My shoulders were lying to me

We all have a favourite spot where we hold our tension.

For me, it's my shoulders. Back when I was a translator and spent my days typing on a keyboard, I could feel the area between my neck and shoulders tightening as the day went on.

Imagine my delight when I discovered self-massage 😁 (I actually shared  - it's in French, but pretty much self-explanatory.)

But the tension always came back. Until the day I took a training course that made me understand something fundamental:

Weakness in a muscle shows up as a feeling of tension.

I thought my muscles were asking for rest, massage, stretching... but actually, they were begging me to strengthen them.

Because I had completely neglected any form of strength work, my muscles no longer had the capacity to meet the demands I was making of them. So they were exhausted, and they tensed up.

Now, I know the word "strengthen" can sound scary, especially when you're in pain. So let me be so clear:

Strengthening doesn't mean lifting heavy weights (unless you enjoy it).

It doesn't mean wearing yourself out when your nervous system is already running on empty.

It means working against a minimum of resistance, and your own body weight can be more than enough, especially at the start.

And above all, it's an investment. We lose muscle as we age, even faster around menopause. A strong back is what will let you carry your shopping, your children or your grandchildren, and stay independent for a long time.

The secret, as always, is the dose: enough to challenge you, not so much that it wears you out.

Most of my work with my clients is finding this optimal amount :)

What about you? Do you think you're challenging your muscles enough?

Much love,

Clem