Are You Over Thinking Things?

I’ve learned a lot from watching my son grow.

One of the big things I’ve noticed is how he doesn’t think about how to go about doing something. He just does it and his body and brain automatically figure it out.

He squats down deep, he attempts to pick up the weights that I use while I work out, he “helps” with cleaning up and pulling weeds. He’s a busy kid.

He’s in the moment and his subconscious is working. He moves, he runs, and he climbs subconsciously. He doesn’t have to think about it.

On the other hand, we’re told to squeeze our shoulder blades, tuck our chins, and stand up tall because that’s “proper posture.” We need to walk or run a certain way, or even breathe a certain way.

But the truth is all of this should be done subconsciously.

That’s the intent with our approach at START Physical Therapy. We utilize the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) system in order to get people moving automatically. So that they can live in the moment.

While a lot of the exercises performed in-session require focus, their intent is to instill subconscious and automatic changes so that the brain and body have a new map to work with.

I got an update from a client letting me know that he was able to feel different parts of his foot with less stiffness while walking. And that his left hip didn’t need to pop as much as it normally did. All without forcing himself to walk or move a certain way.

So next time you find yourself exercising, training, or doing any rehab, ask yourself “Does this help me perform my tasks properly and subconsciously?”