The Movement practise that swam to Rottnest Island

Bryn Edwards at The WA Real

The purpose of this conversation is to hopefully expand your frame of reference of what it is to be in your bodies 24/7, what that means to your experience of life and where a movement orientated practice can take you through the lens of my specific personal example.

Earlier this year, I successfully completed the 20km solo Rottnest Channel Swim. I had previously completed the challenge in 2016, but, despite successfully crossing, that ended up being a net negative experience physically.

Therefore, this time around I enlisted the help of Mark Bernacchi, experienced explorer of all things ‘movement’ and the co-founder of Modus Movement Studio in Myaree Perth.

Originally, I approached Mark for guidance with preparation for the swim with the aim of increasing the integrity of my body so that, at the age of 47, I would come out of it in a net positive physical position.

However, by embracing the culture and philosophy Mark has created at Modus and its application to the challenge of swimming 20km in open ocean, I started to experience the movement of my body in a deeper and broader context that exceeded the swim itself and spread out to all aspects of my life.

This has given rise to a movement practice that continues to be an integral part of my life today. The practise has redefined my physical experience in life and yields so many exciting possibilities for future exploration that far exceed swimming.

This conversation charts that journey.

So, who would benefit from this conversation?

• Anybody who exercises or undertakes physical challenges; particularly anybody who exercises using singular repetitive based movement patterns, such as swimming, running, cycling, etc.
• Anybody who wants to consider their experience within their body more deeply
• Everyone who asks ‘What do you mean by movement?’

To learn more about Mark and Modus visit:

• Instagram – @modusmovement
• Webpage – modusmovement.com