Bodywork is one of the greatest tools a coach has, but its often a matter of opinion.
And it’s never quite what you want to hear.
This article explores how to make the most out of your body work, whether it’s by incorporating your own techniques or looking to help your colleagues.
We’ve also rounded up some advice on the benefits of bodywork and how you can get it right.
Bodies on Target: How to Get the Best Possible Results from Your Bodywork1.
Use bodywork as a tool for improvement.
The bodywork process is a way of helping to change the way you work.
If you’re struggling to achieve a goal or are in a bad mood, bodywork can help you get your work back on track.
“It’s the difference between not being able to move a certain part of your brain or not being feeling a certain emotion or feeling tired.
It’s just a process that we use to improve our mental health,” says Ben Johnson, a coach at the Sport Clinic, a London-based bodywork clinic.
As Johnson explains, when you train with bodywork, you can focus on increasing strength, mobility and overall performance.
This helps you stay in the moment, even when you’re feeling stressed.
“You’re doing the same thing over and over again,” he says.
“So it’s just that when you do the same routine, your body is more responsive.”2.
Use it to help others.
“It takes a lot of strength to train with your own bodywork,” says Dr. John Buss, a sports psychologist at the Sports Clinic.
“A lot of the bodywork we see from people in the gym is just not working for them.
It may not be right for them and they might not be the strongest.”
He says this can lead to some of the same problems as bodywork itself.
If you find yourself struggling to do your job, he suggests using your body as a way to motivate yourself to work harder.
“It’s important to get your body moving,” he explains.
“Make sure you’re getting enough calories.
You’re working hard for a living and you want a little bit of reward.”3.
Use your body to strengthen your own.
“The best way to help a client is to help them,” Johnson says.
With a bodywork session, your partner or coach can focus more on improving their own skills and getting them into better shape.
You can also take time to talk with them about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and help them understand what they need to improve their own body.
4.
Focus on helping your body.
“A lot more people are using bodywork than people realise,” says Buss.
“We see it in our clients as a great tool for building their fitness, as an effective tool for changing their mood, or as an alternative to the conventional work out.
We see it as being a way for people to be empowered.”
Buss says that bodywork has the power to improve the health and wellbeing of both the person doing the work and those around them.
“We all have a relationship with our body,” he notes.
“If you have a poor relationship with your body, then it will negatively impact your health and the way your body functions.”
5.
Focus your energy on your body and its benefits.
“People want to feel good,” Johnson adds.
“I think it’s really important to have a healthy relationship with what’s going on in your body.”
He stresses that it’s important not to overwork yourself.
6.
Be sure to follow your body’s cues.
“When you’re trying to achieve something, it’s very important to be aware of the natural signals your body gives you,” says Johnson.
“For example, you might have a really low sweat and you don’t want to sweat as much.
It might also be time for you to drink something and go outside.
It could be that you’re tired and your body needs a break.”
He suggests following your body on social media, as well as doing a physical activity.
“Your body is going to tell you what it’s feeling and what it wants,” he advises.
7.
Find ways to connect with others.
Buss adds that a lot more of us use bodywork to enhance our mental wellbeing than we realise.
There are many ways to use it, including: “It helps to focus on your surroundings and being aware of what’s around you,” he adds.
“You want to focus more and more on your own muscles and movement patterns,” he continues.
“What’s happening is you’re being aware and you’re not just focusing on what’s happening in your environment, you’re actually actually creating your own environment.”
8.
Practice and develop your own routines.
“If you are a bodybuilder, you are going to do bodywork more than you realise,” he warns.
“When you do a bodyweight routine, you