It’s the health trend everyone’s talking about – performing simple exercises with controlled, precise motions while maintaining a steady mindfulness. Here, an occupational therapist reveals how ‘slow fitness’ can dramatically improve your wellbeing
With the hectic pace of modern life showing little sign of ever slowing down, making any time for ourselves can prove exceedingly tricky.
But prioritising your mental and physical wellbeing is a vital part of staying fit, healthy and positive. And luckily, it’s far less difficult than you might think to fit some activities into your routine that will have a hugely positive impact on you. While you may not have heard of it, ‘slow fitness’ is a burgeoning trend in the world of health and wellness that emphasises a more deliberate and mindful approach to exercise.
Unlike the fast-paced, high-intensity workouts that have dominated the fitness scene in recent years, slow fitness encourages individuals to calm down and focus on the quality of movement rather than the quantity of reps or speed. At its core, the popular trend is about tuning into the body’s signals, moving with intention, and fostering a deeper connection between brain and muscle.
Mindfulness plays a really important role, with practitioners encouraged to be fully present during their workouts, feeling the sensations of their body and the rhythm of their breath. This more cerebral approach not only enhances the physical benefits of exercise but also promotes mental well-being, reducing stress and increasing overall awareness. Slow fitness sessions often incorporate elements of meditation or breathwork to further deepen this mind-body connection.
Here, as part of Mental Health Awareness Week (May 13 to 19), Julie Jennings, independent occupational therapist at HSL, reveals her six favourite activities to boost your physical and mental wellbeing.
Embrace slow fitness
Slow fitness involves activities with a focus on mindfulness and mood boosting, low intensity exercise. This includes activities like yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi. Slow fitness is a trending movement, which has seen a 200 per cent increase in Google searches over the last year alone
Julie says: “Slow fitness can have a very positive impact on mental and physical health, and is a great option for those who might have health barriers that prevent them from taking on higher intensity activities.
“Activities like yoga and Pilates allow you to stay active and increase your strength and flexibility. Other activities, like Tai Chi and Qi Gong, allow you to take a more mindful approach through their focus on controlled breathing, and are particularly effective at combating stress and anxiety, as well as physical fitness.
“The great thing about all of these activities is they allow you to remain active while putting significantly less pressure on your joints. They’re a great substitute for more intense alternatives that might cause you pain or discomfort as you get older, or if you suffer from chronic joint discomfort.”
The 5 minute movement
Whether you’re a busy bee, or spending lots of time sitting down, it’s great to factor in intentional movement. Adding a quick five minute activity to your day can help to improve your wellbeing.
Julie explains: “If for whatever reason you find that you’ve remained seated for a while, put aside some time to get yourself up and out of your chair for a quick walk about, even if it’s just heading to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.
“Alternatively, you can prevent your muscles from stiffening with some simple seated stretches and movements, or ‘deskercises’, designed to increase flexibility from the comfort of your armchair or sofa.
“Tricep stretches will prevent stiffness in your arms, while overhead reaches, trunk rotations and pectoral stretches will keep your torso flexible and prevent muscle tightness. These exercises can easily be carried out seated on any chair or a comfy recliner.”
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Enjoy the benefits of cold water
While it is a slightly more moderate physical activity, cold water swimming can improve your heart health, circulation and even skin. Julie says: “Cold water swimming carries all of the usual benefits of swimming, but the temperature change makes it slightly more physically demanding whilst protecting your bones and joints.
“It’s known to have the additional benefits of improving your circulation and reducing stress or anxiety, thanks to the lower celsius. Even if you’d rather not go swimming, a cold bath or shower during the day can bring some of the same benefits, including improving your circulation.”
Get cooking
Cooking can be a great way to relax, but getting active in the kitchen also allows you to control what you’re putting into your body, and get the most out of your meals.
Julie says: “As well as the more widely known benefits of a healthy diet, certain health conditions, such as arthritis, can be addressed through your cooking, by prioritising certain ingredients that can help prevent or relieve arthritic symptoms. A diet containing ingredients such as oily fish, nuts, beans and citrus fruits can help to develop healthy joints, and reduce the risk of arthritis. For those already experiencing symptoms, spices such as turmeric are a great option to reduce inflammation and pain in your joints.”
Uncover your green fingers
Getting outside and spending time gardening is a great mindfulness exercise, allowing you to enjoy being outdoors and getting in touch with nature, while also carrying out mild physical activity.
Julie comments: “Gardening carries a whole range of mental and physical benefits, and is also rewarding in itself. To ensure you’re experiencing the physical benefits of gardening, make sure to be conscious of your posture, and avoid hunching over or slouching. Remember to have a five minute warm up and cool down before and after any form of more strenuous activity to help prevent injury.
“You should also make sure you’re protecting your knees with a soft pad when getting down on all fours, to avoid any damage to your joints, and make sure to take regular breaks where you stretch out and flex your back and joints to prevent them seizing up.”
Socialise on the move
Getting out and meeting up with people, whether they’re long time friends or people you’ve recently met, is good for your wellbeing by itself, and you can increase the benefits by meeting up for an activity.
Julie says: “Simply meeting up with your friends for a walk, or joining a walking group made up of like-minded and similar aged people, can help to keep you active and social. If you’d prefer to be a bit more competitive, padel is a racket sport built around socialisation. It’s played in doubles, meaning it’s great for encouraging friendships, and it’s also better for your joints than other racket sports, thanks to the smaller court and addition of a teammate.”