Beyond the Hype to Safe Practice
A HIIT class! For the first time in years, I signed up for a “big box” class. For those unacquainted with the term, a “big box” is a large-scale, one-stop-shop fitness center as opposed to specialized boutique fitness studios.
Sure, the HITT title sounded a bit rough, yet I had kept my body on track for years by practicing mindful movement. I regularly tuned into my body sensations while moving. I trusted myself to pay attention to my own body’s safety needs and respond to those signals before any damage occurred. Besides, I wanted to sample this new-to-me form of exercise. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training, and I felt up to the challenge.
About 70 participants packed the huge room, their determination to get a good workout filling the air. Highly energetic music pumped us up, ready to go. The space buzzed with electricity and power.
Two instructors stood at the front of the room. A young woman, full of pizazz, cued us body-part-by-body-part through each sequence. Urging us onward, a very fit middle-aged man modeled the movements.
As we moved, the female coach constantly tried to motivate us to keep going and not give up. She told stories from her own fitness experiences. At one point, she came to my mat and gave me a high five. “Great job!” I felt caught up in the excitement, with my emotions on full volume to keep up and be a part of the energy of the room. I smiled, moved, and pushed my body in ways I hadn’t attempted in years.
A twinge shot through my shoulder, but I kept going. I refused to let down the instructor or others around me. I could do it. I could push through… Whoa! Wait a minute.
I stopped and rubbed my shoulder. I had definitely pulled a muscle. What happened? Where did my body awareness go during that exercise? Had I gotten so caught up in the coaches’ emotional hype that I completely forgot to tune into my body sensations? I kept moving to please others.
The instructors excelled at pumping us up, and they only cued us to follow along and keep up. They never suggested that we tune into our bodies and adjust our movements accordingly. They left us to our own devices. They never asked us whether our bodies could execute the motions. That silence, coupled with the emotional overdrive, led me to disaster.
As I nursed my sprained shoulder, I wondered how different that big box experience could have been had the instructors incorporated the Academy’s elements of Mindful Movement. The energy wouldn’t need to dampen. It could shine even brighter, guided by Mindfulness. Then every participant could have enjoyed a safe, strong workout.
Moving mindfully with you,
Douglas Groesser, Education Director