If you’ve ever taken an exercise class, used an exercise DVD program, worked with a personal trainer or PT, or tried a workout routine in a magazine, you’re probably familiar with many of the exercise buzz words and concepts that are popular right now.

Here are some common exercise terms, selected from health and fitness magazines:

• Tighten the core
• Squeeze your butt
• Keep a flat back

These phrases refer to your structure, anatomy or movement mechanics… so what’s your understanding of them? The terms above, and many others used in the fitness, exercise and health world, are all pretty vague, giving you little information about how your body is designed to work and how to use it correctly.

And for your exercise program to be successful, it’s important that you completely understand how your body works and incorporate this understanding into your movement.

Why?

Because your brain and body function together — your brain and nervous system run the programs of moving  your body, and if your brain doesn’t understand how your body works to control your movement correctly, then you’re more likely to cause damage with exercise and in daily activities.

Conversely, if you have a clear understanding of how your body works, you’ll move better, feel better, and get faster, more profound results.

For example, when you first used a computer — if you learned as an adult, like many people — you probably fiddled around,  wasting time and getting frustrated, trying to figure out how to do a simple task… and after some trial and error, you got better. You became faster and more efficient, until you reached a place where many functions you first thought were awkward and confusing are now second nature.

When you understand how something works, you use it more efficiently. And your body is no different.

Most of the terms used in health and fitness do nothing to help  improve your understanding of your body and how it works… they’re just mystifying, adding layers of confusion and complexity, rather than clarity and understanding.

Let’s take the “core”, for example. When you think about tightening your core, what’s involved? First, you have to know where it is — not in a vague “it’s somewhere in my middle” sort of way, but specifically. Where does your core start? Where does it go? Next, how do you tighten it? Should you pull something in, or perhaps push something out, to engage your core? And last, how much do you tighten it — 50%? 27% 92%?…

… this simple term that we never question has more aspects to it than you might think.

Using a phrase like “tighten your core” is vague — and doesn’t give our brains the input they need to exercise the core effectively without causing damage or injury.

Notice that all the terms above are pretty abstract — they don’t help improve our understanding of how our body works.

The ability to visualize the design of your body and how to use it correctly is critical to your exercise success… incorrect or incomplete information results in pain and injury. Just as operating any device or equipment with poor or incomplete instructions results in damage — using your body in ways that oppose it’s design causes injury too.

Keep in mind that when you exercise, you’re programming your body AND your brain/nervous system for movement — and you’re creating movement pathways that determine how you operate your body in all your daily activities. If you have poor exercise and movement habits due to not understanding how your body works, you’ll put undue stress and tension on joints, tendons, ligaments and cartilage, and you’re no longer exercising for success… you’re practicing injury.

So what do you do to improve your knowledge of your body’s design so you can maximize strength, flexibility, balance and coordination?

Seek out a practitioner who’s trained in movement science, not just exercise, strength training, or conditioning.

I make no apologies for shamelessly promoting Park Meadows Pilates & Physical Therapy, because our primary  focus is on helping you understand how your body is designed, and showing you how to use it for exercise and movement success — without causing injury. Franklin Method educators are a great resource, as they’re trained to help you understand and visualize the design of your body. Balanced Body Education Pilates teachers receive training in the science of movement, and are also a good resource.

Your body is ultimately YOUR responsibility — and it’s up to you to learn as much as you can about how you work, and how best to incorporate this understanding into your posture and movement.