Mindfulness, Movement, and Exercise

<p>In this introduction, I share the core framework that guides my work as a mind-body movement specialist: sensory input drives how we move. I explore proprioception (your unconscious body awareness), interoception (your internal sensations), and how these systems influence everything from chronic pain to mental health. You'll learn about the difference between top-down and bottom-up processing, why movement is one of the most accessible entry points to mindfulness, and how developing body awareness can transform your relationship with pain and stress. Whether you're dealing with chronic discomfort, looking to deepen your movement practice, or simply curious about the brain-body connection, this overview offers a foundation for understanding how conscious movement can improve your overall wellbeing.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>If you spend long hours at your computer, you’ve probably experienced that familiar ache in your wrists, elbows, or shoulders. This simple wall stretch can help address the tension that builds up from repetitive keyboard and mouse work.</p><p><strong>How to do it:</strong></p><p>Start by standing next to a wall. Place your hand flat against it—or if that’s difficult, get your fingers to the wall first and then reach the heel of your palm toward it. Press firmly through the center of your palm while creating a sense of lifting through your forearm. Let your upper arm rotate naturally, and keep your shoulder down, not hunched up by your ear.</p><p>From here, take your opposite hand, touch the shoulder of your extended arm, and open it outward. Watch your fingers as you do this. Your feet can be close together or slightly apart—whatever feels stable.</p><p>After you finish, rest your hands by your sides and take a moment to notice how the stretched arm feels compared to the other side. Then repeat with the other arm.</p><p>This quick exercise helps counteract the effects of staying in one position for extended periods. It’s particularly effective when done regularly throughout your workday—you don’t need to wait until pain develops.</p><p>Give it a try during your next work break and notice the difference.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>Most of us rarely explore the full range of motion our hips are capable of. This seated hip mobility sequence offers a gentle, accessible way to wake up your hips and improve their function—no special equipment required, just a bit of floor space (and optionally, a helpful puppy).</p><p>The Foundation: The 90-90 Position</p><p>Start in a seated 90-90 position, with both knees bent at approximately 90 degrees—one leg in front, one behind. This position itself is a worthwhile hip opener, but we’re going to take it further.</p><p>The Basic Movement Pattern</p><p>The pattern is surprisingly simple: rotate your torso toward whichever foot is forward. As you rotate, your back leg naturally extends out. Then return to the starting position. That’s it—rotate, extend, return.</p><p>But within this simple framework lies a world of exploration.</p><p>Adding Layers of Engagement</p><p>Once you’ve established the basic pattern, you can experiment with different points of emphasis:</p><p><strong>Press the front thigh into the ground.</strong> This helps anchor the movement and creates a stable base for rotation.</p><p><strong>Press the back foot into the floor.</strong> You might even lift your back knee slightly as you do this, engaging different muscles and deepening the stretch.</p><p>Or simply roll through the movement without much extra effort if that’s what your body is asking for.</p><p>The beauty of this sequence is that you get to choose your level of engagement based on how you feel in the moment.</p><p>Building Complexity</p><p>After exploring the basic pattern on both sides and shaking out your legs (always shake them out—it’s part of the process), you can add another layer.</p><p>The progression looks like this: rotate over the front leg, press that back foot down, lift the knee, set it back down, bend the back leg, and return to center. It’s the same foundational movement, just with an additional bend at the end.</p><p>A helpful cue: think about rotating the back hip forward first. This often helps you get more completely over your front leg and deepens the rotation.</p><p>The Little Moments Matter</p><p>Between sides, take yourself for “a little walk on your sits bones”—scooting forward and back while seated. It’s a small reset that makes a difference, giving your nervous system a moment to integrate what you just did before switching sides.</p><p>Why This Matters</p><p>Hip mobility isn’t just about being able to do impressive stretches. It’s about maintaining the health and function of joints we rely on for almost every movement we make. Sequences like this one help maintain and improve hip rotation, which tends to diminish as we age or spend extended time in fixed positions.</p><p>This practice is exploratory rather than prescriptive. There’s no perfect way to do it—just your way, based on what you discover as you move.</p><p>Give it a try, and see how it goes. Your hips (and the rest of your body) will thank you.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>You’ve warmed up your hands. You’ve explored rotation on the pull-up bar. Now it’s time to move.</p><p>This dynamic floor flow integrates everything from the first two videos, showing you how hand rotation creates smooth, coordinated transitions on the ground. It’s where sensory awareness becomes embodied movement skill.</p><p><strong>The Pattern:</strong></p><p>* Left hand reaches across your body → weight rolls from pinky side to thumb side</p><p>* Right hand reaches to the right → weight rolls from thumb side to pinky side</p><p>* As you rotate to the floor, your right hand actively turns to guide your whole body through space</p><p>* Coming back up, you rotate through the thumb to return to standing</p><p><strong>Why This Matters:</strong> This isn’t just a cool movement sequence. It’s a demonstration of how small, intentional shifts in your hands create large, coordinated movements throughout your entire body. When you pay attention to which part of your hand is bearing weight and which direction it’s rotating, the movement becomes easier, more fluid, and more controlled.</p><p><strong>How to Practice:</strong> Go slow at first. This is about feeling the hand rotation, not performing the flow perfectly. Focus on one hand at a time if you need to. Notice how the rotation in your hands creates rotation in your torso, your hips, your legs.</p><p>Once you have the pattern, play with it. Make it your own.</p><p><strong>The Complete Series:</strong></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/jennpilotti/p/part-1-hand-sensory-awareness-on?r=1pv92r&#38;utm_campaign=post&#38;utm_medium=web">Part 1: Hand Sensory Awareness on the Ground</a></p><p>* <a target="_blank" href="https://open.substack.com/pub/jennpilotti/p/part-2-hand-awareness-on-the-pull?r=1pv92r&#38;utm_campaign=post&#38;utm_medium=web">Part 2: Hand Awareness on the Pull-Up Bar</a></p><p>* Part 3: Hand Rotation Flow (you are here)</p><p>This is how concepts become movement.</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe</a>

<p>Before you can use your hands strategically on a pull-up bar, rope, or pole, you need to wake them up.</p><p>This simple 5-minute exploration activates the 17,000 touch receptors in your palms and helps you develop a clearer felt sense of what your hands are actually doing when you move.</p><p>You’ll explore:</p><p>* Creating energy and awareness in your hands through friction and movement</p><p>* Sensing the outer edges of your hands (pinky side and thumb side) against the floor</p><p>* How your fingers interlace and rotate</p><p>* Peeling your hands off the ground with intention and control</p><p>This isn’t just a warm-up—it’s sensory training that builds the foundation for better movement on the ground and in the air. When you can feel your hands more clearly, you can use them more effectively.</p><p>All you need is yourself and the floor. Part 2 will take these concepts to the pull-up bar.</p><p><strong>Start here, feel the difference.</strong></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">jennpilotti.substack.com/subscribe</a>