These days strength and fitness regimes are primarily based on weights and repetition or distance. It is important to note that although these progressions increase strength and endurance respectively, it does not necessarily increase the intelligence of ones’ body. In short — being fit does not mean the body is intelligent.

As a Pilates teacher, I teach people in varying shapes, sizes, flexibility, and coordination. They may be similar but never the same. Some are quick to learn new movement concepts and others take more time.

Translating information and making the connection from Mind to Body is what we can surmise as body intelligence. It is also about being aware of one’s body and where it sits spatially. We can help the mind to adaptively learn and build neurological pathways to smarten the body with;

‘focused learning' of new information and/ or
being exposed to new environments and situations

We experience new things each day albeit from reactive (automated actions)/ or incidental (trivial knowledge in passing) scenarios. However, ‘focused learning’ only happens when the brain is actively processing and translating ‘new’ information. Actualising new information with repetition translates this into learned motor skills.

The best way to help your body gain intelligence and be smarter is to persist in learning new body mechanics/ languages. You can do this by mixing up your training to integrate diverging strength training and coordination regimes that challenge both Mind and Body.

To have freedom and ease of mind to trust your body’s ability when learning new concepts is also key. Speaking from experience… learning new concepts can be a humbling process but with discipline and perseverance, you will learn to trust your body and free the mind.

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