Trusting the Pull Towards More

Something happened in my own movement practice recently that cracked open a question I can't stop thinking about. It started with an hour-and-a-half session that was only supposed to take 45 minutes, and led me down a rabbit hole about choice, body wisdom, and the simple power of I want more of this.

Why do we automatically pull back when something doesn't feel right, but hesitate to lean in when something feels amazing?

I kept waiting for that familiar voice to say "okay, that's enough now." Instead, there was this quiet insistence: I want more of this. Not greedy, just curious—wanting deeper physical challenge, more emotional release, following where this felt good.

I don't often feel drawn to move unguided in my studio. Like my clients, I usually prefer being led—there's something so delicious about surrendering to the experience without having to think or plan. But I couldn't find a class that matched my energy, and I just had to move.

The Art of Following Our Body's Calls for More

What hit me while moving is that we rarely have the opportunity—or the know-how—to follow our body's calls for more. We're learning to listen to our no's and honour our boundaries, which is vital. But are we unfamiliar with how to follow more of what's good when our bodies are asking us to stay and keep going?

This experience made me realise how rare these moments of being able to choose more actually are. I feel it's a combination of what we've absorbed from the culture around us and what's practically available to us. We've got to-do lists and places to be.

But if we take the time problem out—because that is universal—when was the last time you stayed in a stretch until you felt satisfied? Kept doing a particular movement that felt really good rather than moving to the next thing? Continued a walk because you wanted to, not because your app told you to?

At Rosy Movement, our Pilates studio creates space for exactly this kind of intuitive listening. Whether you're flowing through a reformer session, settling into mat work or exploring on the cadillac, we encourage you to notice what your body is asking for—and trust that wisdom.

Breaking Free from Machine-Like Exercise

It's like being deep in conversation with a dear friend—you're both engaged, words flowing, insights emerging. Then suddenly you look at your watch and say, "Well, our scheduled 60 minutes is up," and abruptly leave. It would feel jarring, wouldn't it? Yet this is precisely what we do with our bodies—we interrupt their natural rhythms because we've been taught that structure trumps sensation.

This pattern of cutting ourselves short points to something deeper beyond the time issue. It's rooted in a fitness culture that treats bodies like machines, where exercise must be "functional," timing exact, discipline unwavering, and results measurable.

This approach creates hierarchies: some ways of moving are deemed better than others, some bodies healthier, some sizes more acceptable, some muscles more important, some workouts more efficient, some progress more legitimate. We've learned to judge our movements against external standards, rather than being encouraged to trust what actually feels good, what serves us, what we want more of.

Creating Permission to Trust Your Body

Yet how often do we actually give ourselves this choice? Do you feel you have permission to? Do you feel safe to? Do you even know how?

In our Collingwood studio, we practice size-inclusive Pilates that honours every body's unique needs, desires and responses. Whether you're working through clinical Pilates for rehabilitation, exploring pregnancy movement, or simply wanting to move with more freedom and ease, our approach is personalised.

The Role of Movement Professionals

I believe it's part of our role as movement professionals to create the space where this feels not only possible, but obvious. You are the expert on your own experience. Exercise science can inform our choices and support our goals, but YOU decide how those principles work in your unique body, your circumstances, your life.

For those seeking clinical movement support, this principle becomes even more crucial. Your body's healing journey is unique, and our approach ensures that rehabilitation feels like a conversation rather than a prescription.

The Invitation to Trust

So, next time your body says "I want more of this"—try following that voice. See what it wants to show you. See what happens when you let your body's wants guide the session instead of clocks, schedules and rules.

This might mean lingering in a reformer stretch, exploring additional repetitions when your muscles are asking for more engagement, or allowing a routine to evolve beyond its planned structure. It might mean adjusting your plan mid-session because your energy is calling for something different.

Whether you're working one-on-one with an instructor or exploring through a semi-private class, remember that your body holds profound wisdom about what it needs. Our role is to create the conditions where that wisdom can be heard and trusted.

Looking forward to moving with you,

Cheers, Alannah [and Bear]. xxx

Ready to explore what your body is calling for? Join us at Rosy Movement for Pilates sessions that honour your unique needs and rhythms. We create space for movement that feels like coming home to yourself. Book your session today!