Make Movements Purposeful With The Animal Flow Workout

Famed U.S. boxer Muhammad Ali’s popular quote – “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” speaks volumes about the importance of combining graceful and agile movements with physical strength and power.

What you need to know:

What is the Animal Flow workout?
Benefits of the Animal Flow workout
How to get started with the Animal Flow workout?
Animal Flow workout routines

What is the Animal Flow workout?

Animal flow is a ground-based, bodyweight movement that combines elements of yoga, gymnastics, and animal-inspired movements to create a dynamic, bodyweight workout. This fitness practise is designed to improve mobility, strength, and overall wellness through actions that mimic the movements of animals. You create resistance by pulling or pushing your body around a fixed surface without using weights.

The science behind the Animal Flow Workout

The science behind animal-inspired workouts is based on the principles of multi-planar and functional movements. It focuses on neuromuscular activation using body leverage, temp changes, and form-specific stretches. It is a valuable tool for assessing postural asymmetries, strength deficiencies, muscle tightness or weakness, and it allows participants to reconnect with their bodies.

These quadrupedal movements consist of crawling, rolling, jumping, and balancing in a fluid, low-impact movement that works every muscle group in the body. The practise emphasizes control, coordination, and fluidity of movement and can be modified for any fitness level. This exercise challenges your strength, endurance, mobility, and balance. Over time, you develop better proprioception and move with greater intention, making your workout more efficient and effective. Proprioception is the sense of self-movement and body position.

Benefits of the Animal Flow workout

There are many benefits of trying this fun and challenging way to improve your overall fitness:

Improves mobility and flexibility: The dynamic movements of Animal Flow work multiple muscle groups at once, which can improve joint mobility and increase overall flexibility.
Enhances strength and muscle tone: The bodyweight movement of Animal Flow involves using one’s body weight as resistance for strength-training exercises, such as crawling, rolling, and jumping. It can help build strength and muscle tone, particularly in the core, arms, and legs.
Increases body awareness: Animal Flow leads to faster reaction times, increases body-brain reactive timing, and enables you to relearn alternate patterns of movements.
Increases cardiovascular endurance: The high-intensity interval training format of Animal Flow lets your heart pump more blood, improving your cardiovascular endurance.
Enhances neuromuscular coordination: The animal-inspired movements of Animal Flow improve the connection between muscles and the nervous system, leading to better coordination and movement efficiency.
Reduces the risk of falls and injuries: The challenging movements of Animal Flow can improve overall balance and stability, thereby reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
Reduces stress: Like any other form of exercise, Animal Flow can release endorphins to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
Helps in weight management: Animal Flow, combined with a healthy diet, can help you manage weight. In this bodyweight exercise, you are training to carry your own weight, which can help you burn calories.

How to get started with the Animal Flow workout?

In this training type, you are connected to the ground by at least one limb. In this close-chained exercise, you move multiple joints through multiple planes, which recruits more muscles and reduces the risk of injuries. Animal flow can be used for stretching, warm-up, cool down, HIIT exercise, or a dynamic plyometric workout. Here is how you can get started with the Animal Flow workout:

Warm-up. Dedicate the first few minutes to wrist mobilization. Get on all fours and rock back and forth.
Perform 3 rounds of each exercise.
These moves require a lot of wrist extension and endurance to sustain proper form. So, take a break when starting out.
Perform this exercise 1-2 times a week and gradually build up to 3-4 times.

Tips for beginners

If you are new to Animal Flow, the following are some tips you can keep in mind to focus on learning new movements.

While the luxury of a big space like a yoga or fitness studio can do wonders, you can perform simple Animal Flow sequences in a small space as well. Remove and moveable furniture or cables to avoid the risk of injuries. Pick a soft surface like a yoga mat or a grassy area in a park.
Avoid practising on the sand, as it can tire you out quickly. Also, avoid rocky or concrete areas, which can cause injury.
Choose comfortable activewear that allows you to move freely in all directions. You can perform Animal Flow on bare feet. So kick off your shoes and socks for maximum benefit.
Begin and end all your practises with wrist mobilization exercises, so you can gradually increase your exposure to the ground.
Before embarking on this exercise routine, if you have a pre-existing medical condition, it is vital to seek medical clearance.

Animal Flow workout routines

Take a look at some basic Animal Flow movements for beginners:

Deep ape to side kick through

Start in a deep squat position. Keep your feet width apart or wider for comfort, with feet slightly turned out. Keep your back straight and your arms between your knees.
Plant your right hand on the floor, shift your weight forward, kick your right leg out, pointed toe, and draw your left elbow back, palm facing away.
Return to the deep ape position and repeat on the other side.
Continue this exercise for 40 seconds with 20 seconds of rest.

Beast reach

From a child’s pose position, with your knees off the ground by an inch, lift your hips up towards the sky.
Lift one foot off the ground, bring your knee close to your ribs, and keep your core engaged and your toes pointed.
Wave through the spine, put forward pressure on your wrists, and squeeze your glutes. LIft your chin to look forward.
Pull your shoulders down and back, tuck your chin, wave through the spine, keeping your knee tight to your body, and slowly return to the child’s pose.
Change sides.

Take a look at some intermediate Animal Flow movements for professionals:

Crab to underswitch taps

Start on all fours in the crab position where you are facing the floor.
Drive through your right toe and left hand to pivot your body on all fours.
As soon as your left palm and right foot tap the ground, redirect your momentum to the starting position.
Switch sides on each repetition and continue working for 30 seconds on and 15 seconds off.

Loaded beast to front step through

Stand in a loaded beast position with your hands and balls of your feet pressed against the ground.
Push your body back, explode through the balls of your feet, and jump forward with control.
Drive your left leg into full extension and keep your toes pointed. Bend your elbow and right arm at your midline in front of your face.
Return to the starting position and perform the same on the other side.
Continue this exercise for 20 seconds with a break for 10 seconds.

Who should try the Animal Flow workout, and who shouldn’t?

Animal Flow might be a challenging way to get fit, but it is not suitable for everyone. People who may benefit from this workout include:

Fitness enthusiasts who look for exciting new ways to challenge themselves and work their muscles;
Individuals who want to improve their balance and coordination; and
People who enjoy playful exercises which break the monotony of traditional workouts.

However, some people who should approach Animal Flow with caution or avoid them all together are:

Individuals with joint pains and injuries, which makes it imperative to consult a healthcare professional before attempting animal workouts;
People with limited mobility or range of motion; and
Individuals with heart or respiratory conditions.

This form of movement meditation needs you to strike a balance between your body and mind while carrying out transitions. You can tailor your routine to suit your goals. Animal Flow can allow you to connect with your body.

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