Why Every Athlete Should Consider Movement Training

Whether you are a full-fledged adult athlete, or just someone who likes to stay in shape, movement is the one common denominator that cannot be denied.

As human beings, we are constantly moving from the time we get up in the morning to the time we go to bed at night. It should come as a surprise to nobody then, that the study of movement is very important to our overall health, and that there are specific classes targeted towards dynamic movement training, which is basically a fancy way of saying that knowing how to move your body in a balanced way can keep you happier, healthier, and free from injury.

The Move Unbound movement takes different aspects from various practices like dancing, lifting, surfing, sports, and yoga and focuses on the dynamic movement behind it all.

Movement is at the source of all of these various disciplines, so learning how to move properly can only serve to benefit you regardless.

From a medical standpoint, movement training can help to prevent and combat running injuries like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and hamstring tightness. The classes themselves are performed barefoot, which serves to strengthen the intrinsic muscles of the foot, as well.

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I recently had the opportunity to try out a class with Dan Althoff of Move Unbound, a North Carolina company that is dedicated to the study of movement. His personal background includes the study of many different disciplines of movement including martial arts, yoga, parkour, and gymnastics. Their program centers around refining movement patterns and bringing about a balance of physical attributes to develop the body in a resilient and adaptable manner.

As someone who had never tried a movement training class before, I was most impressed by how adaptable my body was to new movements and stretches. It was interesting to move my body in ways that it isn’t accustomed to, and I could definitely see how beneficial that is for the health of my joints.

So long story short, I think that movement training can be beneficial for any active person. When you play certain sports, or do specific workouts at the gym, your body gets used to moving in a certain way.

Challenging your body to learn and adapt to new kinds of movement will benefit you in the long run, and might even introduce you to some new and interesting ways to stay moving!