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Nonprofit Promotes Exercise as a Form of Creative Expression with “Get Moving May”

Posted: May 09, 2017 in ACE Press Releases

American Council on Exercise to showcase beauty of movement at interactive community art exhibit on May 13

San Diego, May 9, 2017 — In an effort to inspire more people to adopt a physically active lifestyle, The American Council on Exercise (ACE) is launching its newest initiative: Get Moving May. The local organization’s month-long effort will educate and encourage people to consider every form of movement—from walking to gardening to surfing—as a way to remain physically and mentally fit.

As a part of that effort, ACE will be participating in FIGMENT San Diego, a one-day, outdoor exhibit where they will be showcasing exercise as a form of artistic expression. On Saturday, May 13, ACE fitness instructors will lead a series of fitness classes on the grass of Chicano Park, surrounded by dozens of interactive art exhibits and historic murals of the park. The international non-profit, FIGMENT, organizes the installation as part of an all-day event to bring local artists and the community together to celebrate art and imagination.

"We often talk about the physical benefits of being active, while oftentimes overlooking or ignoring the intellectual and creative benefits of movement. These benefits are important and integral to living a healthy life," says American Council on Exercise Chief Science Officer Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D. "The fact is, being active isn’t just for athletes or fitness fanatics, it’s for everyone. We need to move from thinking of exercise as an obligation or chore to using it as a tool to keep both the mind and body healthy. Our participation in FIGMENT will challenge people to change the way they view their own fitness and see the possibilities for using movement as a creative outlet."

For centuries, anecdotal evidence has back the claims that exercise can fuel the imagination, and iconic 1800s philosopher Henry Thoreau claimed, “The moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow.” Research is now finding quantitative proof that physical activity can boost creativity. A study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found that people who exercise at least four times a week are more able to find creative solutions to problems than people with a sedentary lifestyle.

Based in San Diego, ACE is the world's largest health and fitness non-profit, with a mission to get people around the world moving to enjoy healthy and active lives. The international organization has certified more than 65,000 fitness professionals around the world. According to ACE, having access to physical activities should never find itself at the mercy of socio-economic factors.

"Membership costs, entry fees, hours of operation and other factors can frequently prevent people from accessing the tools to incorporate fitness into their lives, just as they can keep people from accessing culture and art in museums and indoor exhibits," says San Diego resident and ACE Senior Health Advisor Jessica Matthews. "On May 13, we're proudly removing these barriers and inviting everyone to enjoy beautiful displays of art and group fitness classes that focus on the beauty of movement, all free of cost."

Attendees can experience "Movement is Beautiful" from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Chicano Park, 1949 Logan Avenue. FIGMENT hosts engaging art events in cities around the world, inviting everyone to freely explore creativity and imagination with artists from every discipline. For more information, please visit sandiego.figmentproject.org. To learn more about ACE and its mission to get people moving, please visit acefitness.org.

About ACE

With a mission to get people moving, the nonprofit organization American Council on Exercise (ACE) educates, certifies and represents more than 65,000 currently certified fitness professionals, health coaches and other allied health professionals. ACE advocates for a new intersection of fitness and healthcare, bringing the highly-qualified professionals ACE represents into the healthcare continuum so they can contribute to the national solution to physical inactivity and obesity. ACE is the leading certifier in its space and all four of its primary certification programs are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the gold standard in the United States for accreditation of certifications that assess professional competence. ACE also plays an important public-service role, conducting and providing science-based research and resources on safe and effective physical activity and sustainable behavior change. For more information, call 800-825-3636 or visit ACEfitness.org. AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE, ACE and ACE logos are Registered Trademarks of the American Council on Exercise.

About FIGMENT San Diego

FIGMENT San Diego catalyzes and celebrates an abundance of creativity and passion, challenging artists and our communities to find new ways to create, share, think, and dream. Learn more at sandiego.figmentproject.org.