Movement Matters

1. Movement is essential for human health and ecological balance

Movement is not medicine. Movement is essential.

Movement as biology: Human bodies are designed to move, not just for exercise, but as an integral part of daily life. This includes walking, bending, lifting, and interacting with the environment. Movement shapes our bodies, affects our cellular health, and influences our mental wellbeing.

Ecological impact: Our movement patterns have far-reaching effects on the environment. When we outsource movement (e.g., driving instead of walking, using machines instead of manual labor), we increase our carbon footprint and contribute to environmental degradation. By reclaiming natural movements, we can reduce our ecological impact and promote sustainability.

• Benefits of natural movement:
  • Improved physical health
  • Enhanced mental wellbeing
  • Reduced environmental impact
  • Increased connection to nature and community

2. Sedentary lifestyles have far-reaching consequences

A sedentary culture eats.

Health implications: Sedentary behavior is linked to numerous health issues, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, and musculoskeletal problems. Our bodies adapt to lack of movement, leading to decreased strength, flexibility, and overall function.

Cultural shifts: Modern society has engineered movement out of our daily lives, from automatic doors to food delivery services. This has resulted in a population that is increasingly disconnected from natural movement patterns and the physical world around them. The consequences extend beyond individual health to societal and environmental impacts.

• Consequences of sedentary lifestyles:
  • Increased risk of chronic diseases
  • Weakened muscles and bones
  • Reduced cognitive function
  • Greater reliance on technology and resources

3. Natural movement is efficient and joyful

Natural movements are not archaic at all. They are still the motions required to get life's necessities.

Evolutionary design: Our bodies are optimized for a wide range of natural movements that were essential for survival throughout human history. These movements, such as squatting, climbing, and carrying, engage multiple muscle groups and promote overall physical health.

Joy in motion: Natural movements often bring a sense of satisfaction and joy that is missing from conventional exercise routines. Activities like foraging, climbing trees, or walking in nature engage our senses and connect us to our environment in meaningful ways.

• Benefits of natural movement:
  • Engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously
  • Improves functional strength and flexibility
  • Enhances balance and coordination
  • Promotes mental wellbeing and connection to nature

4. Outsourcing movement has hidden costs

If you're not moving, someone else is moving for you, either directly, or indirectly by making STUFF to make not moving easier on you.

Environmental impact: When we outsource our movement, we often rely on technologies and processes that consume resources and produce waste. This includes everything from cars and elevators to pre-sliced apples and electric can openers.

Social consequences: Outsourcing movement often means relying on the labor of others, sometimes under exploitative conditions. This can perpetuate social inequalities and disconnect us from the true cost of our lifestyle choices.

• Hidden costs of outsourced movement:
  • Increased energy consumption and pollution
  • Exploitation of labor in distant communities
  • Loss of personal skills and self-reliance
  • Disconnection from natural processes and cycles

5. Food and movement are interconnected

Food does not grow in nature. Plants and animals occur in nature, and you can turn these items into food with mechanical work, but without that work, there is no food.

Food as movement: Historically, obtaining and preparing food required significant physical effort. This included hunting, gathering, farming, and processing raw ingredients. Modern food systems have largely removed this movement from our lives.

Nutritional implications: The way we move (or don't move) affects how our bodies process and utilize nutrients. Additionally, the foods we choose impact our ability to move effectively. Recognizing this interconnection can lead to more holistic approaches to diet and exercise.

• Ways to reconnect food and movement:
  • Grow your own food
  • Forage for wild edibles
  • Cook from scratch using whole ingredients
  • Eat seasonally and locally

6. Community is a vital nutrient for human wellbeing

Vitamin Community

Social connections: Humans are inherently social creatures, and our health is deeply influenced by our relationships and social structures. Modern lifestyles often lead to isolation and a lack of meaningful community connections.

Collective movement: Historically, humans moved and worked together in groups. This collective movement not only met physical needs but also fostered social bonds and shared knowledge. Reintegrating community-based movement into our lives can have profound effects on both individual and societal health.

• Benefits of community-based movement:
  • Shared knowledge and skills
  • Emotional support and belonging
  • Increased motivation and accountability
  • More efficient use of resources

7. Stacking your life maximizes movement and efficiency

Stacking your life means using the same period of time to fulfill different functions.

Multifunctional activities: By combining multiple needs or goals into single activities, we can make more efficient use of our time and energy. This approach aligns more closely with how humans traditionally lived and moved.

Practical applications: Stacking can be applied to various aspects of life, from combining exercise with social time to integrating movement into daily chores. This mindset shift can lead to a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

• Examples of life stacking:
  • Walking meetings for work
  • Foraging with friends for social time and food gathering
  • Gardening for exercise, food production, and stress relief
  • Community projects that combine service and physical activity

8. Reclaiming natural movements can transform your life

Natural movement is long-established and ultra-efficient in these matters. Refined over millennia, natural movement is the natural phenomenon that facilitates both our personal movement and our non-movement needs, naturally.

Physical transformation: By reintegrating natural movements into daily life, we can improve our strength, flexibility, and overall health. This often leads to reduced pain, increased energy, and better functional capacity.

Mental and emotional benefits: Natural movement patterns can reduce stress, improve mood, and foster a greater sense of connection to our bodies and environment. This holistic approach to movement goes beyond mere physical exercise to encompass overall wellbeing.

• Ways to reclaim natural movements:
  • Practice barefoot walking
  • Incorporate squatting and ground-sitting into daily routines
  • Carry loads using varied techniques (e.g., on head, shoulders, hips)
  • Climb trees or rocks for both fun and functional strength

9. Modern society often contradicts human biological needs

We've mistaken getting more stuff for getting more out of life.

Misaligned incentives: Many aspects of modern society, from urban design to workplace norms, encourage sedentary behavior and disconnection from nature. These structures often prioritize convenience and consumption over biological health.

Rethinking progress: True progress should align with human biological needs rather than contradicting them. This requires reevaluating our definitions of comfort, efficiency, and success to include the importance of movement and connection to the natural world.

• Areas where modern life contradicts biological needs:
  • Sedentary work environments
  • Car-centric urban design
  • Processed and convenience foods
  • Artificial lighting and climate control

10. Small changes in daily habits can have significant impacts

Awareness, after all, is its own nutrient.

Power of incremental change: Transforming our movement patterns doesn't require drastic lifestyle overhauls. Small, consistent changes in daily habits can accumulate to create significant improvements in health and wellbeing.

Ripple effects: Individual changes in movement patterns can have far-reaching effects, influencing not only personal health but also community dynamics and environmental impact. Each small action contributes to a larger shift in culture and behavior.

• Examples of small, impactful changes:
  • Taking stairs instead of elevators
  • Choosing manual tools over electric ones when possible
  • Eating meals seated on the floor
  • Walking or biking for short errands
  • Spending time outdoors daily, regardless of weather

Last updated: November 21, 2024