Whether during sport or movement in daily life, humans get a power boost when we add a twist to the body (the dimension of rotation). But this is not just for throwing, golf or boxing… on a subtle level, this occurs naturally in gait.

Many of our joints are destined to rotate

These include the hips, shoulders, ribs, pelvis and spine (and to a lessor degree the ankle/foot). 

Here are a few sporting examples that use twisting motions for efficiency and power:

• A drive in golf (imagine keeping your pelvis and torso still… it’s not going to work out well)
• Almost all shots in racket sports
• In climbing, all joints rotate in a spiral as the climber reaches for the next rock hold
• For martial artists, rotational moves are among the most effective to defeat your opponent… think hip/shoulder throws in judo, evasion in aikido, hooks in boxing and spinning kicks/turning back-fists from karate
• Team sports such as football, rugby and hockey
• Any sport that involves throwing (why not try a th...

Let’s say you take 10,000 steps in a day. Wouldn’t it be great if each one was done with good bio-mechanics and movement wellbeing?

Today, we start week two of four focusing on the philosophy and embodiment of what it takes to enjoy a healthy gait. That’s a gait that is graceful, relaxed and efficient.

Poor mechanics in gait can lead to physical tension and potential injury and you risk compounding existing injuries. It can also ‘jar’ the body with each step so you end up feeling compacted (and perhaps shorter) at the end of the day.

Get it right however and you can boost your energy, heal from many of those aches and pains and reclaim your true height.

What goes wrong?

There are many factors that can lead to a negative change in your body’s natural structural integrity. And these changes can affect the quality of your gait. These include:

• The over use of chairs as this shortens key leg muscles (that’s study, office work, dinner time, TV, social time, etc).
• The above point oft...

I am really excited about this month of classes and write ups that are dedicated to gait.

But, if you get gait wrong, you can cause or at least perpetuate tension and old injuries. Get it right however and you can heal yourself surprisingly fast! So with thousands steps taken most days, let’s make each one count towards movement wellbeing.

As kids, we hopped, skipped and ran around to get places and with natural mechanics, great posture and moment awareness. But as adults, with a never ending ‘to do’ list and a busy mind, nature can so easily get forgotten.

And when you are not so moment/body aware, gait becomes heavy with and a leg-kicking-out-in-front kind of stride. Every step then becomes a little jolt for your joints (this tendency is exaggerated when running late).

Good news though, your body wants to be neutral and when given the right environment can adapt very well. But, when it comes to gait, old habits die hard so be sure let your mind accept what might be a gradual chan...

From body building to beauty contests, symmetry is often regarded as a sign of perfection. But what if the journey to a more symmetrical and balanced body requires going a little off-piste?

This month, as we enter the forth and final week of the balance reset, you may well have taken 15+ Dojiva classes dedicated to balance. And I am a hoping that you are already noticing some positive results. This week we get a little more nuanced.

Are there any straight lines in nature?

In nature, we do not see exact symmetry or straight lines. Take a leaf, a branch, a feather, a rock, flowing water etc… they all twist, turn and spiral. Yet the walls of the room you are in, a typical desk for a computer, the screen here, the exercise mat you use and the way movement is often taught is all based on straight lines and symmetry. 

But for humans to have good balance and efficient movement don’t we need to be symmetrical?

I don’t think so. Let’s take some other examples. With the benefit of slow-moti...

You likely know this line already…

‘When you’re balanced physically your more likely to be balanced mentally’

Then, as you become increasingly more sound of mind, that present moment energy loops back and balance confidence improves even more.

Before we get to this weeks focus on mental balance, here is a quick anatomical journey through the body of what you need for good physical balance:

• Ankles that are flexible and strong
• Knees that are supportive
• Hips that are aligned well to the pelvis
• Stable SI joints
• A core that activates naturally (no holding of abs)
• A relaxed torso (moveable spine and ribs)
• Free flowing shoulders and shoulder girdle
• Head/neck aligned (watch out for looking down)
• Relaxed vision
• An overall calm nervous system

Good news…
Dojiva classes have a focus on functional movement so we continuously cover all these areas. 

What happens when the mind is distracted

Well, we all get a bit wobbly now and then!

I sure we have all experienced how stress an...

To maintain a balanced body, most of our Dojiva classes have a four factor approach. First, we sense in (inner listening). Second, we move an area to assess the range of flexibility and/or strength). Then we do a series of exercises before returning to sensing to compare the effect.

To help raise awareness and embodiment, we often do this on one side of the body and then ‘sense in’ before changing sides. The registering of difference is great for mind-body connection.

Furthermore, it gives us great intellectual and physical information and we can use this knowledge to avoid future injuries.

As new information comes to light, it can help you decide how hard to exercise and whether any imbalance needs assistance from a masseur, physio, osteopath, etc.

Here’s a list of benefits that you can enjoy when balance is good:

• Improved movement confidence in gait and with chores 
• General self confidence 
• Greater efficiency with sports
• You are less likely to fall over
• Posture tends to i...

This month, I have a simple goal… that you feel a noticeable improvement in your balance. 

These past eight weeks of write ups and classes we have drawn inspiration from a matrix of four key disciplines:

• Martial arts
• Conditioning (functional fitness)
• Pilates
• Yoga 

These all help with your sense of balance so you should be ready to hit-the-ground-running as this becomes our focus for the month of August.

Balance is key aspect of physical health and general safety and that’s why so many of our Dojiva classes include practices that challenge and enhance your balance. 

Balance requires a refinement of four common movement qualities:

• Strength
• Suppleness
• Coordination
• Postural alignment

And, three non-movement qualities:

• Confidence
• Awareness
• Being more grounded (more mentally here)

Overall, balance is more on the subtle side of movement so for those who like the dynamic, it can easily get neglected. And if you’re not very good at balance that’s another reason it m...

It seems to be a human trait to seek pleasure and avoid pain. And that the avoidance of pain/discomfort is a stronger pull than the desire to move towards pleasure/fun. It may go back to a primal thing…survival first, play later.

Furthermore, it tends to be easier to be present at times of enjoyment and positivity, but it’s all to easy to find an escape as soon as pain arises.

We touched on a similar subject back in April when we focused on listening to the body as part of sharpening the senses series. That was more focused on the mind/emotions and this week is more about awareness and management of physical pain.

You may have gathered this already, but here’s the primary Dojiva message in one sentence:

“Above all else, my goal is to provide inspiring writings and embodied classes that awaken and develop presence”.

Why? Because presence increases your potential for so much. E.g:

• A body that functions with efficiency
• A mind that is clear
• Focus and productivity at work
• The opp...

In truth, there is not a hierarchy to movement. So performing a dull chore is not in anyway less significant than playing your favourite sport. I believe this approach will send an important message to your body that you are listening and that you care.  

Before we get to this week’s focus on mindful movement, here is a list of environmental factors that can support your journey to a healthy body. These include:

• A diet that is nutrient dense while being low in toxins
• Avoiding pollutants (chemicals in house/garden/bathroom cabinet/utility room cupboard, etc).
• A regular and varied exercise programme that honours your goals and matches your capabilities
• Non formal exercise movement such as chores, gardening, manual work and daily walks
• Stress in check
• Good quality sleep (early to bed, early to rise and consistent with timing) 
• Time spent in nature and allowing time to step back to contemplate
• Reduce exposure to EMF’s (from screens, modems, lighting, power sockets)
• Positivity o...

Recently, we’ve had two cluster write ups about Pilates, then two on fitness, two on martial arts and we complete this series with two weeks of philosophy and classes from the wonders of yoga.

Yoga arrived later in my teaching career but it wasn’t long before I realised it was an important missing piece. I taught a Saturday morning class over a ten year period and I learned and developed a great deal. And I hope my students gained some physical and mental benefits too.

Lessons from yoga:

• Yoga teaches us about the sacred side of movement
• It offers great variety from strength training (so many new exercises to master)
• There is a big focus on how to control the breath
• Meditation becomes easier and it helps to clear the subconscious mind
• It develops subtle listening skills
• Grounding - you tend to be more present
• Calmness/stress management - the overall experience from yoga helps the mind to be more relaxed during and after class
• This can also help to manage anxiety and depressi...