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Functional fitness: Back to basics
Few of us use our bodies as they were designed to move – but there are some functional training concepts that go back to the basic movement patterns of animals and humans alike. Kath Hudson reports
THINK WITH YOUR BODY
Discipline: MovNat
‘Think with your whole body to move with your whole mind’ is the MovNat philosophy, which teaches people to reconnect with their body’s natural ways of moving. The end goal: to help the body to become strong and balanced as one coherent unit, and with it more resilient.
The workouts can take place either indoors or out and are based around natural human movements: crawling, lifting, carrying, walking, running, throwing, catching, climbing, jumping and landing. Founded by Erwan Le Corre in 2008, the MovNat concept was informed by the sports he took part in as a child – including activities such as rock climbing, karate, Parkour and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Another key influence was the physical training method, Méthode Naturelle, developed by French naval officer Georges Hébert in the early 1900s. With its motto of ‘be strong to be useful’, Méthode Naturelle focused on developing skills and strength that would be of use in the real world. MovNat is now bringing this philosophy into the modern era: “If a movement isn’t helpful in everyday life, we’re not very interested in it. From carrying the groceries to fleeing danger, our movements are based on need,” the company confirms.
Currently there are four MovNat affiliate gyms in the US, but this is set to grow this year, with international locations also on the cards. There are already thousands of certified MovNat trainers around the world.
Fitness instructors can contact MovNat directly to undergo a training course and become a licensed trainer. The company also sells a range of small equipment that’s suitable for use in MovNat classes.
www.movnat.com
BREAK DOWN, BUILD UP
Discipline: Animal Flow
The Animal Flow concept combines quadrupedal and ground-based movements with different elements from various bodyweight training disciplines to create a fun, challenging, multi-planar workout.
The programme includes a wide range of exercises and movement combinations, all designed to elicit specific results: increased mobility, flexibility, stability, power, endurance, skill and neuromuscular communication.
Many of the movements are multi-planar and rotational. This is important because many people now spend the majority of their working day seated, hunched over a computer, and then sit on a machine when they get to the gym. However, staying in the same plane of motion all day can lead to muscle imbalances and eventually injury; Animal Flow has therefore been designed to break up movement patterns and make the human body strong and effective while in rotation or the transverse plane.
Fitness instructors can take the Animal Flow Certification, which includes attending a two-day workshop and passing a competency test. Workshops are offered all over the world on a regular basis and group discounts are provided to clubs that want to send multiple staff members. US gym chain Equinox was an early adopter, offering Animal Flow classes to its members since 2012.
In addition, an Animal Flow Kids exercise programme is being introduced this year, as well as a new training module for small group training formats.
www.animalflow.com
MOVEMENT, PURE & SIMPLE
Discipline: Ido Portal Method
Created by the self-styled Ido (I-do), this range of graceful and fluid movements was inspired by his early love of Afro-Brazilian Capoeira. From there, he trained with numerous movement teachers: yogis, dancers, athletes, circus performers and fighters, but found all of the disciplines to be too restrictive.
He set about creating a movement programme informed by the range of different disciplines he had trained in, to create a bigger picture – one that focused on simply moving the human body, rather than worrying about which discipline was being practised. “Specialising is great – but beyond our specialities we are all human first, movers second and only then specialists,” he says.
www.idoportal.com
