How to get the body to move faster?

JessBbody

I've recently noticed that it's difficult to get my body to do fast movements.

For example, I've recently tried step aerobics and even the beginner videos are moving too fast for me. I also like to do dance videos and I can rarely move as fast as the instructors. I'm not in terrible shape as I've been exercising regularly for the past 6 months. But it's only recently that I've been working on these types of fast paced movements.

I am able to do fast marching videos like Walk at Home, but when the movements get more challenging my body slows down.

I've no doubt that my muscles are tight because I'm terrible at stretching, but I am wondering if there are particular exercises or stretches I can do to make my body move faster.

This may be a silly question, and maybe the answer is "sheer force of will." It could also be practicing the same videos over and over. I just thought there might be tips and tricks.

Thank you for any advice.

ageingtechno

You cant run before you walk. Your body and brain have to get used to it. Practice, experience, muscle memory.

Diatonic12

Out here in the wild, wild west, dodging bullets was one way to get the body moving faster. Nowadays, it's mostly grizzly bears and mountain lions. Keeps you on your toes.

A very gentle and consistent walking and running program can be just as effective as beast mode. You want to stay limber and in decent working order into your super duper old age. Think gentle changes for the permanent WIN.

L1zardQueen

It's like playing the piano. At first, my fingers didn't move very fast, but the more I practiced the better they get.

lorrpb

I’ve been exercising for several years and still can’t keep up with a lot of videos and classes. Heck sometimes I can’t keep up with the pace in yoga. Just keep improving yourself at the pace your body tolerates.

AnnPT77

Newer at something usually means slower at that thing. It's as much brain as body (strictly, maybe neuromuscular systems).

As a generality, doing the thing more slowly leads to doing the thing faster eventually. Rowers like me get to faster strokes per minute by working on technique at slower strokes per minute. (My slow banjo picking gets faster with time and practice, too.) Runners get faster by putting in a lot of time running slowly.

People deprecate Tai Chi as a martial art (though that was its origin) because the practice is slow: That's about building subtly new body mechanics, in well-taught (rare) cases. Actually using the skills isn't slow, but learning/pracicing them is.

Being fast at one thing doesn't necessarily make you fast at another thing: Conditioning can be surprisingly activity specific.

Whatever it is, practice at the speed you can manage, pushing yourself just a bit. I predict it'll get faster. I don't think - in most cases - ancillary things like stretching are part of the equation.

I think it's mostly that things take time and patience to learn, and we're not very accepting of that in the era of the microwave meal and 90-second rice. 🤣

sijomial

Practice, practice, practice.....

You learn and restrict movement patterns over time. I had an interesting course of physiotherapy last year after a major disc prolapse and the Physio pointed out I held myself very rigidly and my movements involving my spine were very controlled and slow - a defence mechanism after decades of disc problems.
The downside of that guarding behavior is that when sudden uncontrolled movements outside my control happened they put me at greater risk of more injury. Missing a step, tripping etc.

The physio was mostly about relearning "normal" movements patterns, speeding them up and progressively loosening my over-control. There's quite a sea change in back injury rehab trying to move away from the old ways of restricting movement's range and speed.

It's not silly at all. Keep trying, keep progressing - it takes time.


PS - a different and non-injury related example....
When I took up cycling seriously in my 50's my natural feeling cadence was about 60rpm which is inefficient and limits your endurance. I simply kept pushing the cadence up and over time 85rpm became my new normal.

AliNouveau

I'm going to reiterate practice. As adults we often feel we should just be able to jump right in and do things that are difficult. If you're doing a dance workout those dancers have been doing it for years so it's natural because of a lot of muscle memory.

I sometimes teach adults ice skating and I have to make them always slow down and break things down to basics....they hate that because they just want to learn the tricks without learning what makes them happen

cgvet37

It's like anything else, it takes time. Your body and brain have to lean patterns.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

If it's on YouTube, you can slow the video down. If you click on the "gear" icon, you can change the playback speed. I've never tried it, but maybe it would help.

I remember doing step aerobics in the 80s over and over with the same instructor (who was actually a colleague at work). He might change up a few things each time, but we learned his overall style and could even anticipate what he might do next. Many of his moves had advanced and easy versions, too. It was fun!

ChristopherLimoges

Hydrate, stretch, replenish, and push yourself.