3 Tips To Practicing Intuitive Movement

Intuitive movement is the practice of listening to your body when deciding how much, or what kinds of movement to do. Intuitive movement lets go of rigid structure and instead invites you to be gentle with yourself. Intuitive movement can be beneficial as it does not focus changing your physical body. By intuitively moving, you can reduce feelings of anxiety and stress around movement, reduce shame and guilt and in turn have a better relationship with movement.

Here are 3 tips that can get you started with practicing intuitive movement:

1. Check in with your body first. Instead of jumping into a full exercise routine, tune into how your body feels. You can quickly scan from head to toe and notice if there are any areas of pain or discomfort. You can also check in with your energy levels and your mood. By checking in with these things you can choose a movement practice to suit your needs in the moment, instead of doing something because you think you should be doing it. 

2. Let go of rules. Having rigid rules around movement can make it difficult to adjust your movement routine depending on how you feel. With intuitive movement, it’s okay to take breaks in your workout, stop the workout early, or change up the workout completely. Without rigid rules or intense structure you are free to choose movements that your body enjoys. This can release feelings of guilt and shame around movement and promote joy.

3. Choose movement you enjoy. Choosing movement you enjoy can make it much easier to move your body! If you continuously do movements you dislike, dread your exercise routine, or feel anxiety around movement you may have a dysfunctional relationship with movement. Choosing movement you enjoy can promote positive feelings around movement as well as provide a sense of safety and choice for you. 

And of course, one large concept of intuitive movement is to note that you also have the option to not move your body. Rest is always a valid choice.

Have you practiced intuitive movement? What do you like about it? Let me know!