We are Better When We Move

Turns out the Sundance Kid had it right. “I’m better when I move,” he explained, during a job interview to be a payroll guard, when asked if could shoot.

And the truth is, so are we. Except now there’s a whole lot of research backing Sundance up, much like Butch Cassidy’s Hole in the Wall Gang when they were robbing trains (which is a physical activity).

Banner Health applauds physical activity. In an article published in 2020, the medical non-profit giant and largest employer in Arizona said exercising is a “natural mood booster” and one of the best activities we can do for our minds and bodies. “Not only does it give you a feel-good sensation post-workout, but it is also the remedy for stress, depression and other negative emotions.”

Banner Health quotes Dr. Yazhini Srivathsal, a psychiatrist with Banner Behavioral Health Hospital. “Exercise increases blood circulation to your brain, including areas like the hypothalamus, which in turn communicates to the other regions like the limbic system, amygdala and hippocampus. These regions are responsible for your mood, fear and anxiety response, motivation and memory and help decrease depression, anxiety and improve memory. If you’re curious as to why you feel so good after you exercise, you can blame it on endorphins, which are the happy chemicals released during and after a workout. Exercise also helps in promoting growth of new circuits in your brain and reducing inflammation.”

High Altitude Personal Training (HAPT) gym owner and personal trainer Rachael McDonald agrees and witnesses the positive effects of movement daily. “Everybody should know that exercising at some capacity is important for our fitness. But studies show that exercising regularly can help with conditions as serious as mental illness, and that’s one of the things COVID showed us. We need to exercise not only because it’s good for us physically, but mentally as well.”

Many of McDonald’s clients (who are not train robbers) confirm that their workouts have helped them with depression and anxiety. “We’re all about people in the gym losing weight, gaining muscle and getting toned, but health is so much more than that.”

Long-term benefits of an exercise routine, McDonald adds, include higher self-esteem and a better quality of life that comes with the freedom of being able to physically do what you want to do. “It’s knowing you can go for a hike if a friend invites you, or keep up with your grandkids or play tennis. I care way more about good posture and good body mechanics than how much I can lift or how good I look, so I can avoid injury and other health problems.”

An active lifestyle also helps us sleep, states Banner Health, because it makes us physically tired. And it improves creativity, “giving your brain that much needed ‘cognitive pause’ where it can help you change your perception and come up with new ideas.”

Thinking back to the movie, “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” you may recall the scene in which the distressed Sundance demonstrates this point: It’s hard to worry about problems, like expert trackers on your tail (Who are those guys?), when you’re running and jumping, especially off a cliff.

The positive effects of a consistent workout routine affect us in every area of our lives, says McDonald. “I have clients tell me our gym has saved their marriage because they are happier individuals. One of the most notable transformations was reported by a gentleman who came in and said he had never lifted weights or done any sports or anything athletic before. He started training consistently, three times a week. He expressed his level of confidence had dramatically increased. Basically, he had none, but he started working out. He built muscle. He felt stronger. He stood up taller. This made a huge difference in his overall personality. He says he became a completely different person because he felt confident.”

The Sundance Kid was a man of few words, but we should pay attention to those words because now we know, we’re all better when we move. Movement is about performance, really – mental and physical performance. It improves our mood, gives us more confidence and sharpens our minds, and maybe even our aim. QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Bonnie Stevens is a public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@gmail.com.