Repetition becomes boring.  It’s probably what makes exercise easy to dread: it usually involves repetition (sometimes aka “reps”).  As a competitive swimmer from age 8 – 13, then a professional dancer from 20 until 41, I’ve had a lifetime’s share of repetitive movement.  Knowing what’s coming next is drudgery – but that’s me.  I believe in surprise and spontaneity to keep the mind active and focused on what is happening, rather than slipping into roteness through routine.

But the bigger point here is that repetition is, well…repetitive.  Repetitive stress injury: An injury that occurs due to recurrent overuse [emphasis mine] or improper use.

Is overuse just as damaging as improper use?  One reason alignment is so important is to prevent improper use.  But is the form of exercise you’re doing setting you up for overuse?

Take running, for example.  Or weight-lifting, for another.  Both involve repetitive movements while weight-bearing.  Both also involve momentum – which keeps the weight moving.  Sure, both burn calories, shape muscles, but at what cost to the muscles and joints?

Yoga is not exempt from this.  A daily yoga practice that predominantly hits the same poses each time (such as Ashtanga and Bikram, which adds intense heat to the mix) is, by definition, repetitive.  And if there’s improper set up and alignment, you’re adding improper use to the equation.

I think the key is variety.  Switch things up.  Do something one day, then change gears the next – and keep going.  Variety creates balance.  After all, is it healthy to eat the same thing every meal, every day?

Include movement that is SLOW (sans momentum) and NON-REPETITIVE in this variety, addressing the muscles and joints in a safe and meaningful way.  Weight-bearing (without repetitive impact, as in running) can build bone density without aggravating the joints in-between the bones; weight-lifting (without repetitions) can build muscular strength without momentum taking the muscle too far.

Why risk it?!  There are many creative ways to safely explore the range of joint movement while challenging agonists, synergists and antagonists (fancy anatomical names for the muscles’ roles in movements) without repetition.  Maybe that’s just me again – delighted by the challenge to come up with new combinations of postures (and new postures as well), not only to avoid burn out of muscles and joints, but to avoid the mind from burning out.