Your Body Is Talking - Are You Listening?

Most people walk around completely disconnected from their bodies. They ignore pain, push through fatigue, and wonder why everything hurts. What if I told you that tuning in to what your body is actually telling you is the secret to getting stronger?

Here's what happens a lot: someone complains about knee pain during squats. Instead of just loading them up with knee exercises, I ask them to describe exactly what they're feeling. Where is the pain? Sharp or dull? When does it start during the movement?

Nine times out of ten, the knee isn't the real problem. Maybe their hip is tight from sitting at a desk all day. The knee is just the messenger, screaming about a problem that's happening somewhere else. Work on the hip mobility, and suddenly the squats feel completely different.

Your body is constantly giving you information. The trick is learning how to listen to it instead of trying to override it all the time.

Here's what I mean: that tight feeling in your shoulders isn't just something to stretch away. It might be telling you that you're holding stress there, or that your posture is off, or that you need to strengthen something else entirely. That lower back ache after you exercise? Maybe it's not because exercise is bad for you. Maybe it's because your glutes aren't doing their job and your back is picking up the slack.

I know this sounds touchy-feely, but stick with me. The people I work with who make the most progress are the ones who get curious about what their body is doing instead of just trying to force it into submission.

Try this: next time you're moving around, whether you're exercising or just walking to the kitchen, pay attention to what you actually feel. Not what you think you should feel, but what's really happening. Is one side tighter than the other? Do you favor one leg? Does something feel off?

Most of us have been taught to ignore our bodies unless something is seriously wrong. But your body is talking to you all the time. The sooner you start listening, the better you're going to feel.

And honestly? The better you're going to move. Because a body that feels heard is a body that's willing to work with you instead of against you.