Meditative movement as a category of exercise: implications for research.

Full Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Meditative Movement (MM) is proposed as a new category of exercise defined by (a) some form of movement or body positioning, (b) a focus on breathing, and (c) a cleared or calm state of mind with a goal of (d) deep states of relaxation. REVIEW: Two forms of exercise meeting this definition, Qigong and Tai Chi, are reviewed to examine health benefits found in the research literature, recap elements that should be assessed in MM research, and suggest where aspects of MM intersect with, and are distinguished from, conventional forms of exercise. RESULTS: Relevant dimensions of the key elements of MM, such as frequency, duration, type of movement, degree of exertion, description of breathing, and achievement of relaxed state are recommended to be clearly described and measured to consistently define the category across studies and clarify how MM may affect health outcomes in similar, and perhaps different, ways than conventional exercise. CONCLUSIONS: If these suggested standards are used, we will gain a better understanding of which elements are necessary for achieving targeted outcomes. Over time, as MM is studied as a category of exercise, research may progress more efficiently to define the domains of physiological and psychological benefit.

Author information

Author/s: Larkey, Linda (L); Jahnke, Roger (R); Etnier, Jennifer (J); Gonzalez, Julie (J);

Affiliation: College of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation, Arizona State University, Arizona Cancer Center, Phoenix, AZ 85004, USA.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of physical activity & health (J Phys Act Health), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Mar; vol 6 (issue 2) : pp 230-8

Dates: Created 2009/05/07; Completed 2009/10/20;

PMID: 19420401, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/20/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.