5 Ido Portal Method exercises to add to your workouts to develop your strength, mobility, agility, and coordination.

Ido Portal , an Israeli movement coach, is one of those contemporary figures who has changed the understanding of physical training for many of us.

You only have to watch a video of him to see the physical feats he is capable of with his body, and listen to his philosophical tirades on his relationship with his body, his practice and even his relationship with life...

Today, we're going to dissect 5 of these unusual exercises or movements that have propelled Ido Portal and his Movement Culture to the forefront of the “World Fitness Scene”.

We will see his famous Lizard Walk, the game where you bounce tennis balls against the wall, the famous Stick Game, Locomotion to create Flows of movement on the ground, Handstand Push-Ups, push-ups while balancing on the hands).

You will understand what these exercises are for, their benefits, what they develop and above all how to succeed in doing them .

Very good reading my move!

How to successfully complete Ido Portal's Lizard Walk?

Ido Portal and his method came to the attention of the general public when UFC star fighter Conor McGregor prepared for his fight against Jose Aldo by walking like a lizard on a Los Angeles beach.

The lizard walk is an iconic movement of the Ido Portal Method. If you only know one exercise from Movement Culture, it's often this one!

When practicing this movement, we move while maintaining a quadrupedal position (four legs).

When done correctly, the lizard walk looks easy. However, it combines strength, mobility, and coordination , making it a very demanding exercise.

The magic of lizard walking is that it develops strength and endurance, as well as mobility and the representation of one's body in space (proprioception).

The lizard also offers you a unique interaction with the ground through:

• The complementary use of hand and foot support
• Wave motion
• Moving very close to the ground (grazing)
• Contralateral movements

Although this exercise is not performed in a squatting position, you will be more comfortable in your sessions if you are already familiar with the deep squat used to enter and exit the lizard walk.

In the final progression of the lizard, you move while staying very close to the ground. This requires a lot of strength in the shoulders and arms as well as mobility in the hips.

But don't worry, you can progress little by little by using a version of the movement that is adapted to your level.

Until you have enough strength, I recommend you perform this exercise with your arms straight . This exercise is called the high lizard in the Ido Portal method.

This exercise calls upon many qualities:

• Strength
• Mobility
• Proprioception

However, it is not complete . In fact, it is mainly based on a pushing effort and can be supplemented by pulling movements (traction, suspension, etc.).

To perform the movement correctly and limit the risk of shoulder injury, make sure to keep your arms close to your body . This is especially important when practicing the lizard walk close to the ground.

I use this exercise with my students in two ways:

• To improve their proprioception
• To work on muscle strengthening and endurance

If you want to use this movement to develop your physical condition , set yourself a distance (5 to 20 meters) to cover in a lizard style and try to take as few breaks as possible.

The beach can be the best playground for that ^^

I find this move from the Ido Portal Method to be excellent for MMA, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Grappling practitioners because it refines the use of supports in a close-to-the-ground position.

It will also be beneficial for anyone who wants to develop their physical condition in a different way.

If you want to embark on the adventure to obtain the Lizard Walk step by step , with all the progressions from the High Lizard, passing through the intermediate forms like the Chameleon, the Crocodile, the 90° Lizard…

You can join the ANIMAL LOCOMOTION Training which will teach you the lizard, but also several other animal walks used in the Ido Portal Method.

Why punch tennis balls against a wall?

Ido Portal discovered this exercise while studying the training of young boxers in the Soviet Union.

The practitioner uses closed fists to bounce a tennis ball against a wall without it falling back to the ground.

This exercise helps develop hand-eye coordination and precision with your fists. The point of impact and the orientation of your knuckles are crucial for controlling the ball's trajectory.

You also need to be patient and persistent in the face of initial frustration. I'm warning you, this exercise is difficult!

I recommend taking it one step at a time to make the exercise less frustrating. During my first sessions, I was happy to be able to complete three in a row!

Moreover, frustration is often presented as part of the practice by Ido Portal.

This exercise can become very demanding and the duration of the sessions can quickly lengthen.

In my experience, if I practice it for too long without a break, I start to feel tension in my neck. This is related to the position of the head with the neck extended. Keep this in mind to enjoy this game serenely.

If you want to incorporate this exercise into your workouts, you can place it at the beginning and it will make a great warm-up .

I also find it interesting to use it as a movement break during your workday. It allows you to take a break and break the rhythm to change positions and get moving for a few minutes.

This game can help boxers refine their timing and connection with their knuckles that are buried under their gloves.

I find this exercise also beneficial for impatient people who will need to manage their frustration.

We therefore have both a development of athletic physical qualities but also more intangible work on managing frustration, and by extension, learning to manage stress , control thoughts.

This is the whole point of putting the game back into your physical practice.

To this end, you can find several movement training sessions that use tennis balls to work on hand-eye, hand-foot and even hand-elbow coordination,

In the virtual training room: the DOJO OF MOVEMENTS.

I have dedicated an entire collection of Movement Games to it, to share with you these different warm-ups and active recovery sessions inspired by the world of English Boxing, Tennis and even Basketball.

All sports where agility, efficient movement , rapid weight transfer, balance on pivots, and hand-eye coordination are essential.

What is the purpose of the Ido Portal Stick Game? When and how to use it properly?

There are endless possibilities for using a wooden stick to create partner games .

Here's the one we're going to talk about today: Facing you, your partner holds the stick planted on the ground and then drops it to the ground. Your goal is to catch it as close to the ground as possible , without it touching you.

The direction the stick falls in is random , so you have to be focused to go in the right direction.

We use our whole body in a single movement. We adjust our position with a quick step to accompany the movement of the torso towards the ground, extended by the hand that catches the stick.

It’s all a question of timing, responsiveness and agility!

You can start playing the game by picking up the stick a little higher. This allows you to gradually introduce effort into your knees .

By reducing your distance from the stick, you can slowly become more familiar with the exercise and the stick's trajectory. Once you're more comfortable, feel free to move back a little to increase the amount of movement you make.

The partner plays an important role in this game. This is also the case in many exercises of the Ido Portal method.

A good partner will adjust the difficulty for their partner. If they're struggling a bit, they'll give them a nice knockdown. On the other hand, if they're comfortable, they'll increase the difficulty for the challenger!

If you have weak knees, I recommend that you pay attention to your movements so as not to put too much strain on them. But the best advice I can give you is to tackle the problem head on and give your knees a new lease on life!

Stick play is great for warming up your legs . If you get into it with some rhythm, it can also get your heart rate up a bit.

And if you need a laugh, this is a great partner exercise!

I've created a comprehensive video tutorial on the Stick Game, which will give you some additional details and mistakes to avoid to get the most out of your practice.

I find this exercise particularly relevant for those who enjoy physical activities practiced alone because it is a good introduction to partner games .

I am thinking in particular of practitioners of traditional martial arts and combat sports.

The stick game, used as a warm-up for example for the duration of a round, will allow you to work on the intangible qualities necessary for these sports,

In an environment that mimics the demands of these sports very well, but without the stress, tension and fear that sparring can generate, for example.

It's a great way to improve your toe movements , distance management, work on your balance, your pivots or even your Shuffle Steps (small, quick steps to cover the distance to your opponent).

I have personally used this Stick Game during several training sessions or during classes that I gave in Martial Arts, MMA, or Muay Thai gyms around the world.

I also present several other variations of this Stick Game in the DOJO OF MOVEMENTS which may give you even more ideas for Games to integrate into your martial practice.

What are the benefits of Locomotion? How can Ido Portal's Locomotion help you move better?

Locomotion encompasses all ground movements, such as lizard walking. It is one of the most visually appealing aspects of the Ido Portal method.

The goal of locomotion is to combine different movements to build a flow , an improvisation that allows you to express your creativity.

Be careful, locomotion is not just about imitating the way animals move.

You can see in this list of Ido Portal Method Locomotion movements that many of them simply allow you to put your body into unusual positions not found in the animal kingdom.

So, locomotion encompasses all the movements that allow you to move your body from point A to point B in space. Animal locomotion is a subdomain of locomotion.

The practice of locomotion has many benefits for the body, general physical condition but also for the development of a more complex neural network.

This will expand your movement vocabulary which increases your learning capacity (the more movements I know, the easier it is to learn new ones).

Your thighs will gain endurance. Okay, they'll get really hot during the first few sessions! But little by little you'll get used to it.

Finally, locomotion as practiced in the Ido Portal method is a gateway to improvisation. It allows you to express yourself through your body , even if you have never done dance or capoeira.

And it's honestly a great feeling!

You learn each movement in isolation ( Segmentation Phase ), then you learn to combine them with each other ( Integration Phase ), to finally be able to create your own sequences, your own combinations ( Improvisation Phase ).

If you can't get into a squat position yet, I recommend working on this before you begin. You'll have much more fun with these movements if you're comfortable with deep squats .

A big drawback for locomotion is the stress placed on the knees . In my experience, it is better to take the time to strengthen your knees for a few weeks before attacking locomotion full speed.

This will save you from some disappointments like I did, namely a torn meniscus in both knees!

If you're looking for a practice that develops physical fitness, technique, and creativity, you'll love locomotion.

Practicing locomotion can be extremely beneficial for parents of young children . When they are comfortable moving around in a low position, they will be more likely to play with them and share special moments.

So, if you also want to have a practice that allows you to play with your children and grandchildren, Locomotion will be a perfect excuse to enjoy family time while training.

You can try my free locomotion session, alone or with your loved ones, with some easy-to-do, fun and entertaining animal walks like the Cat Walk, the Duck Walk, or the Crab Walk.

It's doable for humans from 4 to 84 years old 😉

Why learn the Handstand Push-Up (HSPU)? How to develop arm strength and wrist mobility?

The Handstand Push-Up (HSPU) or balanced push-up is one of the fundamentals of strength according to the Ido Portal method.

Starting from the Handstand, bend your arms until your head touches the ground. Then push up with your arms to return to the Handstand position with your arms outstretched .

It is a movement that combines strength, balance and proprioception . We don't just push like an ox, but we follow a precise trajectory to maintain our balance and keep an efficient pushing movement.

If you're not yet able to hold a handstand, you can use the wall for assistance. This will allow you to develop your strength and work on certain technical points, such as maintaining shoulder blade protraction during the movement.

I remind you that to avoid imbalances, it is better to combine a pushing movement with a pulling movement in your programming . In this case, you can combine the Handstand Push-Up with pull-ups.

And as every time we balance on our hands, we remember to warm up our wrists well beforehand .

To this end, you can use my free wrist mobility routine on YouTube for a simple, effective, and quick way to work on different wrist flexions and make your wrists stronger and more resilient.

HSPU is one of the common exercises in the world of Gymnastics and Calisthenics .

It is also thanks to his gymnastics training under the direction of Christopher Sommers of the Gymnastic Bodies Method that Ido Portal was able to acquire these skills and knowledge.

So it is not a movement inherent to movement training, but it remains a classic of the Ido Portal Method.

This exercise can be incorporated into both a strength and handstand workout. If you want to develop your overhead press strength but don't have dumbbells or a barbell, the wall-mounted version will do the trick.

To follow balance and strength training sessions or follow wrist mobility routines, you can join the DOJO DES MOUVERS for 7 days free .

Start your Movement Training simply and at your own pace

There's still a lot to learn from the IoT Portal method. This is just a glimpse of what's possible.

To take a step back, Movement Training is a form of training that will help you develop your body's adaptability, become versatile and competent, and be able to express yourself physically more freely.

You don't have to know how to do a Lizard Walk, play with tennis balls, or even be able to do a Handstand Push-Up to say that you practice Movement.

Everyone can find something to suit them in this vast universe of movement.

Whether it's simply to reconnect with nature like at MovNat or with your primal side like at Animal Flow , or to improve your range of joint movement like at Kinstretch ,

You will always improve your relationship with your body, learn to move better and reconnect with this fundamental idea, at the heart of all these different training methods:

Your body is designed for Movement!

Don't hesitate to read other articles on Movement, or listen to podcasts with students and teachers in French Movement, or even start training in Movement and Mobility on the DOJO platform,

To start adding more Movement into your life.

Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS