MOTIONS OF the Day - Tempo.1

When it comes to strength, skill, even mobility work and especially with locomotion over distance (building resilience), the speed or TEMPO at which we work on a movement can influence the quality of the movement. Slower is often best for learning, but certain movements require a component of working with accelerational forces of gravity, or yielding momentum such as in running, a kettlebell swing or throwing an object - without speed here, the movement is not accomplished. However, these movements can be broken into pieces and demonstrated slow, but they are completely different from the goal in the movement.

Tempo can be simple - slow, moderate pace, fast, maximum speed, or it can be complex - in strength terms could be pausing at top, halfway or bottom of a rep; it could also doing a slow eccentric (allowing gravity or loads to return to a coiled position where potential energy is high) with a fast concentric (working opposite to gravity or loads moved), and varied in other ways. In Distance Locomotion like walking, running, hiking, etc., we might start off a slow pace, but do timed periods of faster pace, then resume slow pace.

For your motion today, invite in an awareness of various tempos applied to your movement. See when your body might need to go slower or faster. Slow movement can increase mindfulness of each part that is involved. Faster movement may actually feel like a quality expression of your energy - there is good reason humans love fast paced sports, lifestyles, and movements.

INTENTION: Find appropriate pacing for your movement today. AWARENESS: Is my form suffering at the pace I’m going? What do I notice when I go slow? What do I notice doing a movement I have good form in, quickly? EXAMPLE: Chest Pass throw a light (5-10) pound medicine ball at the wall fast a few times. See how it makes you feel. Do a 5-10 second long single pushup. See how it makes you feel.