The Depth Of Animal Flow As A Style Of Movement

[Deleted]

Animal Flow is a movement system taken from different elements of movement practices such as Yoga, Capeiora, Animal Movement and Gymnastics. My practice of it is mainly for developing skill and strengthening my core. It's an added bonus of finding creative ways to induce greater levels of skill and physical attributes such as mobility, conditioning, balance and strength.

Yeah it's not a full on look of how animals actually move, that's a given but the various components of learning how the body can move in various directions through control and intent of excicution of a flow, a specific move to switch to, the stretching aspects and the pace of doing a move or a series of moves.

I love it because it's different and brings a whole other feel to what I can be capable of and sure it's not perfect and it doesn't take me an hour to do it, but for those minutes, it feels as if I can conquer skills I have never done before. I started learning this in my late 20s and although I'm no where near that graceful, off and on, it's fun to do and I can create movements however I want and make the most of my abilities.

Is it for everyone, no but for those who want to at least try it and find their own groove, it can reap a lot of benefits. It can be used as a warm-up, a conditioning or strength workout or as a cool down. It takes practice and it can be tricky ate first. If you do have issues and it doesn't work for you, than it doesn't, there's no shame in it. I treat it as play because in my mind, if I see it as play, I want to do more of it and it keeps me smiling.

Just thought I'd share some insight.

tinyurl.com/yd2sn7h7

[macky]

Looks interesting. I would say that one needs to strengthen up for those moves.

[Deleted]

Jan 13, 2019 5:38:11 GMT macky said:

Looks interesting. I would say that one needs to strengthen up for those moves.

Most likely, or start out out extremely slow or just hold positions first. It's one of the protocols for beginners is to just hold positions.

[macky]

Yes well there you are    Another example of yielding isometrics.  Great stuff. 

[Deleted]

It's how I started, than gradually worked up to the traveling movements and than the flow style. My favorite stretch is the Ape Reach, which I think is one of the samples. The crab reach is a great one too especially for opening up the hips and stretching the obliques. The traveling forms are more conditioning based, the reaches are for flexibility and the flows are mainly tying everything together. It gets exciting once you start getting into it.

[macky]

I can see what you're saying. The combination of stretching and mobility could bring a certain exuberance with it. I'll spend more time having a shufti at it. Thanks for that.

Could be a nice contrast to the overcoming isometrics that I do almost exclusively (at this time).

[Michael]

Ben, Animal Flow is like going from one animal movement to the next in a continuous movement? Just curious. When I played high school football we use to have to do what they called "Farms" if You did something wrong. This always happened when everyone else was done with practice. It was different types of animal movements up and down the practice field. , the thing that sucked the most was You have to make the animal sounds while You were doing it. I'll tell You one thing for sure, You only did it once because You never wanted to be embarrassed like that again, .

[Deleted]

Jan 13, 2019 15:48:41 GMT Michael said:

Ben, Animal Flow is like going from one animal movement to the next in a continuous movement? Just curious. When I played high school football we use to have to do what they called "Farms" if You did something wrong. This always happened when everyone else was done with practice. It was different types of animal movements up and down the practice field. , the thing that sucked the most was You have to make the animal sounds while You were doing it. I'll tell You one thing for sure, You only did it once because You never wanted to be embarrassed like that again, .

In a sense yes, it's called transitions or switches and you can do different animals or dynamic stretches on a dime but not exactly the same as you did in high school with those particular animal movements. These are tough but not as brutal as say those drills. I've done similar styles like you have. This is way different and a lot more fun. There are three main animals used Ape, Beast & Crab. Mike Fitch fits into different elements of movement called Under Switches, Traveling Movement, Reaches, Transitions & Combos. It sounds weird at first but the more you research on it, it'll start to make sense.

[Bruce Tackett]

I have developed a routine based upon how kangaroos move.

[Deleted]

Jan 13, 2019 16:51:08 GMT Bruce Tackett said:

I have developed a routine based upon how kangaroos move.

that's awesome. As long as you don't kick like the character Stewart from MadTV.

[Bruce Tackett]

Jan 13, 2019 16:54:20 GMT @bigben84 said:

Jan 13, 2019 16:51:08 GMT Bruce Tackett said:

I have developed a routine based upon how kangaroos move.

that's awesome. As long as you don't kick like the character Stewart from MadTV.

I am hopping mad.

[Michael]

Jan 13, 2019 16:39:16 GMT @bigben84 said:

Jan 13, 2019 15:48:41 GMT Michael said:

Ben, Animal Flow is like going from one animal movement to the next in a continuous movement? Just curious. When I played high school football we use to have to do what they called "Farms" if You did something wrong. This always happened when everyone else was done with practice. It was different types of animal movements up and down the practice field. , the thing that sucked the most was You have to make the animal sounds while You were doing it. I'll tell You one thing for sure, You only did it once because You never wanted to be embarrassed like that again, .

In a sense yes, it's called transitions or switches and you can do different animals or dynamic stretches on a dime but not exactly the same as you did in high school with those particular animal movements. These are tough but not as brutal as say those drills. I've done similar styles like you have. This is way different and a lot more fun. There are three main animals used Ape, Beast & Crab. Mike Fitch fits into different elements of movement called Under Switches, Traveling Movement, Reaches, Transitions & Combos. It sounds weird at first but the more you research on it, it'll start to make sense.

Ok, that's what I figured. Believe me, I only did the "Farms" one time. , I never forgot my playbook again.

[Michael]

Jan 13, 2019 16:51:08 GMT Bruce Tackett said:

I have developed a routine based upon how kangaroos move.

Will You be doing a series of kangaroo move videos? 

[mr potatohead]

I like the Wild Turkey.

[Bruce Tackett]

Jan 13, 2019 19:21:25 GMT mr potatohead said:

I like the Wild Turkey.

I have learned a lot from observing the Wild Turkey.