What Is Primal Movement And Can It Make You Fitter?

Have you ever observed a baby in action, figuring out how to crawl or dropping into a squat with perfect form? It’s one of the best ways to understand primal movement, a type of workout based on natural human movements you’re hardwired to perform. In a world where sitting in front of a screen for hours is the norm, primal movement can help your body unlearn the habits that cause poor posture, stiff joints and aches and pains. Here’s what it is, how it can benefit you, and how to incorporate primal movement into your routine. RELATED: What Is Mobility Training and Why Does It Matter? What Is Primal Movement? Primal movement is “training your body to function the way it was designed,” says Marshall Weber, certified personal trainer and owner of Jack City Fitness. It’s a form of functional training, meaning it mimics movements you do in daily life and includes compound moves that recruit several muscle groups at once. It also explores different planes of motion (not just front to back or up and down), such as moving diagonally or rotating. If you search for primal movement workouts, you’ll come across seven foundational movement patterns: Squat: Lowering yourself to the ground and back up with a full range of motion.Lunge: Stepping forward, backward or to the side. Hinge: Bending at the hips, like when you perform a deadlift or pick something up off the floor.Push: Pressing away, like when you do a push-up. Pull: Pulling yourself up towards something, like when you do a pull-up.Twist: Rotating through the spine and torso. Gait: Walking, jogging or any other way of moving through space that gets you from point A to B. These seven moves cover almost every way you’d move naturally if weight rooms didn’t exist and you were still hunting and gathering. A primal movement workout combines several of them in a flowy sequence or circuit. There’s usually some floor work involved. As for load, most primal movement workouts are bodyweight ones, though you can certainly incorporate tools like kettlebells and sandbags to ramp up the challenge. Benefits of Primal Movement Mobility workouts are having a moment, perhaps because there are more conversations about longevity happening in the wellness world. Being able to keep moving your body without pain as you age is a worthy goal, and it’s something many people struggle with. Primal movement workouts can help with that. “If you consider how much mobility can be lost from sitting at a desk all day, these kinds of movements can really help us out more than we think. You will also be providing your joints the opportunity to get stronger as well. You can essentially consider primal movement as training for life,” adds Weber. Beyond functional strength and mobility, primal movement accomplishes something deeper: It can help you reconnect with your body, according to Katie Armstrong, functional health and longevity coach. One way it does this is through proprioception, the body’s ability to sense its own position and movement. This process happens subconsciously, but it’s what allows you to perform complex movements in and out of the gym. It’s what a basketball player would rely on to dribble without thinking about it, for example. Improving proprioception can support your performance and reduce your risk of injury. Primal movement can even regulate your nervous system through the mind-body connection. “There’s a meditative quality to it. By returning to instinctive movement, we tap into presence and play, which are often missing from modern fitness,” says Armstrong. Finally, it’s a scalable workout, so it’s suitable for beginners and advanced exercisers alike. “Primal movement can meet you exactly where you are. You can begin with gentle ground-based patterns and gradually explore more dynamic flows,” adds Armstrong. Whether you’re recovering from an injury and want to ease back into working out with foundational movements or you’re an athlete looking to cross-train, it can work for you. How to Incorporate Primal Movement Into Your Routine Ready to try primal movement workouts? They don’t need to replace your whole fitness routine, as they complement other types of exercise well – here are a few ways to try them out. Try Animal Flow Drills Have you heard of animal flow drills? They fall into the bigger primal movement umbrella, and they can be a fun place to start. They’re ground-based workouts inspired by the way animals move – think rolling, twisting and crawling in smooth sequences. Start small, recommends Weber: “Consider a few minutes of crawling or deep squat holds as a warm up, or finish a workout with some animal flow drills. It’s simple, effective, and will make you feel more athletic in everything you do.” Explore and Follow Your Instincts You can also take a few minutes to explore different movements without a structure. “Move to music. Try crawling, deep squat holds, rolling or spinal undulations – anything that feels nourishing,” suggests Armstrong, who programs warm-ups and cool-downs for clients using these principles. “Over time, [people] learn to stretch, move and reset based on how their body feels rather than following a rigid script.” Take Movement Breaks Throughout the Day Why not incorporate primal movement into your day? From dropping into a squat while waiting for the coffee to brew to stretching and moving gently before bed, think of it like a movement snack. Even something like walking with more awareness, engaging your core and being more mindful of your posture, can be part of embracing primal movement principles. Your body is meant to move, and primal movement is a way to honor that. You don’t need an elaborate routine to reap the benefits of moving intuitively and mastering the basics. Start with a few minutes a day or look for workouts that incorporate all seven foundational movements in a sequence. You Might Also Dig: Understanding the Cold Water Therapy TrendThe Best Massage & Recovery ToolsHow to Optimize Workout Recovery