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Precision Movement Training With Sarah Hardy

PLEB talks with Sarah Hardy about her Precision Movement Training Program, which is helping people to get their bodies—and minds, on track.

Precision Movement Training model
Precision Movement Training.
Model image courtesy of Sarah Hardy. Background image by artist Naomi Little.
About Precision Movement Training and It’s Founder, Sarah Hardy
From a young age, I’ve been dancing – in particular, classical ballet. I live and breathe it – but maybe not in the way most people expect. The magic of watching ballet is undeniable, and of course, I also loved performing. I came out of my first ballet lesson and told my mum I wanted to be a ballet teacher, and that never changed.
 
What I love about teaching ballet is the problem-solving that comes with teaching! It’s my job to observe closely and train myself to look beyond the obvious. When things are not going right or looking right, I need to figure out why and how to fix it. The majority of the time, this comes back to muscles or biomechanics. I’ve spent many years devising exercises to help dancers “feel” and “activate” the right muscles in order to enhance their movement. Muscles make sense to me.
 
I’ve worked with dancers from amateur to professional and I get so much satisfaction out of seeing the joy in their faces when they understand the correct feeling we’re trying to achieve. Or when they look in the mirror and see visible improvements they weren’t expecting.
Sarah Hardy, Founder of Precision Movement Training - Image by Grit Siwonia
Precision Movement Training Founder Sarah Hardy.
Image courtesy of Grit Sewonia

"You do not need prior fitness knowledge or experience because I will talk you through everything - step by step"

Sarah Hardy, Founder at Precision Movement Training

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.

Precision Movement Training
Precision Movement Training.
Image courtesy of Sarah Hardy
Precision Movement Training.
Precision Movement Training.
Image courtesy of Sarah Hardy
Precision Movement Training.
Precision Movement Training.
Image courtesy of Sarah Hardy
Precision Movement Training.
Precision Movement Training.
Image courtesy of Sarah Hardy
Precision Movement Training.
Precision Movement Training.
Image courtesy of Sarah Hardy

Exercise to Try at Home

Mini Stork Squat
1.Take a cushion or folded blanket – the softer the better.
2. Place it on the floor and stand on it – carefully to make sure you don’t slip. 
3. Place one foot in the centre of the cushion with the toes facing forward and the other foot held off the floor beside the other leg. Like a stork.
4. Slowly bend the standing leg while being very careful to keep the knee pointing forward over the toes. 
5. Recover to a straight standing leg. 
Repeat 10x each side.
*You will feel the ankle and knee want to wobble around or roll inwards. This is normal but the aim is to control it to remain stable.
Precision Movement Training logo

Website: precisionmovementtraining.com
Founder: Sarah Hardy
Instagram: @precisionmovementtraining
Contact: precisionmovementtraining@gmail.com
Location: Berlin, Germany

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