weight training is ideal for strength and power movements. Also, consider yoga for flexibility, mobility, and stability.
In addition to regular exercise, here are some other ways to incorporate movement into your daily routine:
- Take a break from your desk every 30 minutes, even if it’s just a quick walk around your house or office building. Set a timer or download an app to remind yourself to take breaks throughout the day.
- Can’t get away from your work for long? Adopt the practice of walking meetings—that is, take a walk while you’re on the phone or a conference call.
- Stretch! Performing various stretches, like ankle and wrist rolls, a hands-over-head stretch, head rolls, shoulder rolls, can improve mobility and flexibility and help relieve the negative effects of inactivity.
Establishing an exercise routine, taking regular breaks, and stretching will help expedite the body’s ability to recover from long hours of inactivity. Even short bursts of light activity at regular intervals provide tremendous health benefits for your mind and body—both now and in the future.
“BioAstin is an essential supplement for optimizing cardiovascular health and supporting recovery from exercise.* Cardio exercise and daily supplementation of BioAstin are two keys I use each daily to support overall wellbeing.” – Dr. Silverman
BioAstin is offered in 4mg or convenient one-per-day 12mg soft gels and is available in formulations that combine Hawaiian Astaxanthin and premium ingredients to support specific structures in the body like your eyes and joints. More information about BioAstin can be found here: https://www.nutrex-hawaii.com/pages/bioastin
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Contact your healthcare provider prior to beginning any new exercise or diet plan.
References:
References:
[1] Physical activity. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/health-topics/physical-activity#tab=tab_2, retrieved Mar 11, 2021.
[2] Physical activity. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/health-topics/physical-activity#tab=tab_2, retrieved Mar 11, 2021.
[3] Physical activity. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/health-topics/physical-activity#tab=tab_2, retrieved Mar 11, 2021.
[4] Saunders, T.J., Atkinson, H.F., Burr, J. et al. The Acute Metabolic and Vascular Impact of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med 48, 2347–2366 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0963-8, retrieved Mar 11, 2021.
[5] Saunders, T.J., Atkinson, H.F., Burr, J. et al. The Acute Metabolic and Vascular Impact of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med 48, 2347–2366 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0963-8, retrieved Mar 11, 2021.
[6] Saunders, T.J., Atkinson, H.F., Burr, J. et al. The Acute Metabolic and Vascular Impact of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med 48, 2347–2366 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0963-8, retrieved Mar 11, 2021.
[7] Choi, S. et al. Science. 7 Sep 2018:361 (6406)
[8] Brain Plasticity. 28 March 2017;2(2):127-52
[9] How much physical activity do adults need? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm, retrieved March 11, 2021.
