My Journey to Natural Movement
Embarking on the Journey of Natural Movement with Katy Lush
Greetings, dear readers! I'm Katy Lush, the brains behind Lush Living, and today, and I want to take you on a journey into the world of Natural Movement. Picture this – I was recently sifting through some old emails, hunting for a specific date. I stumbled upon a treasure trove of messages that took me back to when I was introduced to the transformative power of Natural Movement.
One email that stood out was a heartfelt note I sent to none other than Katy Bowman, the visionary behind Nutritious Movement. It was the moment when I discovered her program and was on the cusp of joining her Restorative Exercise Specialist Program. That email, now a fond memory, was a testament to how her work altered my life. I needed to seamlessly weave it into my Pilates instruction, a true paradigm shift.
This revelation led me down a rabbit hole of reminiscing – mainly about a workshop I attended a few years back. My friend Jeremy, a fellow Pilates instructor, urged me to participate in Phillip Beach's workshop during the Balanced Body Nationwide Workshop program, Pilates On Tour. I wasn't well-acquainted with Phillip Beach, but Jeremy's recommendation piqued my interest. Off I went, envisioning a lecture-based session, only to be greeted by a room full of people sitting on the floor. Unfazed, I opted for a chair, believing sitting on the floor was absurd. Little did I know my perspective was about to shift drastically.
Enter Phillip Beach, a proponent of furniture-free, archetypal postures and applying traditional Chinese medicine meridian points. As I observed others sitting on the floor, I couldn't help but feel perplexed. But then, Phillip unfolded the wisdom behind floor-sitting, leaving me red-faced and sliding onto the ground, my chair cast aside.
His teachings revolved around archetypal postures – movements reminiscent of our ancestors' daily lives. The workshop exposed the yawning gaps in my movement practice as I struggled with some of the most fundamental motions. It was a humbling experience that led me to the realization that I needed to incorporate these practices into my life.
Intrigued, I continued to explore this realm of Natural Movement. At the same workshop, Phillip shared his technique of training Olympians barefoot on uneven terrain. The logic was fascinating – lifting weights on rocky surfaces allowed them to easily conquer plateaus on softer ground. Inspired, I created rock mats and integrated them into my teaching and daily life, experiencing the benefits firsthand.
As I delved deeper into Natural Movement, another name surfaced – Katy Bowman. A friend named Lane mentioned her similarity to Phillip Beach, leading me to explore Katy's work. I stumbled upon her blog, intrigued by the abundance of free content, a rarity in the movement world. Her accessible approach, even in her books, emphasized her commitment to spreading knowledge.
Fast forward to joining Katy Bowman's program, and I discovered her book "Move Your DNA," with Phillip Beach contributing to the foreword. A full-circle moment indeed. Phillip Beach became my gateway to Natural Movement, opening doors to a wealth of knowledge that resonated across different sources, making it a movement truth.
And so, my journey into Natural Movement began, propelled by the teachings of Phillip Beach and the expansive world of Katy Bowman. I'm thrilled to share this voyage with you, dear readers, and invite you to embrace Natural Movement for a healthier, more mobile life. Stay tuned for more insights and inspiration!