Category: Movement

This category shares the idea of movement and how incorporating more of it in our every day lives can leave us feeling happier, healthier, and more in tune with ourselves and the world around us. Putting ourselves through the pain to get stronger. Continuing to grow our skills and abilities physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually through movement. Slow down, breathe, and work your body.

Movement, Ultra Running, Ultra Training

3 Proven Ultra-Running Principles + Simple Training Plan

Corie Muldoon

No overthinking, just proven methods:

Your 3 proven principles:

  1. 10% mileage bump each week
  2. 1 speed + 1 long run (official training)
  3. 3 weeks up, 1 week deload (time on feet)

Base building (8+ weeks):

  • 2 runs/week, 1 hour each
  • Walk/runs (no pressure, just movement)
  • Building the habit and routine back
  • Getting body ready for official training

Official training (5+ months):

  • Apply the 3 principles
  • Introduce speed work
  • Build long runs
  • Progress toward Ultra-distance capacity (32 miles+)

Reminders:

The key is feeling your body out. Give yourself time to build up to ultra distance capacity. Adapt naturally through training to avoid injuries. Make a plan and adjust as needed. Stay flexible yet focused. Compete with yourself. Know your surroundings. Be prepared, and ready to problem solve. Smile and have a positive attitude. Remember: this too shall pass*. God’s speed.

* “This too shall pass” is a proverb highlighting the temporary nature of all human experiences, meaning both good times and bad times are temporary and will eventually end. It is a mantra for resilience, reminding people to endure suffering with patience & to savor fleeting joyful moments

Holistic Healing, Movement, Seasonal - Holidays

5 Movement Flows to Refresh Your Body for the New Year

Corie Muldoon

New year, new movement flows! Skip the extreme fitness resolutions. These five simple movement flows will help you reset your body and feel energized without overwhelming your schedule.

Why movement flows work:

They combine mobility, strength, and mindfulness in one efficient sequence. Perfect for busy people who want maximum benefits in minimal time.

Remember: Motion is lotion! Keep your daily dose of movement flow top of mind. Write your notes out on a post-it note and put it somewhere you’ll see it (that part!)

5 flows to refresh:

1. Morning Sun Salutations – 5 rounds to wake up your spine and boost energy –> raise arms, forward fold, plank, cobra, to downward dog

2. Desk Break Flow – Neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, seated twists (3 minutes every hour) –> consider using a yoga ball as your work chair

3. Evening Wind-Down – Cat-cow, child’s pose, gentle spinal twists before bed –> single nostril breathing, calm environment with some tea

4. Weekend Warrior – 20-minute yoga flow combining strength and stretch –> longer holds, deep breathing, trying new movements

5. Micro-Movement Bursts – Squats, lunges, arm circles throughout your day –> even a minute of movement adds up overtime

These flows improve flexibility, reduce stiffness, enhance circulation, and calm your nervous system. No gym required. No equipment needed. Just you and intentional movement.

Try this today:

Pick 1 of the 5 flows that feels good to you and commit to it for 7 days (keep track on your post-it note). Notice how your body feels.

I love burning a candle or some incense before a flow. Cleanses the space making room for healing energy to come through. Setting the intention: “out with the old, in with the new, letting go of all troubles, mind and body renewed.” Little mind body spirit mantra I made up that I’ve been loving.

Share your thoughts below!

Lifestyle, Mental Health, Movement

Sync Your Wellness: Use the Sun to Move and the Moon to Feel

Corie Muldoon

Our energy shifts with nature, so why wouldn’t our wellness routine?!

Here’s a fun concept: the sun guides movement and the moon guides emotional work. I started to sync physical activity with daylight patterns and shadow work with lunar cycles. It’s really transformed how I show up for myself.

Sun-Based Movement:

  • Summer: Long runs, outdoor workouts, extra sessions
  • Winter: Gentle yoga, indoor strength work, treadmill miles
  • Daily: Our body naturally craves movement in daylight

Moon-Based Emotional Work:

  • New Moon: Set intentions for what you want to release or grow
  • Full Moon: Journal deeply, process emotions, cycles of healing
  • Waning Moon: Examine patterns, release what no longer serves

This natural alignment reduces resistance. You’re working with your rhythms, not against them.

Try this today:

Check tonight’s moon phase and spend 5 minutes journaling about one emotion you’re ready to acknowledge.

Share your thoughts below!

Movement, Wild Life Awareness

Move Like the Animals: Fitness Lessons from Wildlife

Corie Muldoon

Estimated read time: 2 minutes

Wild animals showcase perfect movement patterns that build strength, flexibility, and endurance naturally.

Nature’s Perfect Workout Plan

Animals don’t exercise… they simply move as their bodies were designed to. By mimicking these natural movement patterns, we can restore our own physical vitality and prevent common injuries.

Cat Stretches: Start each day with cat-cow stretches, just like felines do upon waking. This spinal mobility work prevents back pain and improves posture.

Bear Walks: Get on all fours and walk forward, keeping your knees slightly off the ground. This full-body movement builds core strength and shoulder stability that desk jobs destroy.

Frog Squats: Deep squats mimic how frogs rest and move. Hold for 30 seconds to improve hip mobility and leg strength while countering the effects of sitting.

Eagle Balance: Stand on one leg with arms spread wide, like an eagle surveying its territory. This challenges your balance and strengthens stabilizing muscles.

Creating Your Wild Workout

Morning Movement: Spend 5 minutes moving like different animals upon waking. This gentle activation prepares your body for the day better than jumping straight into high-intensity exercise.

Nature Breaks: Every 2 hours, do one animal movement for 1 minute. This combats sedentary lifestyle effects and keeps your body limber throughout the day.

Evening Wind-Down: End with gentle cat stretches and deep breathing, mimicking how animals naturally restore themselves before rest.

The Wildlife Connection

The more you move like animals, the more you understand their physical needs and capabilities. This embodied empathy often translates into better decisions about wildlife conservation and habitat protection.

This Week’s Challenge

Choose three animal movements and practice them daily. Notice how your body feels different when you honor its natural movement patterns instead of forcing it into unnatural positions.

Mental Health, Movement

Movement as Medicine: Improve Your Mental Health

Corie Muldoon

When we think about improving mental health, therapy and medication often come to mind first. But one of the most powerful tools is literally at our fingertips: Movement.

Movement (aka from rest to motion) isn’t just good for our physical health; it’s essential medicine for our minds.

The Mental Health Harvest of Movement

Unlike medications that work quickly but often temporarily, movement plants seeds that yield increasing benefits over time. Research shows that consistent physical activity:

  • Reduces anxiety and depression symptoms
  • Improves sleep quality and duration
  • Boosts self-esteem and body image
  • Increases focus and cognitive function
  • Reduces the physiological impacts of stress

Seeds Worth Planting

1. Mindful Walking

The Science: Walking in nature for just 20 minutes decreases stress hormones and activates the parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s “rest and digest” mode

Plant the seed: Take a 10-minute “green break” daily. Find a patch of nature—even a single tree on your street counts—and walk slowly, noticing the colors, textures, and sounds around you.

2. Strength Training

The Science: Resistance exercise releases endorphins and builds both physical and psychological resilience.

Plant the seed: Start with 5-minute bodyweight sessions. Try a circuit of squats, modified push-ups, and lunges. Even one set of each exercise twice weekly builds momentum.

3. Rhythmic Movement

The Science: Activities with consistent rhythm—like dancing, swimming, or cycling—create a meditation-like state that calms the nervous system.

Plant the seed: Dance to one song daily. Close your door, put on a favorite tune, and move however feels good. No technique required!

4. Stretching

The Science: Gentle stretching reduces muscle tension that accompanies anxiety and releases physical manifestations of stress.

Plant the seed: Try a 3-minute morning stretch routine. Reach your arms overhead, gently twist your torso, and touch your toes (or go as far as comfortable). Your body and mind will thank you.

Movement for Every Season of Life

The beauty of movement as medicine is that it meets you where you are:

During high stress: Gentle yoga or tai chi activates your parasympathetic nervous system

When feeling low energy: A brisk 5-minute walk boosts circulation and mood

When anxious: Rhythmic activities like jumping jacks or jogging help process excess adrenaline

This Week’s Challenge

Choose one movement seed from above and plant it intentionally for seven days. Notice how you feel before and after. Movement is a practice, not a performance—each small session compounds like interest in your mental health bank account.

Next week: Sowing Connection Practical strategies for building supportive relationships that protect your mental wellbeing.

Remember: While movement significantly benefits mental health, it works best as part of a holistic approach. If you’re experiencing persistent mental health symptoms, consult with a healthcare provider. Free resources here

Movement, Seasonal - Spring

Outdoor Fitness: Taking Your Workouts Outside After Winter

Corie Muldoon

After months of indoor workouts, spring finally invites us back outside!

Transitioning your fitness routine from the controlled gym environment to the great outdoors requires some adjustments, but the benefits:

  • Fresh air
  • Vitamin D
  • Changing scenery

…make it well worth the effort.

Why Take Your Workout Outside?

Outdoor exercise offers unique advantages over indoor workouts:

  • Natural vitamin D exposure improves mood and immune function
  • Varied terrain challenges different muscle groups
  • Changing scenery reduces exercise boredom
  • Research shows outdoor exercise can feel less strenuous while burning more calories

Smart Transition Tips

1. Start gradually: Begin with 20-30 minute sessions as your body adapts to different temperatures and terrain.

2. Layer appropriately: Spring weather can be unpredictable. Wear moisture-wicking base layers and bring a light jacket you can remove as you warm up.

3. Modify your routine: Convert gym exercises to outdoor versions. Swap treadmill runs for trail jogs, or stationary bikes for cycling paths.

4. Fuel yourself: Stay hydrated, and consider adding LMNT or Tailwind to your water bottle for longer cardio sessions.

5. Embrace the elements: Use nature as your equipment—park benches for step-ups, hills for resistance training, or trees for balance exercises.

Simple Outdoor Workout Ideas

  • Park circuit: Alternate between walking, jogging, and bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups against benches.
  • Stair workouts: Find local stadiums or public stairways for powerful cardio and lower-body training.
  • Nature walks: Start with brisk walking before gradually incorporating light jogging intervals.
  • City date days: Put on your favorite running shoes and explore new areas of your local city or town.

Remember, consistency matters more than intensity. The joy of moving outdoors after a long winter can reinvigorate your fitness journey and help you build sustainable healthy habits.

Are you looking forward to more outdoor workouts!? What’s your favorite way to get active outside? Leave a comment to share with the group and inspire others!