“Sit down and sit still.”
You may have been told this in your youth. Even in your adulthood, you’re expected to sit in long meetings, stare at screens for hours, or be glued to your desk from nine to five.
But if you’ve got kinesthetic intelligence, you know that you learn and think better when you move.
The problem is, most people don’t even know that’s a thing. And that ignorance keeps a lot of brilliance stuck in chairs.
What is kinesthetic intelligence?
The word “kinesthetic” comes from the Greek word kinesis, meaning movement. So when you have kinesthetic intelligence (also referred to as bodily-kinesthetic intelligence), your brain is wired to learn and process information through movement.
According to Jim Kwik, a brain performance coach and trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain program, you’re drawn to activities that involve movement, such as sports, dance, martial arts, or any kind of physical expression. That ability to use your body with intention and awareness? That’s a form of intelligence, too.
“That’s an intelligence, right?” he says in his YouTube video. “To be able to express yourself, your self-awareness.”
For you, movement is memory and action is insight. But stillness? It can feel like silence.
What’s worse: when kinesthetic learners are forced into stillness, they often get misdiagnosed. In the U.S., around 900,000 children (nearly 20% of those labeled with ADHD) may actually just need movement to learn, not medication.
Yet, most traditional education systems aren’t built for learners like you. So you grow up thinking you’re bad at learning when, in reality, no one ever taught you in a way that meets how you’re wired.
Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences
Psychologist Howard Gardner proposed that human ability isn’t a single, fixed measure like IQ. Instead, he introduced the idea of multiple intelligences. This framework, originally published in 1983, recognizes the different ways people understand and interact with the world.
Gardner’s theory outlines nine types of intelligence:
- Linguistic: The ability to use language effectively through reading, writing, speaking, or storytelling.
- Logical-mathematical: Strength in reasoning, recognizing patterns, and working with numbers or systems.
- Musical: A natural sensitivity to sound, rhythm, pitch, and tone.
- Visual-spatial: The capacity to visualize and manipulate objects in space with accuracy.
- Kinesthetic: Using the body skillfully to express ideas or solve problems.
- Interpersonal: An intuitive understanding of other people’s emotions, intentions, and behaviors.
- Intrapersonal: Deep self-awareness and an ability to reflect on your own thoughts and feelings.
- Naturalistic: A strong connection to nature and an ability to recognize patterns in the environment.
- Existential: A tendency to ask big questions about life, purpose, and the nature of reality.
The core idea is, everyone has a unique blend of these intelligences. And because this model challenged the traditional belief that intelligence could be boiled down to test scores or academic achievement, it opened up a more inclusive, human way of understanding talent, learning, and potential.
It gave people permission to stop asking, “Am I smart?” and start asking, “How am I smart?”
And for kinesthetic learners, that shift changed everything.
Key characteristics
It’s easy to overlook movement-based learning, mostly because the world’s too focused on how fast you think, not how deeply you move. But if this is your wiring, it shows up in ways you might not even realize.
Here are some common characteristics of bodily-kinesthetic intelligence:
- Prefer hands-on activities and learn best by doing
- Use gesture and physical expression to communicate
- Have strong coordination and body awareness
- Struggle with sitting still for long periods
- Process thoughts or emotions through movement
- Excel in activities involving touch, rhythm, or spatial awareness
- Notice how their body feels in different environments or moods
If your body has always felt like part of your thinking rather than separate from it, that’s a sign this intelligence runs deep. As a matter of fact, Marlo Ramirez, an AI strategist and career coach, sees this all the time in her work.
“I’ve got a current client who said straight-up, ‘I can rebuild an engine from memory, but I can’t focus in meetings or learn from reading long emails,’” she shares with Mindvalley Pulse. “That’s not a flaw, that’s intelligence.”
Once they reframed how he learns and works, everything shifted. His confidence shot up, and he stopped judging himself for “not focusing” and started leaning into what actually works for him.
Similarly, when you stop trying to force yourself into someone else’s way of learning, you give your own intelligence the space to lead.
Famous people with kinesthetic intelligence
Kinesthetic intelligence is easy to spot in people whose work depends on the mind-body connection, coordination, and physical movement. Here are a few well-known examples:
- Bianca Andreescu, the tennis star whose dynamic footwork, body control, and mental resilience powered her to a Grand Slam title as a teenager.
- Bruce Lee, the martial artist and philosopher who turned movement into self-expression and reshaped global understanding of physical mastery.
- Charlie Chaplin, the silent film icon who communicated entire narratives through physical comedy, timing, and gesture.
- Michael Jackson, the performer whose rhythm, control, and choreographic innovation transformed pop music into visual storytelling.
- Misty Copeland, the ballerina whose expressive power and physical intelligence redefined what strength and grace could look like on stage.
- Evel Knievel, the daredevil stunt performer who combined fearless physicality with calculated risk in high-speed, high-stakes feats.
- Lee Holden, the teacher and healer whose qigong exercises connect ancient movement with modern mind-body healing and awareness.
These individuals show how physical intelligence can shape careers, creativity, and culture. But you don’t have to be famous to use yours.
Kinesthetic intelligence examples in action
If you’re more of a learning-through-movement kind of person, you already know this is about how you:
- Fix something without instructions
- Teach by showing, not just telling
- Build or create from imagination
- Navigate a busy room with ease
- Move with purpose and intuition
- Sense what others need without words
- Remember physical routines without notes
This is how your body takes charge, turning movement into understanding.
As your body moves, your brain grooves.
— Jim Kwik, trainer of Mindvalley’s Superbrain program
The truth is, though, most environments are still built for sit-down learners. Asking for what you need can feel uncomfortable, especially when people expect you to fit their mold.
Here’s what Marlo has to say about that: “Frame it as a strength, not a quirk.”
She suggests saying things like:
- “I process things better when I can practice them hands-on; can we build in a few run-throughs?”
- “I do my best thinking when I’m up and moving. Would it be okay if I walked during our check-ins?”
- “Instead of a written report, I’d love to mock this up visually. Think that could work?”
“You’re not making demands,” she adds. “You’re offering solutions that help you perform better, which is a win for everyone.”
15 career paths for people with kinesthetic intelligence
If your best thinking happens in motion, some careers are made to fit how you work. Here are a few careers for bodily kinesthetic intelligence that Marlo highlights:
- Plumber
- Electrician
- Mechanic
- Nurse
- Physical therapist
- EMT
- Dancer
- Athlete
- Set designer
- Yoga instructor
- Qigong teacher
- Research scientist
- Biomedical engineer
- Materials scientist
- Robotics technician
- Product designer
“If the job lets you think through doing,” Marlo says, “it’s probably a good match.”
So trust your instincts. They already know the right…moves.
How to improve your kinesthetic intelligence
If you want to sharpen this kind of intelligence, don’t overthink it. According to Marlo, real progress starts when people stop fighting how they naturally learn.
“One of my clients said, ‘I thought I hated learning. I just hated how I was being taught,’” she says. “Once they understood how their brain works with their body, everything changed. They learned better. They showed up more confident, more energized. More themselves.”
It’s the same principle Jim teaches in his Superbrain program. As he’s often quoted, “As your body moves, your brain grooves.”
So start moving with intention, and let your brain catch up.
1. Learn through movement, not just memory
Jim has loads of tips for those with kinesthetic intelligence. One of his simple memory techniques to remember someone’s name, for instance, is to visualize it across their forehead and subtly mimic writing it with your finger.
That micro-movement, he explains, activates multiple regions of the brain, like visual, tactile, and motor, making the memory stick. The thing is, studies have shown that people who used gestures while learning new concepts remembered more than those who didn’t.
What’s more, Jim’s also a big advocate of juggling while learning. “There was a study done at Oxford University that said jugglers actually have bigger brains,” he points out. “Learning in the act of juggling actually boosts your brainpower, and it creates more white matter.”
Marla, too, suggests moving with intention. Things like walking brainstorms, pacing while on calls, and stretch breaks that reset your focus are simple things you can do to get that brain grooving.
2. Use your non-dominant hand
Brushing your teeth or eating with your opposite hand can feel silly, for sure. But, according to Jim, when you do it, it “creates more neurological connections.”
In fact, it’s tied to neuroplasticity, which is your brain’s ability to rewire itself. And research suggests that using your non-dominant hand for daily tasks increases activity in the motor cortex and can strengthen attention and coordination over time.
One Mindvalley Member, Arthur Del Piccolo from Japan, built a morning routine using Jim’s techniques, and that included brushing his teeth with his opposite hand. It became a daily habit that helped him stay sharp and focused. “I now follow every morning a very powerful morning routine,” he shares on Mindvalley Stories.
Certainly, such mindful activities might make you feel uncoordinated at first (even if you have kinesthetic intelligence). But, like Arthur, with practice, you’ll get there.
3. Practice brain-boosting Superbrain Yoga
Jim’s Superbrain Yoga is an easy technique when you want a quick reset for your focus, coordination, and clarity. Here’s how you do it:
- Use your left hand to gently massage your right earlobe.
- Use your right hand to gently massage your left earlobe.
- Still holding both earlobes, stand up straight.
- Take a deep breath in as you slowly squat down.
- Exhale as you return to a standing position.
- Repeat for a few reps at a steady pace.
- When you’re done, shake out your body to reset.
That’s it. Just a few reps can help wake your brain up when you’re feeling foggy.
What’s the science behind it? Cross-lateral movement. When both sides of your body move together in a patterned way, it helps both hemispheres of your brain fire up and communicate better.
One study found this too: nursing students who did Superbrain Yoga three times a week for two months showed significant improvements in memory, concentration, and overall brain function.
Jim recommends doing this during your “brain breaks,” especially if you’ve been sitting or staring at a screen too long. He says, “practice it throughout the day. It’s a great way to break up stagnant work.”
So set a timer for every 45 minutes. Stand up. Do the squats. Let your body give your brain the boost it’s asking for.
4. Break down physical skills into chunks
Ever try to learn something new and feel overwhelmed before you even start? That’s what happened to Florence Washington, a Mindvalley Member from the U.S.
“Sometimes in life, I try to take on too much and get overwhelmed, therefore not completing what I started,” she shares on Mindvalley Stories.
But chunking, which she learned in Superbrain, helped her with that. It simply means breaking physical skills into smaller steps so your brain (and your body) can actually learn them.
For instance, let’s say you’re trying to dance, juggle, or fix something by hand. Instead of pushing through the whole process, pause and break it down.
Focus on one move, one hand, or one step at a time. Give each part a name or cue that helps it stick. Then, once you’ve practiced the pieces, start combining them.
What this does is help your brain learn faster. And based on research, people learn physical skills faster when they break big movements into smaller steps they can repeat.
Pro tip: Name each chunk out loud. According to Jim, that extra layer of recall helps lock the movement in place. Once the parts feel smooth, you stitch them together, like muscle memory Lego.
One step at a time. Then another. Before long, it’s second nature.
5. Move every 30–45 minutes
If you’ve got kinesthetic intelligence, stillness can feel like a straightjacket. Plus, sitting for hours on end isn’t doing you (or anyone else) any favors.
The Mayo Clinic points to research showing that too much sitting can lead to high blood pressure, high blood sugar, extra belly fat, and unhealthy cholesterol levels. If you’re clocking more than eight hours a day without movement, you have “a risk of dying similar to the risk posed by obesity and smoking.” (Super morbid, yes.)
But what about your brain?
One study of over 400 older adults found that people who sat too much had more memory problems and greater brain shrinkage. Even if they exercised regularly.
The simple fact of life is, we’re not built to sit and stare all day. And that’s why Jim recommends taking “brain breaks” to give your mind the space to reset and refocus.
“Set your alarm every 30 minutes, 45 minutes,” he advises, “because that’s about your attention span.”
This is known as the Pomodoro Technique. Once your focus starts to dip, take a five-minute break and get up, drink some water, stretch, and breathe. It’s one of the simplest ways to reset your brain.
Unleash your limitless
Jim Kwik’s free Superbrain masterclass is where your faster, smarter brain starts. In just 87 minutes, you’ll learn how to boost your memory, sharpen your focus, and finally train your brain to work for you, not against you.
Jim’s been the go-to expert for high performers at Nike, Virgin, Harvard, and Fox Studios. But before that? He was the “boy with the broken brain,” a kid who struggled to learn anything at all.
What changed everything was this: he stopped trying to learn harder and started learning smarter. And if he can do it, you can do it, too.
In this masterclass, you’ll discover:
- 10 brain hacks to unlock your full cognitive potential
- Why most people feel foggy, unfocused, and forgetful, and how to fix it
- A simple morning routine to kickstart your brain
- The five-minute habit that strengthens mental clarity
- How to never forget a name, idea, or important date again
Over three million students have taken it. Thousands have transformed how they think, remember, and learn. Like Arthur Del Piccolo from Japan, Florence Washington from the U.S., and even Milica Lazovic from Italy, who says:
“I was struggling to remember things, such as PIN numbers, important dates, things to do at home, things to buy at store and I was having a hard time to concentrate and follow through with my learning… During this program I have learnt so much; my memory got better; my morning routine got more structure.”
Yours can be the next story.
Welcome in.
