Newness & Discomfort – The Key to Movement Longevity (NRE Principle 1/5)

Written By Cuan Wayne Coetzee .

One of the core principles of movement longevity and Neural Re-Education (NRE) that I emphasise in practice is Newness and Discomfort. For those familiar with my work, particularly the LENDS principles, you’ll recognise how crucial this is to unlocking movement potential and achieving long-term health.

Why Newness Matters

If you want to open your brain up to learning something, then the experience needs to be a novel one. In other words, you need to challenge your brain with something new. Think about it—when your brain encounters a new movement or environment, it evaluates the situation and decides if it’s a good or bad experience. This is how we learn pain responses.

Pain is all about protection. If you move in a way that your brain associates with injury or discomfort, it can pre-emptively trigger pain to prevent further harm. But sometimes, the pain response comes before it’s even necessary, merely because the brain expects it. So, how do we reverse this? By introducing new environments and movements, carefully and incrementally.

The Importance of Incremental Change

New movements need to be introduced incrementally—in small doses. While one-time learning is possible, it’s rare. Most NRE occurs through gradual, repeated exposure to new experiences. Research shows that repetition is key to rewiring the brain, especially when it comes to movement patterns and motor learning .

Our brain reshapes connections and strengthens existing pathways when exposed to new stimuli. This is where physical (hands-on) therapy comes into play. When we manually increase a joint’s range of motion, or guide the body through a new, pain-free movement, that novelty triggers a new experience in the brain. In essence, we say, "those neural pathways have woken up."

The Role of Education and Exercise in NRE

Here’s the catch: new experiences and movements must be supported by education and exercise. You can’t just rely on the brain's raw ability to adapt—you also need to understand why the upcoming experience is important, and then reinforce it with movement. Repetition helps cement these new patterns.

It’s why in consultations, I often take the time to explain everything in detail. When patients grasp the 'why,' they’re more likely to stay the course. New movements can feel awkward or uncomfortable at first, but understanding this helps patients persevere. Incremental progress is the goal.

Newness Brings Discomfort

New movements, however, rarely come without discomfort. If you want to engage your brain in learning something new, it needs to be a challenging experience. Whether it’s physical discomfort, frustration, or agitation, it’s an expected part of the process.

This is why I often tell my patients: things might feel worse before they get better. That’s a crucial part of NRE. Your brain needs time to adapt to the novelty of the movement, and in the beginning, that can create discomfort. But this discomfort is not a bad sign—it's a sign that your brain is working.

Learning to Unlearn Pain

Just as we learn pain, we can also unlearn it. NRE helps rewire the brain’s response to movements or environments it once feared. But to do this effectively, we must introduce these new experiences in small, manageable increments, backed by patience and perseverance. Understanding that discomfort and even some pain is part of the process helps build the necessary focus and urgency .

This focus and urgency are important. When the brain recognises that it’s in a challenging situation, it hones in on the task at hand. This is where education comes in again—when you understand why a movement is uncomfortable but necessary, it becomes easier to push through.

The No Pain, No Gain Philosophy?

Is “no pain, no gain” true? Sometimes, yes. Discomfort can often be a by-product of learning something new. That’s why understanding this process makes the journey more meaningful. Knowing that your brain is adapting, that you’re forming new neural connections, and that these temporary challenges will lead to long-term gains—that’s where the magic happens.

So, my advice? Start learning new movements. Experience new environments. Doing this will not only help you overcome pain, but it will also add functional years to your life. And the best part? It’s never too late to start.

But remember: new movements often come with discomfort, and that's perfectly okay. It’s all part of the journey toward movement longevity.

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References:

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Cuan Wayne Coetzee .
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