The difference between "working out" and "moving well"

I spent decades “working out.”

Pushing harder. Lifting heavier. Chasing that burn. Proving I still had it.

My body kept score in ways I ignored. Sore joints. Tight hips. A back that reminded me every morning what I’d done the day before.

I thought that’s just what happens when you train hard. The price you pay to stay strong.

Then I learned the difference between working out and moving well.

Working out is about conquest. Moving well is about conversation with your body.

Working out asks “How much can I take?” Moving well asks “What does my body need today?”

Working out leaves you depleted. Moving well leaves you energized.

Working out at 72 would have destroyed me. Moving well at 72 keeps me thriving.

Here’s what nobody tells you: your body doesn’t need to be dominated. It needs to be listened to.

The strongest thing you can do isn’t another rep. It’s learning when enough is enough.

Your choice: Keep pushing through pain because that’s what you’ve always done, or start asking what your body’s actually trying to tell you.

We teach the difference at RiversZen. One mindful movement at a time.