I spent all day yesterday playing in the woods. Really, no joke. When I got home, I was covered in dirt, sweat, bruises, and sunburn. I haven’t been that happy in a while!

I was fortunate enough to take a MovNat class with Instructor Amy Heidbreder at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. We couldn’t have asked for a better day – mid 80’s, sunny, light breeze, great group of people, and plenty of open space. It was easy to forget that we were in the middle of a busy city once we were in the woods, moving as we were designed to move.

I have been following MovNat closely for almost a year now. I was initially intrigued after watching the video of Erwan doing all the things I used to do growing up. Climbing, jumping, swimming, running. Watching someone move so smoothly and efficiently reminded me of how free I used to feel.

‘My journey back to health began a few years ago, after becoming very ill with an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. It took me over a year to build up from walking around the block to doing bodyweight training (I was a Division I College Swimmer, triathlete, and rock climber, so you can imagine how difficult the whole process was for me).’

I was inspired by watching and reading about MovNat. I wanted to climb and run again, and I was ready to take baby steps toward that goal.

Ann - climbing again!

‘When I started training on my own a year ago, I couldn’t even hang from the monkey bars.’

Over the course of the spring and summer, I kept going back to the playground several times a week and working at it. By the end of the summer, I made it across the monkey bars from one side to the other. In August 2011, we rejoined the indoor climbing gym, and I began to climb again.

In February I had the opportunity to take a MovNat class indoors with Clifton Harski. I was so impressed by his ability to teach in a way that allowed everyone to experience success. I watched and listened as he scaled the activities for each person, to allow them to feel the movements and get feedback about the efficiency of their movement. I was truly thrilled with the experience; but, it was indoors. I wanted the full-on experience!

When the opportunity arose to do MovNat outdoors, I jumped at the chance. I am so glad I did! We covered the same skills as we had learned indoors; but, we were able to balance on logs in the woods, climb trees barefoot, run in the grass, throw and catch rocks! We crawled, rolled and played tag in the grass under a blue sky like kids, while people watched us as if we were out of our minds. When I got home and told my kids that I “played in the woods all day,” my son asked who I played with. I told him that I was taking a class with a group of people. He looked at me and said:

‘“Really, Mom. You had to take a class to learn how to play tag and walk on a log? Is it really that hard?” I laughed as I tried to explain to him that yes, it is sometimes that hard for adults!’

As a physical therapist, I utilize exercise as a part of the treatment plan with my patients. When I have asked my patients in the past about their compliance with home exercises, I heard them say, “It’s hard, it’s painful, it’s boring, I can’t remember them all, I think I’m doing them wrong.”

‘Over the past few years, I have transitioned my instructions from “exercise” to “move.” I am encouraging patients to draw their attention to their bodies, their breathing, and their environment.’

I am encouraging my patients to make the time to get outside and walk barefoot in the grass, play, laugh, and enjoy how good their bodies feel when they have moved and even worked up a sweat while enjoying every moment of it.

In the two MovNat workshops I have taken, there are always folks who have trouble with the climbing aspect of the day. I encourage them to keep trying, and explain how long it took me to be able to do the monkey bars again. I love how the whole group encourages each other to try each skill, and cheers when someone accomplishes something they thought they couldn’t do.

‘I encourage my patients to move and become proficient in practical skills not because they are training for a specific event (although many of them are competitive athletes); but, because they are training for life.’

As the natural disasters and violent incidents of the past few years have shown us, we may need to be ready at any time to walk down hundreds of stairs, climb up high to get away from water, dig our cars out of garages, or rescue an injured person and carry them to safety. We need to be efficient and effective movers in order to be useful. MovNat teaches us all of this, in a safe environment.

‘I have no hesitation about recommending MovNat workshops to my patients. I am confident that each person will have a good experience, learn new skills, break through their self-imposed limitations, stay safe, and leave with a smile on their face.’

If we all did a little MovNat every day, combined with a healthy eating plan, good sleep, and stress reduction techniques, the world would be a happier and healthier place!

Ann Wendel, PT, ATC, CMTPT, holds a BS in PE Studies with a concentration in Athletic Training from the University of Delaware, and a Masters in Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland.  She is a Certified Athletic Trainer licensed in VA, a Licensed Physical Therapist, and a Certified Myofascial Trigger Point Therapist. She practices at Prana Phyiscal Therapy, which she also owns,  in Alexandra, Virginia.

Copyright © 2012 MovNat

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