Bodies at rest & in motion
When I was a little girl (this is Jennifer writing, just to be clear!), my mother called me a ‘perpetual motion machine’. I had no idea what that meant, other than I made her tired by my constant energy and need for busy-ness. The older I get, though, the more I accept this as a compliment and an asset with my general attitude towards life, and now towards aging. I’ll be seeing 50 in a few short years and I know that I don’t have the same type of ability or metabolism as I did in my 20s and 30s, but I also know that I have no interest in slowing down or stopping. But, this is ‘easy’ for me, right? Actually, yes. Because according to Sir Isaac Newton, “a body in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted on by an outside force.” Likewise, according to Newton, “a body at rest stays at rest unless an outside force acts on it.”
Which ‘body’ are you? Are you in motion or at rest? Notice what these two laws have in common: “…unless acted on by an outside force.” Active people are happiest when they’re moving, and when outside forces such as injuries, hinder their movement, being then a body at rest is excruciating. These outside forces are not a favourable outcome, but life happens. Truth is, the active person will find his or her way back to activity in one form or another because that’s how they are built – like perpetual motion machines.
Our societal concern lays more with the bodies at rest. With unprecedented levels of obesity, diabetes and heart and stroke conditions, we need to help those bodies at rest by acting as the outside force. How does this happen? Truly, I think, it happens with kindness and community.
A body a rest can also be summed up as ‘laziness begets laziness’, but I think this tag isolates and discriminates against the possibility of people making positive changes in their lives, although often it is the isolation and discrimination that an individual (the body at rest) will often put upon themselves. “I can’t do that, I’m too old, I have too many aches and pains, I don’t have time, I can’t afford it…” Coming up with excuses is easy, but often the crux of the issue is fear. Fear of trying something new, fear of the effort, fear of being teased or put down, fear of failing.
Fear, however, is often quelled by the support of others (enter the outside force as previously mentioned) once we actually bring ourselves to tying up our running shoes or putting that bathing suit or karate uniform on. Supportive active communities are abundant in Uxbridge. Practically everything you can think of exists, from group fitness classes for all levels and ages, aqua fit, trail hiking groups, tennis and squash, to name a few. But here’s something you may not have heard of before – Urban Poling. The Uxbridge Pole Walking Club may be just the community needed for you or for someone you know to get you active! Founded in 2014 by local physiotherapist Jodi Bussiere, it offers pole walking exercises classes in the Elgin Park through the spring, summer and autumn seasons.
Some Urban Poling facts include:
* Poles lower the impact through your lower back, hips and knees.
* Burns more calories than regular walking
* Pole walking makes exercise easier during cardiac rehabilitation, and for people who have Parkinson’s Disease and fibromyalgia.
According to these benefits, Urban Pole walking may be the perfect fit for any of us who are a ‘body at rest’ and needs to get moving. And let’s face it – this past winter has been brutal and we are ALL anxious to be outside as much as we can now.
Why not become a ‘body in motion’ and check out one of our local activity groups? Want more information about pole walking? Visit uxbridgepolewalking.com or call Jodi at Uxbridge Physiotherapy 905-862-3870.
While we all weren’t made to be perpetual motion machines, hopefully, most of us can be or become ‘bodies in motion’ and, just as importantly, become ‘outside forces acting upon bodies at rest’.