Interview with Sarah Hardy, Founder of Precision Movement Training
Can you tell us about your journey into mindfulness and physical movement? What inspired you to blend the two?
Movement has always been a huge part of my life. It was only when that was taken away from me, that I really had to rethink how I moved forward. I hit a point in my life, where stress (and to be honest age) took a big toll on my physical wellbeing. I suffered a bad injury and went from daily gym, teaching ballet 5x a week, regular
Spartan races, wakeboarding…to almost nothing. I even had to sit at work and minimise walking. This resulted in everything you expect from a sedentary lifestyle – headaches, pain in my neck and back, low energy etc. I’m still working through it all. Through all of this, I learned a new way of fitness. I developed a more sustainable way of working out for myself. One that is maybe not showing results as fast as high impact training, but has a lower impact on my body and is maintainable on a long term basis. It made me realise how many other people must suffer through a similar situation but don’t necessarily have the knowledge or self-drive to change it. This is how
Precision Movement Training came about. My goal is to prevent people from even getting to the point I did.
How do you define mindfulness, and how does it manifest in physical movement practices? To me,
mindfulness with regards to movement means intentional training. It means knowing your body, listening to what you need – physically, mentally, nutritionally etc. Knowing when it’s time to push and when it’s time to rest.
What principles of mindfulness guide your approach to physical health? –
In your view, how does physical movement contribute to mental well-being? Movement and regular exercise has been long proven to be beneficial to one’s mental health. Exercise releases the “feel good” chemicals such as endorphins and
serotonin. It can lift the mood and distract from negative thoughts. Posture, breathing and rhythm can all impact your brain, therefore increasing energy levels and the ability to focus, while reducing fatigue and depression.
What types of movement do you find most beneficial for cultivating mindfulness in your clients?
Every person is different and takes joy and relaxation from various forms of exercise. Many people love
cycling – for me that’s a form of mild torture! Customised training programs allow space for the clients to take the lead in finding whether they prefer a more low impact form of training. Or if they need to burn off steam through
high energy workouts.
Can you describe the relationship between mindful movement and stress reduction?
Regulating your breathing can lower cortisol levels and calm the body. Stretch and mobility work reduces the physical stress within the muscles. By being present and observing the body’s movements, it can help to build better emotional control and resilience towards stressful situations.
What are some key exercises or movements you recommend for someone just beginning a mindfulness journey?
Find what works for you and commit to it for a period of time. Consistency helps you to see improvements which in turn acts as a motivator to continue.
Can you share some daily mindfulness practices that involve movement, which our readers can try at home?
Gentle stretching is perfect to do at home. Everyone should stretch! Simple stability work is also great to do at home and requires a level of mental focus and mindfulness to maintain control of the movement. A very simple example of an exercise for improving single-leg stability is the mini stalk squat, featured in this article.
Can you share a memorable experience where mindful movement significantly transformed a client’s mental or physical health? I often have “aha” moments with my clients. I work with a lot of
dancers who spend hours/months/years trying to perfect movements and can get very frustrated when the movements are not working. Many exercises in my program assist dancers by activating specific muscles and it helps them feel exactly what should be working. The look on their faces when they “get it” or they visibly see the difference is so satisfying!
What challenges do people typically face when starting with mindful movement, and how do you help them overcome those challenges?
When changing exercise or workout methods, there also needs to be a mental shift and an understanding that how your body responds might be different. With some forms of training, pushing yourself to the limit is not necessarily a bad thing and you feel extreme exertion physically and mentally. If you apply that same
mind-set to many of our exercises, they won’t be effective. The wrong muscles will likely take over and overshadow the actual goal. Also with flexibility work…if you reach the point of “pain”, you have gone too far and are at high-risk of injury. Come into our session with an open-mind and the understanding that sometimes less is more.
What advice do you have for someone struggling to maintain a consistent physical practice?
Start small. Set goals (long and short term). Be kind to yourself. Having someone to exercise with is a great way to keep yourself accountable. This can be a friend, workout buddy or a trainer. Find something you enjoy. Find something that can fit into your lifestyle. Especially during busy times. Precision Movement Training works with companies to offer employees an in-person or online training option so those working from home or unable to travel to a gym, can still benefit.
What’s the most important message you hope people take away from your teachings?
I want people to find the mind to body to movement connection. Being able to have control over how your body moves and benefiting from a more physically healthy, pain-free lifestyle
Can you tell us a little more about your business, Precision Movement Training?
Precision Movement Training offers training options for everyone. From dancers and
athletes who require a very targeted program, to office workers who are trying to reduce the impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. Our program has a strong emphasis on spinal health joint mobility and core strength. We work on mobilising the body through a range of stretches and release work. We support correct alignment and posture through stability exercises and strength work.
How can people book sessions with you?
To book a 1-on-1 session, or group class, you can email me directly at or find me on Instagram. While I’m based in Berlin, a lot of my clients are not. I have regular online clients in Asia and have workshops booked already in Europe and Asia. Online and in-person are both fine for me and work well for the clients.
Clients do not need much in terms of equipment – generally a rolled-up towel and a theraband/fitness band. If we do mobility or release work, a small firm ball is needed (massage ball or tennis ball). For in-person sessions, I can provide the band and ball.
