So I get asked A LOT – why do I actually do Animal Flow workouts and how can it actually benefit someone?
First up, I don’t classify it as a single workout – to me it’s a daily practice.
Much like yoga, gymnastics and martial arts are bodyweight disciplines, Animal Flow too is a bodyweight discipline. You need to drill, practice and repeat to improve your basic foundation and control which in turn, leads to better movement patterns in the complex flow sequence.
WHAT IS IT? Animal Flow is broken into 6 components Check out what they are here. THE WHY?
Why do I enjoy it and why will it benefit all ages, fitness levels, genders and training goals?
01 – It’s FUN and CREATIVE!
Now if you enjoy something, aren’t you more inclined to keep doing that thing?
It can be adapted to however you are feeling that day. If you need more of a restorative session, then combine the Form Specific stretches and really focus on hitting your full range of motion. Need more of a quick heart rate booster, then try drilling or combining the switches and transitions together to see how fast you can keep in control of them. Feeling creative and unsure of what you want, then let your body tell you and piece movements together with your breath in whichever direction you want to go.
02 – IT RESETS YOUR SYSTEM AND BRINGS TO LIGHT ANY IMBALANCES! What was one of the first things our bodies learned to do? CRAWL right? We all started there, our body had to talk to itself to be able to move across the floor. As we evolved, became upright and day to day movements took over, our ability for the body to reconnect may have gotten lost without us even realising.
Can you balance / stabilise / control / push and pull with the muscles that are designed for those purposes? Unsure? Well let’s get on the floor and find out. If the body can’t connect in a safe environment that is close to the floor, then there is no way it can in a standing position - let alone standing with a weighted load. Improve connection on the floor and you’ll see improvements in all other areas of your training too!
03 – ITS VERSATILE
Use it as a stand-alone practice or combine elements with your current preferred training.
Into Cross-Fit – get strong and in control in a loaded beast position and watch the new found control in an overhead snatch.
Into yoga – Gain strength in your full range of motion of shoulders - hips and spine, not just in the end range positions.
A runner – Need to keep the hip flexors open, power in the quads and work on gait control – Hello Front steps and Scorpion Reaches.
An office worker – Upper back rounded, inactive glutes, shoulders constantly in internal rotation over computer/driving or phone. Hello daily Crab positions to fire up that posterior chain!
Find out where you live during the day and use the tools to help either counteract or gain control where needed.
04 - IT FIRES UP EVERYTHING! How many times have you just gone to do a workout and just went through the motions with no real thought on what you are doing or why? Animal Flow makes you think about what you need to control / stabilise or move. Left and rights seem easy right? Left leg reverse lunge, right leg side lunge blah blah blah… Ok now lets add in contralateral control (opp arm and leg) and rotational control to the equation – BOOM hello brain function to the nervous system! Brain and body really have to connect to control everything between your hands to your feet while moving through all planes of motion.
05 - UMM, HAVE I MENTIONED IT’S FUN!
Is Animal Flow something you master straight away… NO!
Is there a sense of accomplishment and total badass-ness when you finally nail something you have been working on... YES!
It’s a discipline that just keeps on giving, once you get better at something you can challenge yourself to either go faster or slower, redirect your energy and switch through all planes of motion. Play with the variety of moves you can try connecting together - the combinations are endless!
IN A NUTSHELL
It can be done absolutely anywhere with no equipment
Gain Strength
Improve stability, flexibility and mobility
Fire up your whole nervous system
Feel badass
Increase cardiovascular health
Fall over / Laugh / Try again!
Weekly classes running in Glebe PCYC - Do you want to come and play?
Not in Glebe? Contact me and I can connect you with an instructor nearest to you.
Move to see what your body can do, not to punish it for what you may have done.
If you are toying with the idea that oh this looks cool but there is no way I could do moves like that... Well when I was learning either could I!
Don't believe me..... Here you go!
Now are you willing to come and play?
Nikki