What is Awareness through Movement
“The goal is to increase awareness of the body, improve movement patterns, and promote a sense of well-being”.
The statement above is the last sentence from the AI answer to what is Awareness through Movement. This could explain many movement classes!
- It’s about experience, not performance. You truly understand it by doing it, not just thinking about it.
- Yes, we move but this is not a typical exercise class. The focus isn't on pushing limits or breaking a sweat.
How Most People Think of Exercise
- Cardio. Making the heart and lungs stronger to increase stamina.
- Flexibility. Improving range of motion to stretch or bend further.
- Strength. Building muscles to lift more or perform physical tasks better.
How Movement through Awareness is different
- It's about tuning into your body. Noticing how you move, not just how much you move.
- It cultivates quality over quantity. Movement becomes more efficient, gentle, and purposeful.
- It encourages mindful connection. You learn to sense, adjust, and respond rather than push through.
- It supports long-term resilience. Building habits of ease, coordination, and injury prevention.
One of my kids dances for hours .. but this is not exercise, she says, it's social and fun.
I have asked school kids about basketball or soccer.. Again, NOT exercise. According to them, it's a sport, not exercise!
Like many things, exercise and movement is about our point of view, our perceived goals and our cultural learning.
So are ATM lessons an exercise class?
Seems that the answer depends on YOUR definition of exercise.
- ATM lessons are preparation for… ( add life/work exercise… in this space)
- They are a sequence of movements, exploring a movement possibility.
They involve exploration of a range of movement and flexibility.. But not through stretching.
Variations in Awareness through Movement lessons
Some lessons are almost meditative
Movements are minimal
Imagination and inner sensing take center stage.
Breathing becomes the main event. Is it cardio? Not in the traditional sense
You're not trying to make your heart beat faster, but as your attention shifts and your breathing deepens, your heart rate does respond naturally.
Other lessons feel surprisingly challenging. Involve multiple position changes and coordination puzzles.
Instructions may feel impossible at first.
Then come variations: small tweaks, reversals and playful explorations.
And suddenly, what seemed impossible becomes possible!
“We make the impossible possible, the possible easy, and the easy elegant.” Moshe Feldenkrais
Your breathing becomes your guide.
Even in complexity, the goal is to move with calm, steady breath.
This steadiness tells us we’re not forcing, we’re integrating.
Principles That Guide This Work
Work smarter, not harder.
Strength isn't about bracing or pushing.
It's about efficient, coordinated effort.
use variation as a tool for learning.
Change the starting position
Slow it down… or speed it up
Reverse the action
Imagine the movement instead of doing it
All of this builds a nervous system that’s adaptive, energy-efficient, and intelligent in motion.