# Try Movement Habits Inspired by Other Cultures Movement doesn't have to mean a gym or a strict wo
Every culture in the world has developed its own approach to movement, the body, and physical activity over the centuries. While in the West we have grown accustomed to gyms, treadmills, and structured sports training, many other traditions approach movement in an entirely different way – more naturally, more playfully, and with a deeper connection between body, mind, and everyday life. Movement habits inspired by other cultures have in recent years been gaining prominence not only among health and wellness enthusiasts, but also among scientists and physicians searching for sustainable alternatives to conventional exercise.
It is no wonder. Global statistics are alarming – according to the World Health Organization, approximately 1.8 billion adults worldwide suffer from insufficient physical activity. And yet the solution may lie right before us, hidden in the traditions of peoples who never regarded movement as an obligation, but as a natural part of existence.
The Japanese concept that is changing the way we think about walks is one of the best-known examples. Shinrin-yoku, roughly translated as „forest bathing", is not simply an ordinary walk in nature. It is a conscious immersion in the forest environment using all the senses – perceiving the scent of resin, listening to the rustling of leaves, watching the play of light between branches. The Japanese National Institute of Forest Medicine has documented that regular shinrin-yoku lowers cortisol levels, blood pressure, and heart rate, while strengthening the immune system through phytoncides – volatile substances that trees naturally release. This practice is now spreading around the world and is becoming part of preventive medicine in Korea, Finland, and parts of Germany.
Moving to the other side of the world, we encounter Brazilian capoeira – a movement art that blurs the boundary between dance, martial art, and play. It emerged as a form of resistance among enslaved Africans in Brazil in the 16th and 17th centuries and retains its revolutionary spirit to this day. Capoeira requires no equipment, develops coordination, strength, flexibility, and rhythmic sensibility, while also building strong community bonds. Anyone who has ever watched a group of capoeira players in action knows what this means – bodies moving with grace and power simultaneously, accompanied by the live music of the berimbau. It is precisely this social and musical dimension that makes capoeira something more than just exercise: it is a way of being in the world.
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Movement as a daily ritual, not an exceptional event
One of the most important insights that can be drawn from other cultures is the attitude toward movement itself. In many Asian countries – particularly China, Japan, and Vietnam – exercise is not separated from everyday life. Elderly people gather in public spaces at dawn to practice tai chi or qi gong together. The slow, fluid movements of these disciplines are not merely physical exercise – they are meditation in motion, a way of bringing body and mind into balance before the day begins.
Research confirms their effectiveness. A study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine showed that regular tai chi practice significantly improves balance, reduces the risk of falls in older adults, and alleviates symptoms of chronic pain. And importantly, it is an activity accessible to virtually anyone, regardless of age, fitness level, or financial means.
Equally fascinating is the Scandinavian approach – specifically that of Norwegians and Finns – to the concept of friluftsliv, the practice of spending leisure time in nature as a fundamental life philosophy. Friluftsliv is neither a sport nor a targeted activity. It is a way of thinking that holds that time spent outdoors – whether mushroom picking, skiing, swimming in a lake, or simply sitting by a fire – has its own inherent value, independent of performance or calories burned. This approach is reflected in the high quality of life and psychological well-being of Nordic populations, who regularly rank at the top of international happiness surveys.
Take the example of Lucie, a thirty-year-old from Prague who, after years spent in the gym, found herself losing motivation. She signed up for a capoeira class and began practising shinrin-yoku in the surrounding forests at weekends. "I stopped exercising to look a certain way. I started moving because I enjoy it and it fulfils me," she described her transformation. Today, movement is a natural part of her day, not an item on a to-do list.
The African continent offers another perspective that remains underappreciated in the West. In many sub-Saharan cultures, dance is an inseparable part of everyday and communal life – of celebrations, rituals, grief, and joy. Afro dance or mbaqanga dance are not performances for an audience, but collective bodily expression in which the entire community participates. Rhythm and collective movement have demonstrable psychological benefits – research from the University of Oxford found that synchronised group movement raises endorphin levels more significantly than individual movement. In other words, moving together is simply better.
India has contributed yoga to the world – a system of physical and mental practices over 5,000 years old, whose popularity in the West continues to grow. It is important, however, to distinguish between the commercially adapted version of yoga and its traditional roots. The original system was not focused on physical performance or bodily aesthetics, but on harmonising breath, movement, and consciousness. The Ayurvedic tradition from which yoga derives approaches movement individually – different body types and temperaments require different kinds of activity. This personalised approach is precisely what modern sports science is only beginning to discover.
What to take from these traditions for your own life
Despite their diversity, the movement practices of various world cultures share one thing in common: movement is not separated from life, but is a natural part of it. It is not reserved for a specific hour at the gym, but permeates the entire day – a morning ritual, a walk to work, dancing after dinner, playing with children.
How, then, can these wisdoms be brought into a Central European context? The goal is not to copy foreign cultures down to the last detail. It is to embrace their underlying philosophy and adapt it to one's own life. A few concrete inspirations:
- Embrace movement as part of daily rituals – brief exercise in the morning after waking or in the evening before sleep, inspired by tai chi or qi gong
- Spend time in nature mindfully – instead of a brisk walk with headphones, try walking slowly, without a phone, and perceiving the surroundings with all the senses
- Incorporate the social dimension – seek out physical activities that can be shared with others, whether group dance, capoeira, or outings together
- Free yourself from performance-oriented thinking – movement does not always have to be measurable, optimised, or recorded in an app
As the founder of modern kinanthropology and pioneer of movement research Johan Huizinga said: "Play is older than culture." And it is precisely this playfulness – that natural, joyful movement without goal or performance – that may be what our excessively optimised culture is missing most.
It is also worth noting that these approaches are not at odds with modern science, but rather complement it. Epigenetic research shows that regular, natural movement – especially outdoors and on varied terrain – activates different genetic mechanisms than movement in the controlled environment of a gym. The body evolved over millions of years in a natural environment and continues to respond to its stimuli in ways that artificial environments simply cannot fully replicate.
Sustainable living is not only about what we eat or how we shop. It is also about how we move – whether we perceive movement as an obligation or as a gift, as performance or as joy, as an individual activity or as a way of connecting with others and with nature. The movement traditions of the world offer us an inexhaustible wellspring of inspiration in this regard – we need only open ourselves and listen. And perhaps take the first step – quite literally.
