Frequently, Pain Academy students ask if lifting weights or continuing their current exercise routines are reinforcing bodily imbalances and dysfunctional movement.

While this can be the case for some, you’d be surprised how much the movement sequences will start to change the way your body responds to your current activities.

Aside from maxing out at the gym, if your body is already accustomed to some sort of physical activity, we recommend keeping these activities in your life, especially at the start.

Let’s add your new movement routines into your weekly/daily schedule and see how this new stimulus changes your relationship with exercise, without you having to stop doing the physical activity you love. Give your body some time to adjust to this new change before making any other changes.

I hope that makes sense!

To be clear, we don’t want to manipulate too many variables at the start; as time goes on you’ll be able to understand what type of movement is helpful for you, how much movement is helpful for you, and if there are any movements that are not helping you reach the goals you have for your body.

While working out may reinforce imbalance, compensation, and dysfunction, a sedentary lifestyle does too! It’s about finding that balance – which is going to take some time and experimenting, and which shouldn’t be feared!

If your misalignment was brought on by not moving enough, more movement is generally very helpful! If you’ve gotten to this place with your body through too much intensity and regularly pushing your body past its limits, less could very well be more beneficial for you.

Timing

We recommend completing your movement sequence before working out, if possible so that you’re bringing a more balanced body into that workout and training your newly found function.

You may also find it beneficial to do your sequence again after your workout to give your body some extra help to recover while imbalance, compensation, and dysfunction are highest at the beginning of this journey.