Joy of movement

#280

Until about a year ago, movement was never really my thing. I wasn't into fitness or working out or even sports at a consistently competitive level. My parents did tai chi and yoga, but I was the kid with a book in her hand, not a jersey on her back.

Then I moved to the US and everyone kept talking about pilates. So I tried it. And it felt hard. Not in a good way but rather in a way that made me want to stop. One day my friend introduced me to CrossFit.  And then, thanks to the coaches, the community, and camaraderie, lifting heavy things became addictive. I felt strong. It felt empowering.

But CrossFit isn't the only movement that found its way into my life. Yoga has been good too. Especially the slow, controlled vinyasa flows. Though balancing poses still require way more focus from me than I'd like to admit. My body's still learning what stability feels like.

Dancing has always been fun. I move differently when music is involved. But I've had knee issues forever, so there's always this low-level fear. That same caution kept me away from sports as a kid. My knees have taught me to move carefully. CrossFit helped me build quad strength that stabilized muscles around my knees, keeping it in place.

And then there's running. I was never a cardio person. Never understood the appeal. But this year, I signed up for my very first run: a 5K. Trained for about 2 months for it. The overall final run felt a bit difficult, but since I had no time goal for myself, I was very happy when I finished the race well under an hour. The medal still hangs in the middle of my living room and I feel inspired by it every time I look at it. I've also started enjoying running way more than before and say yes to the opportunities that present themselves.

All this to say - this is what joyful movement feels like. Not punishment or obligation, and not because I'm trying to earn something or fix something. Just the simple pleasure of feeling your body move the way it's designed to move. Slow, controlled, intentional. Feeling your muscles engage. Feeling your breath. Feeling the ground under your feet.

It's different from what the fitness world sells you. There's no before-and-after. No metric to hit. No goal to achieve. Just the sensation of being in your body and actually enjoying it. The strength in your legs after a long walk. The calm that settles over you during a slow yoga flow. The lightness that comes after you've moved intentionally.

Your body is yours. You get to move it for pleasure. Not punishment. Not because you're supposed to. Because it feels good. Because you want to. Because your body is capable and alive and sometimes that's reason enough.