Firstly, Introduce yourself! Who are you, what do you do, and what are your passions?
Hello!! My name is Tahlia, I am a Physiotherapist and the co-founder of MOTUM (which translates to ‘movement’ in latin). MOTUM is natural, ground-based mobility training designed to help you move better. My passion is taking people, who feel like their bodies are broken, on a transformative journey to change their lives through movement.
What inspired you to study and start a career in physiotherapy and movement?
What initially inspired me to study Physiotherapy is very different to what inspires me now! I started out as someone who was passionate about health, the human body and ‘helping people’. What inspires me now is knowing how powerful moving well, and moving often can be. I have experienced it myself after suffering chronic pain for years. Understanding how my body was designed to move, changing my mindset and training style has been a completely transformative experience and I want to share that with others so they can feel the same way too!
How do you work with your clients to help them experience less pain and better movement?
It all starts with an assessment to gain a clear understanding of what a client can/can’t do. Once I understand their baseline ‘movement vocabulary’ and their goals, the fun begins. I work with people both in-person and online. I always take a holistic approach to fully understanding a client's lifestyle, environment and past experiences. I always start with the fundamentals of movement: core strength, flexibility, coordination and balance. Then slowly progress to high level strength work and MOTUM flows.
Why is mobility training important? Is it something everyone should incorporate into their movement and exercise routines?
Whether you are someone who is ‘super stiff’ or ‘hypermobile’, mobility training is SO important and everyone should be incorporating it into their lives. Mobility is your ability to move through a range of motion with control. This is not just being ‘flexible’. Unfortunately our modern lifestyles disconnect us from the ground, so we simply don’t get enough full body movement daily. Which means we have to make time for it! ‘Movement Snacks’ are my favourite way to do that! These are short 10 minute videos on MOTUM that give your body a daily dose of movement.
What are some of your favourite mobility exercises that we can incorporate into our routines?
My top 3 mobility exercises I do everyday:
1. Spinal wave: the best way to free your back. It is the ultimate expression of spinal mobility and control, using your muscles to move each segment of your spine independently, which is amazing for the long term health of your spine.
2. Shin box: the best way to free your hips after sitting in a chair. Sitting on the ground and moving through a shin box is one of the best things you can do for your hip joint health as it explores hip internal and external rotation.
3. Toe yoga: the best way to prevent bunions. Our modern shoes are designed for fashion, not for function. This is an easy way to keep your feet mobile and strong.
How can we make sure we are looking after our bodies and helping to prevent injuries when exercising?
Honestly the BEST thing you can do is look at your week and your environment. An office worker who sits for 10+ hours a day cannot “undo” their sitting habits by running 5km or doing a 1hr gym/pilates class that day. Regular movement is the key to feeling free and confident in your body to reduce the risk of injury. If your body is not exploring its full movement potential on a regular basis, you can’t expect it to snap into action. You have to put the work in day-to-day to feel confident, mobile and strong.
What does a typical day look like for you incorporating work, movement and life?
Over the last 7 years I have been fortunate enough to challenge the status quo of what a traditional Physiotherapists’ role looks like. My days are all so different and I feel so fortunate (honestly pinch myself everyday) that this is my job. One day I will be consulting at Physio Smart and teaching in-person MOTUM classes. Next, I will be filming content for our Online Membership and Instagram or I could be running an educational workshop at a gym or studio. It’s never the same! And as for my own movement I keep it really simple, walking my dog, MOTUM flows, strength training and playing on my olympic rings under the pergola!
Anything else you'd like to add? Where can we find you on social media?
“If you want to change your health, you must change the way you move and the way you think about movement” this is my favourite quote from Biomechanicanist Katy Bowman. Something I live by and try to educate my clients about on a daily basis.
You can find me personally @tahlia.motum.movement (this is where I post random and raw footage of how I implement movement into my days). I also recommend everyone following @motum.movement (this is the page I manage, it is FULL of ideas on how you can move better).
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