Workout and Workshop: How Movement Unlocks Creativity

Years ago, I made a decision that would change my path – I wanted to start my own business. But where to begin? My first step wasn't a business plan or market research. It was simply creating space to generate ideas.

So I started paying attention to when and where ideas naturally came to me. A pattern quickly emerged: my best thinking happened during movement – running, lifting at the gym, or walking my dog. Ideas flowed more freely, connections formed more naturally, and insights appeared without forcing them.

This wasn't random. The more I observed, it became clear that movement was creating ideal conditions for creative thinking. I began intentionally using my workout time as idea sessions. During one particular gym session, everything clicked – the "aha" moment that led to my first business venture before Wonder Gym was even conceived.

What I discovered through personal experience, research has since validated: movement doesn't just strengthen our bodies – it enhances our creative capacity in unique and powerful ways.

The Creativity Disconnect

Many of us experience creative insights during movement without recognizing the pattern. We get breakthrough ideas in the shower, while walking, or midway through a workout. Then we return to our desks expecting the flow to continue, only to find ourselves stuck again.

This disconnect stems from a fundamental misunderstanding about how creativity works. We've been taught that creativity is about sitting down and "thinking hard" – forcing insights through concentration. But research suggests the opposite: creativity flourishes when we create the right conditions and then get out of our own way.

The Creative Brain in Motion

Harvard psychologist Shelley Carson explains that creative insights often emerge when we access what she calls the "absorb" mental state – a mode of open attention where we're receptive to new connections without forcing them. Physical movement naturally facilitates this state.

When we exercise:

Mental filters relax. Movement helps release the brain from rigid thinking patterns, allowing unusual connections to form. Research by neuroscientist Lorenza Colzato shows that even moderate exercise enhances divergent thinking – our ability to generate multiple solutions to open-ended problems (Colzato et al., 2013).

Default mode network activates. This brain network, associated with imagination and creative insight, becomes more active during certain types of physical movement. A 2018 study found that activities requiring minimal concentration (like walking) enable this creative network to engage more fully (Chen et al., 2018).

History shows us many creative thinkers who integrated movement into their process. Composers, writers, and scientists have long used walking and other forms of movement to spark fresh thinking – an intuitive approach that modern research now helps explain.

Why We Need Creative Movement More Than Ever

Today's work environments present unique creative challenges:

1. Digital fixation keeps us physically still for hours, limiting the natural movement that stimulates creativity

2. Constant connectivity eliminates mental downtime where insights typically develop

3. Productivity pressure makes us feel guilty about stepping away from our desks, even when stuck

The result is a creativity crisis – we have more tools than ever but struggle to generate truly original thinking.

The Movement-Creativity Connection

Through my own experience and what I've observed working with others at Wonder Gym, I've found that different types of movement seem to support different aspects of creative thinking.

While research is still evolving in this area, my observations and those of many creatives suggest certain patterns worth exploring:

Rhythmic, moderate-intensity movement like running or swimming may help quiet the analytical mind, potentially creating space for new ideas to emerge

Activities with variety like circuit training might parallel the mental process of exploring different angles of a concept

Walking specifically has been studied more than other forms of movement, with research suggesting it supports both idea generation and problem-solving in unique ways

Through both Wonder Gym sessions and the Movement Mindset Method we've developed, I've seen how intentional movement transforms creative capacity. Someone arrives stuck on a project and leaves with new directions to explore. Another person connects previously unrelated ideas during a workout and finds the approach they've been seeking.

Designing Your Creative Movement Practice

You can begin exploring this connection with a simple framework:

1. Identify your creative need: Are you generating new ideas, developing existing concepts, or solving specific problems?

2. Choose movement that works for you: While different activities might support different types of thinking, the most important factor is selecting movement you enjoy and can sustain

3. Prime your thinking: Before moving, briefly review relevant information or questions without trying to force answers

4. Create mental space: Allow periods without content consumption during movement – this is where original thinking happens

5. Capture insights: Have a system ready to record ideas that emerge during or after movement

This framework works whether you're incorporating thought-provoking content like podcasts to spark ideas, using specific reflection prompts, or simply creating space for your mind to wander productively.

Your Creative Movement Challenge

This week, experiment with movement as a creative tool:

1. Choose a creative challenge you're currently facing

2. Select a 30-minute movement activity you enjoy

3. Briefly review the challenge before starting

4. Move without trying to force solutions

5. Note any new ideas or perspectives that emerge

Whether you're developing the next big project at work, solving a personal challenge, or exploring a creative pursuit, integrating movement might be the key to unlocking your best thinking.

The creative insights you need might be just a workout away.

Sources:

Chen, C., Nakagawa, S., An, Y., Ito, K., Kitaichi, Y., & Kusumi, I. (2018). The exercise-glucocorticoid paradox: How exercise is beneficial to cognition, mood, and the brain while increasing glucocorticoid levels. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, 49, 170-189.

Colzato, L. S., Szapora, A., Pannekoek, J. N., & Hommel, B. (2013). The impact of physical exercise on convergent and divergent thinking. Frontiers in human neuroscience, 7, 824.

Carson, S. (2010). Your Creative Brain: Seven Steps to Maximize Imagination, Productivity, and Innovation in Your Life. Jossey-Bass.