The 6 Components of Animal Flow Explained! Read this BEFORE you begin this practice to properly prepare your body and avoid injury.

We wrote a complete file on Animal Flow , the movement training method created by Mike Fitch , which mixes Breakdance, Animal Movements, Yoga,

And which is all the rage in fitness rooms for its accessible, fun side, the reconnection with the ground but also the attractive character of the choreographed combinations of movements that can be easily created.

In this article, we will dive a little deeper into the theory of Animal Flow by concretely explaining the 6 components of this methodology and giving you a theoretical basis to better approach physical practice.

We will look in detail at all the positions , exercises, movements and transitions present in Animal Flow, stretching and mobility, and how a training session is organized.

If you want to try Animal Flow, at the end of this article you will get all the keys to avoid injury.

Very good reading my move.

Animal Flow Wrist Mobilization

Animal Flow incorporates a lot of low-to-the-ground movement . The practitioner spends a lot of time in quadrupedal poses and uses both hands and feet for support.

Unless you already do a similar activity, you rarely place your body weight on your hands, and your wrists are not used to receiving so much tension.

The first component of Animal is wrist mobilization. Its goal is to prepare your joints for the rest of the session and limit the risk of wrist injury.

Mike Fitch, the founder of Animal Flow, recommends always starting a session with wrist mobilization .

There are several possible routines and the simplest includes 5 exercises to be performed for 30 seconds each.

You can check out the complete wrist mobility routine taught by Mike Fitch on our blog.

By practicing wrist mobilization at each session , they will adapt to these new exercises. It is also possible to mobilize them again at the end of the training.

Wrists are often the weak point for people new to Animal Flow.

Therefore, giving importance to this component can determine the speed of adaptation and evolution within the Animal Flow system.

The Animal Flow Activation Phase

The second component of the Animal Flow system is the activation phase which uses two positions:

• The Crab (Crab in English)
• The Beast

These animal positions are based on quadrupedalism, hence the interest in preceding them with the mobilization of the wrists.

You will hold the position statically with an isometric contraction .

The “Static Crab”.

And the “Static Beast”.

Using these exercises allows you to engage a large number of muscles, including the legs, trunk and upper limbs to stabilize the position .

We start with four supports on the ground (two hands, two feet). We can then remove one support to make the position less stable.

This asymmetry of the anchor points to the ground makes you aware of your center of gravity , the lines of tension that run through the body and the links between the shoulder and the opposite hip.

For added difficulty, the practitioner holds the position with only two contralateral supports (opposite hand and foot).

These two positions are also a great way to work on your static core . Holding a plank position on your hands can be greatly improved by starting with a Static Beast for example.

The Static Beast position also teaches you the essential components of handstand movements like push-ups.

In fact, to perform this type of movement correctly and without injuring yourself , you must pay attention to:

• Scapular protraction : moving the shoulder blades away from each other
• Pelvic floor retroversion : turning the pelvis forward

The combination of these two actions will greatly help you to stabilize your entire trunk and therefore really work on your core.

Activation allows you to wake up the body but also to reposition your consciousness before entering the session.

By being more present in the movements you perform, you will learn more quickly, have more fun and reduce the risk of injury.

Animal Flow's Form Specific Stretches

The third component of the Animal Flow system is Form Specific Stretches (FSS) .

These are complete mobilization positions that start from basic positions. The goal is to combine flexibility and mobility of the different joints of the body.

Be careful, the use of the word “stretching” in the name is very misleading. These movements are anything but passive.

Specific stretches are active stretches. Active stretching, also called joint mobility , involves muscle contraction over a significant range of motion.

You can learn more about the difference between active and passive stretching to fully understand how to perform these movements.

Specific stretches are one way to build strength in the Animal Flow system.

Each of the six ESFs begins in one of four basic animal stances (Monkey, Beast, Crab, or Charging Beast) and moves through various ranges of motion.

The ESFs include:

• Crab Reach
• Wave Unload
• Loaded Beast and Loaded Beast Unload
• Ape Reach and Standing Ape Reach
• Beast Reach
• Scorpion Reach.

We will see in detail each of its positions in a specific article.

You can use them in 3 different ways , depending on your intention and what you want to work on before your session.

1. By performing them in a slow and controlled manner , you can identify the positions and ranges in which you lack strength but also work on body control.
2. ESFs can also be integrated into Flows . In this configuration, they can be performed more or less quickly. You can gently mobilize your joints with a morning Flow, for example.
3. You can finally use them as a warm-up before a sports session . The choice and combination of ESFs make them useful for many sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Rugby, Breakdance, or MMA.

Animal Flow Movement Patterns

This component groups together the system's forms of animal locomotion . It is the most mobile aspect of Animal Flow.

The 3 main forms are:

• The Monkey (Ape in English)

• The Crab (Crab in English)

• The Beast

These three movements can be declined in several variations , notably when moving from a forward movement to a lateral movement for example.

Mike Fitch, founder of Animal Flow, discovered animal locomotion through parkour, which uses these exercises as a warm-up. He understood the benefits and versatility of these movements before incorporating them into his method.

Animal movements are part of many movement training systems such as Alvaro Romano's Ginastica Natural , Ido Portal's Locomotion and of course Erwan Le Corre's MovNat . It is a legacy of traditional Chinese martial arts such as Kung-Fu.

These forms of movement can also be used to exercise the cardiovascular system or as complete muscle strengthening .

We also teach animal walks in our online TRAININGS to allow our students to learn new ways of moving the body in a fun, playful way,

While gaining in movement complexity with polyarticular movements, more or less close to the ground, and which can be demanding in terms of joint mobility and even in terms of pushing force.

A classic example of a very elegant but also very difficult locomotion movement: the Ido Portal Lizard Walk .

One of my favorite tools and one that helps make Animal Flow so appealing to most people.

Animal Flow Transitions and Position Changes?

Transitions and position changes are the foundation on which flows are built . These movements are taken from Breakdance and use the quadrupedal position as an axis of development.

The purpose of these transitions is to create a “window of movement.” This can be defined as an opportunity to follow the transition with another movement.

There are four categories of transitions:

• Underswitch (Alternate between a Static Beast and a Static Ape by passing the leg under the body)

• Side Kickthrough (Extend one leg straight out to the side with 2 points of support on the ground)

• Scorpio

• Front Kickthrough (Extend one leg straight out in front of you with 2 points of support on the ground)

Each category is then divided into several variations, allowing for numerous combinations.

For example, you can perform these movements dynamically with a few small hand and foot jumps to make the transition faster and the return to a stable position more difficult.

You can also try to keep your body in the air longer during a Side Kickthrugh if you have sufficient arm strength. This variation is called “Levitating Side Kickthrough”.

What is the place of Flows in the practice of Animal Flow?

The flow component brings together all the other components of the Animal Flow system and comes from the disciplines that inspired Mike Fitch, such as Vinyasa Yoga, Breakdance and Parkour.

There are three types of flows here:

• The choreographed flows
• Guided flows
• Free flows

Choreographed flows are predefined sequences used to improve technique and fluidity of movement. They can be practiced in a group or solo.

Typically, you have a list of movements to chain together and repeat over and over again until you feel better, more fluid, more comfortable with the movements.

Guided flows are performed under the direction of an instructor who calls out the movements to be performed. They emphasize the importance of mastering Animal Flow terminology to continue progressing.

For example, you might hear “Right Leg Underswith,” then “Left Leg Side Kickthrough,” then “Scorpion Switch”… You’re given the element to move, telling you which leg or side, and then it’s your turn.

These flows are often used in group fitness classes and offer a fun way for people to work out without feeling the buildup of fatigue as they stay focused on the instructions being given.

Finally, free flows are those which allow the freest expression of the practitioner.

Everyone can choose to build their sequence as they wish by drawing on the vocabulary of the Animal Flow system . These are the flows that are most appealing and that attract many practitioners to Animal Flow.

Just like Ido Portal's Floreio might do, these flows show the practitioner's level of mastery and give the opportunity to add their expressive and creative touch.

Mike Fitch believes that you must first experience the rigidity of a progression structure and then express yourself in the flow. I completely agree with him on this point.

This is also the same logic in the Ido Portal method, particularly with regard to locomotion . We spend a lot of time refining the technique of movements before using them for improvisation.

If you are new to Animal Flow, focus on your technique to become a “flowist.”

BONUS: The Animal Flow Community

Build a structure that can constitute a complete and integrative practice or be broken down into different components to be practiced separately.

The founder of Animal Flow sees his system as a language that brings people together around a common physical practice.

Animal Flow aims to improve the physical condition of its practitioners, reconnect them with their bodies , and stimulate their creativity and sense of aesthetics through movement.

This is a point that particularly speaks to me ahead of the release of my new platform to bring together movements and offer them a way to exchange, discuss and meet: the COMMUNITY .

I think that the Movement is one of the best reasons there is to come together and share friendly moments, moments of play, joy, good humor,

And maybe even extend this idea of ​​a simpler, more youthful approach to the rest of our lives.

You can stay informed about the upcoming release of this unique online space in the French-speaking world by joining the email list.

Thank you for your attention, my friend.

Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS