The Five Essential Animal Movements for Fitness

In the realm of fitness, the focus often leans towards objectives like fat loss, muscle building, and achieving a toned physique. However, an impressive exterior doesn’t necessarily translate to feeling great on the inside.

The ultimate goal for many is not just to look good but to feel even better. Emerging from this quest for both aesthetic and physical well-being is the incorporation of animalistic and primal movements into exercise routines.

These movements are touted not only for their fitness benefits but for enhancing bodily functions as well.

1. Cat Crawl: The Foundation of Reflexive Strength

The cat crawl stands out as the foundational movement, emphasizing the use of reflexive strength. It involves moving the body as a cohesive unit, mirroring the natural side-to-side weight shifts and spinal movements seen in walking.

This crawl establishes a connection between the upper and lower body via the core, starting on hands and knees, with knees slightly lifted off the ground.

The movement progresses by alternating arms and legs forward, promoting natural shoulder, hip, and spine movements.

2. Bear Crawl: Enhancing Flexibility

Progressing from the cat crawl, the bear crawl involves straightening the knees and lifting the hips, offering a stretch to the hamstrings and calves without altering the fundamental movement pattern.

This variation intensifies the exercise by changing the body’s position, adding an element of flexibility work to the strength and coordination developed in the cat crawl.

3. Ape Traverse: A Functional Movement

The ape traverse is celebrated for its functionality, simulating the motion of standing up from a seated position or landing from a height.

It’s characterized by a shift of weight from the legs to the arms and shoulders, starting from a low crouch and using the arms to propel the body in the desired direction. This movement not only aids in developing lateral movement and activating seldom-used muscle chains but also enhances dynamism through more extended reaches and jumps.

4. Crocodile Crawl: Mobility and Rotation

The crocodile crawl introduces lateral movement and demands increased hip and upper spine mobility.

Starting in a low lunge, the exercise involves reaching forward and across the body, stepping the back leg into the next lunge position, and rotating the chest side-to-side.

This crawl challenges participants to increase mobility through functional movement rather than static stretching.

5. Frog and Crab: Strength and Balance

The frog movement focuses on upper body strength, foundational for skills like handstands. Beginning in a squat, the movement involves shifting weight into the hands and using the upper body to pull the legs forward, also allowing for hip mobility improvements.

Similarly, the crab introduces a movement pattern that emphasizes shoulder extension and leg pulling, contrasting the pushing motion of the frog and enhancing balance.

Explorative Fitness

Animal movements offer a unique approach to fitness, emphasizing exploration over traditional sets and reps. These movements encourage listening to one’s body, allowing for creativity and personal adaptation.

Whether crawling across a lawn or between trees, the goal is to enjoy the process, improve functional strength, and maintain a strong relationship with gravity for longevity.

While initially, the idea of performing these movements in public might seem daunting, the benefits and positive feedback often outweigh any initial embarrassment. Beyond just a workout, animal movements have the potential to transform one’s approach to fitness and well-being.

Primal and Animal Movements in Fitness

Primal or animal movements in fitness refer to a form of exercise that mimics the movements of animals or fundamental human movements that are believed to have been performed by our ancestors.

These exercises are grounded in the idea that moving in ways that our bodies were originally designed to move can improve strength, flexibility, mobility, and overall fitness.

The philosophy behind these movements is rooted in functional fitness, which aims to enhance the body’s ability to perform everyday activities with ease and efficiency.

Animal movements tap into natural, multi-joint movements that engage the entire body in a coordinated manner.

They often involve crawling, lunging, bending, twisting, and balancing in ways that challenge the body dynamically. Here are some key aspects of primal or animal movements in fitness:

Natural Movement Patterns

These exercises draw on the instinctual movement patterns that humans have developed for survival and efficiency. This includes movements like crawling, which babies naturally do before walking, suggesting that such patterns are deeply ingrained in our motor development.

Full-body Coordination and Strength

Unlike exercises that isolate specific muscles, animal movements require the body to work as a unified whole. This not only improves muscular coordination and balance but also enhances overall strength and endurance by engaging multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

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Improved Mobility and Flexibility

By moving the body through a full range of motion, these exercises can significantly improve flexibility and joint mobility. This is particularly beneficial for counteracting the stiffness and immobility that can come from modern sedentary lifestyles.

Functional Fitness

The movements are highly functional, meaning they help improve the body’s ability to perform daily activities. By simulating the natural movements that humans have performed throughout evolution, these exercises improve the body’s functional capacity.

Mind-body Connection

Primal and animal movements often require concentration and mindfulness to perform correctly, enhancing the connection between mind and body. This mindful engagement can also provide mental health benefits, such as reduced stress and improved cognitive function.

These exercises can be integrated into workout routines either as a warm-up, to improve specific fitness components, or as a standalone workout. Their versatility and scalability make them suitable for individuals at all fitness levels, from beginners to advanced athletes.

Read More: How to Use Walking to Get Down to 12% Body Fat

The primal or animal movement trend in fitness is not just about physical health; it’s also about reconnecting with the body’s natural movement patterns and enhancing overall well-being.