Weekly musings, 4/16/17: the value of warming-up

Five days a week, I get on my mat and begin the warm-up to my daily practice. I use the term practice to describe my workout routine because I am always working on a skill, whether it’s the skill of a fantastic chin-up, or the skill of a handstand. 

My warm-up supports whatever skills I am working on that day and is one of the things I look forward to. The act of warming-up my joints, tuning in to my breath, and thoughtfully moving has a meditative effect. I feel my sticking points, notice where things feel tight, and observe my mood as I move. I also notice as things begin to unwind a little bit, feeling areas as they warm-up. Many times, if I feel a little bit off before I begin my warm-up, by the time I am finished warming up, I am focused, calm, and feeling (for lack of a better word), centered.

When people are short on time, the warm-up is one of the first things to be shortened or eliminated. I am guilty of this; we prioritize work over sensing. But there is power in both, and the ability to tap into sensing before work can sometimes make all of the difference. 

*One of my favorite hip warm-up routines. If you are working a lot of lower body skills, try this beforehand and see if you notice a difference. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG9qbvAN3gQ