TIPS TO GET MOVING THIS SPRING
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Barefoot living means moving with the seasons and exploring all year round.
But even the bravest barefooters know summer is hard to beat. Long days, warm evenings, playfulness in the air. Summer is barefoot life with full feeling.
Not that maintaining healthy movement is easy. Summer can be a time of indulgence and merry distraction, after all. There's certainly nothing wrong with that. But, if youâve not moved as much as you'd like recently, or are looking for new ideas, Venus can help.
Venus is a flow-movement practitioner and coach based in LA. Flow movement is like dynamic, rhythmic yoga. It builds strength and balance throughout your body - including your brain!
Movement and nature connection are Venusâ passions. If anybody can breathe new life into your barefoot routine, she can.
- Breathe the fresh spring air
Venus recommends stepping outside at the start of your day. âReawakening my nature means connecting my body to the earth, especially in the morning when the sun is rising,â she says.Â
Anything that gets your blood pumping works well. Perhaps a short walk is the best way for you to enjoy the birdsong, sunlight and blossoms. Or you can mix it up.
The biggest thing is simply getting out into nature. Whether youâre in the real jungle or the urban jungle, summer sings with life. Stepping out in the morning is a wonderful way to make a habit of natural movement.
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- Follow love, not fear
When Venus coaches, the first thing she asks is: âWhat is the entry point people need? And what are they really seeking?â Ultimately, she says, âyou whittle it down and you get to really simple things ⌠there is either love or there is fear.â
She recommends finding motivations rooted in love, not fear. âI try to ask people more love-based questions, like âWhat excites you?â âWhat are the things that draw you?â âWhat are the kind of exercises you enjoy doing?ââ
Why? Because âthatâs whatâs going to keep them consistently doing it, enjoying it and eventually having all the results they want.â
So, which movements bring you joy? Focus on those!
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- Put your back in to it
âThe spine is the superhighway of the body,â Venus says. Especially if you havenât been moving as much, activating your spine is an excellent starting point. And it can be super easy!
âI always say start by just standing up nice and tall, barefoot,â says Venus. Going barefoot, either literally or in her Vivos, is integral to her practice. She finds it grounds her and builds strength and balance.
Spinal movements can also be funkier. âThe simplest thing we can do is go back to crawling on the floor,â Venus suggests. âJust simple baby crawls!â This has many benefits, she says. âYou're going to be getting great spinal undulation and hip and shoulder oscillation.â
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- Connect with community
Moving alongside others is key to Venusâ flow practice, and transforms the power of movement. âBringing people together with movement is a beautiful thing,â she says. âIt's bigger than just the movement itself. It's people coming together, being on the same page, doing something for a good cause⌠even if it's just two people.âÂ
So, who do you love to move with? Whether itâs a friend, a team or even somebody youâve not met yet, getting moving again can be social as well as physical.
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- Give yourself a lift
Ready to step it up?
To prepare for more intensive workouts, Venus recommends bodyweight exercises to build a healthy foundation - things like squats, push ups, pull ups and lunges. âAll those things are a great foundation to lead you into a more rigorous exercise routine,â she says.Â
You may be surprised at how strong you can get through bodyweight exercises. Especially with proper squat technique - and Vivos like the Primus Lite III or Primus Lite Knit , designed for barefoot workouts - youâll be moving better than ever in no time.
Best of all, you donât need any fancy equipment for bodyweight exercises. A garden or simply some floor space works just fine - and, if you donât have a pull up bar, a sturdy tree branch!