What Is Animal Flow?
Animal flow is a series of movement at differing planes , where one learns to move their body slowly, on all fours. It replicates the movements from lot of animals , however that’s not it. There is much more to it..
Animal Flow is a ground-based movement program that is designed to improve the function and communication of the ‘Human Animal”. it is more like a combination of gymnastics, yoga, and breakdancing with some animals thrown in. Here is the link for learning the basic level movements to get started.
Animal Flow is also known as primal movements or fluid movemements. The common principle is that all movement comes from a foundation of strength, flexibility, and body control, combined with a playful exploration of what your body can do.
Mike Fitch is a great example of someone who has built up those foundational elements through years of training in various movement styles. His program, “Animal Flow“, is a movement system designed to help people improve strength, flexibility, body control, and coordination. These movements and transitions fit together in a way that emphasizes artistic, fluid practice in an easily understood package.
Basics and Transitions in Animal Flow
The basic forms of Animal Flow are Ape, Beast, and Crab (pretty much the ABCs of Animal Flow), and all movements and transitions are a combination of these.
In every sequence, the emphasis is on lateral movement across the body. The word across is important , as you would notice in a simple Underswitch movement , how the opposite leg and arm have to move in a sequence to create the movement. For example, So in an underswitch, you would move your left arm and right foot upward at the same time, then vice versa. Performing these contralateral movements with control helps to build better body awareness and coordination while deepening the stretches and strengthening the muscles.
OK, so we’ve got some keywords here: multiple planes, yoga, breakdancing, and bodyweight. But it’s still hard to know what Animal Flow actually is until you’ve seen it or tried it for yourself, so here’s a short video to give you an idea. In this post, we’ll take a look at what Animal Flow is all about, and how it complements your training to help you move better. Check video Below..
As you can see, it’s like no other movement you’ve ever seen before . You won’t need any equipment to do Animal Flow, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be a challenge. I’m finding that Animal Flow allows you to move your body in a unique way, and it accesses muscles that you didn’t even know existed.
Benefits of Animal Flow
Animal Flow gives you the opportunity to train “all of the different abilities of the human body, like strength, endurance, power, flexibility, balance, mobility, and coordination, [while] most fitness modalities will only result in one or two of these attributes.”
If you are into Yoga , and are wondering wether this work out is for you ? Trust me I went though the same apprehensions… I used to think , this is meant for people who spend hours at the gym and have very strong core! But , I was proven wrong . This work out is for everyone who doesn’t have any chronic illnesses or back /joint pains and it can be done in your house without any fancy equipment.
Animal Flow is even great for “the yogi who needs more strength and power.” As a yoga teacher who has been doing yoga for years, I can attest to this. Animal Flow may incorporate some elements of yoga, but it’s an entirely different practice that offers additional strength.
By incorporating Animal Flow into your routine, one would see improvement in their mobility, stability, strength, and overall fitness,” for me personally, “Animal Flow has helped me with coordination, timing, and how to manage my breathing while controlling my body more efficiently, which has helped me become more fluid with my movement.
Basic Movements in Animal Flow
In this Section , I am going to touch upon the basic movements which are you can learn as a beginner at home. These movements, can then be combined to create a sequence which is unique to yourself, depending on your body’s needs and strength. The video has many more movements explained, and also explains how to create a sequence. So do not miss out on that..
1. UNDERSWITCH
2.CRAB REACH
3.LATERAL APE
4.BEAST REACH
5. SCORPION REACH
6. CRAB WALK
Want to Try for yourself ? Check out this video below for basic moves to create your own flow
