Which sport allows you to work on the 7 FUNDAMENTAL MOVEMENTS?

In this episode of the Mouvers Podcast, there is a first question from Rudy which seems quite nice to me.

“Hi Slim, it's me again, Rudy. I have two quick questions: is there a sport or physical activity that combines the 7 fundamental movements?”

A very good question…

What are the 7 fundamental movements?

To begin, we will define the seven fundamental movements. For this , there is an article that I wrote on my blog , which is very, very complete and in which I review all these movements.

In it, I explain why they are called fundamental movements, what happens in the central nervous system when we perform them.

And why the human body evolved to be able to somehow express the full range of movements based on these 7 movements.

These movements are pushing , pulling , squatting , so everything that is squat , lunge , bending the hip hinge , locomotion and what is called the twist so rotational and anti-rotational sheathing.

Why are these the fundamental movements?

Because that's pretty much all we're capable of.

The human brain will categorize , it will try to interpret all the movements that we make as one of these seven movements .

I give the example of running quite often, so sprinting, running for an endurance sport, or other,

For the brain it remains a pattern gate of the fundamental movement of locomotion, it's as simple as that.

So to put it simply, all the derivatives of walking will be associated with the pattern gate of locomotion .

Same with squatting, jumping will be categorized as squatting.

It can also be classified as a hip hinge bend, but it will always, for all the movements we are going to do, enter and organize itself in our brain in a certain way.

Our brain will guess what movement it is, and what basic movement to associate it with, what my movement is the derivative of.

So obviously, when we think about very complex practices like dance, practices in which there is significant complexity of movement, improvisation, practices in which we are going to evolve with something that is unforeseen,

It is true that with the human eye we will observe movements which are very difficult for us to segment, to categorize,

But that doesn't mean the brain can't do it!

He analyzes very quickly, and then he is used to approaching the evolution of the body and navigating in the three-dimensional and physical space that is ours , with this system.

Which sport should you choose to work on the 7 fundamental movements?

And so your question Rudy, it is in this sense very relevant because we say to ourselves that if all the movements that I am capable of making are expressed in terms of these 7 movements,

Well, it would be smart and useful to have a physical practice that could make me work on all these movements, in which case I absolutely agree.

After the second point, it is in the question, is there a sport, a physical activity which brings together the fundamental movements?

I think that the direction of the question is not very relevant in the sense that it directs us, as always, towards this idea that for every cause there is an effect, for every injury a bandage .

We are still trying to insert into the world our arrogance as human beings who want to dominate, to control those around us, thinking that there is always a unique solution, a universal magic formula that works for everyone.

I don't agree with that, and so that's why the question for me will unfortunately lead you into a line of thinking that will not lead to anything close to the natural order.

Because the natural order is chaos, it is permanent evolution , it is permanent change,

So if you tell yourself that you've found the sport that has the seven fundamental movements, well, you're going to want to do that for the rest of your life.

But life doesn't work like that, life works in cycles, in phases.

There will be times when swimming will do you good, and then at other times a big dose of CrossFit will be more relevant for you, then you will perhaps return to gentler practices.

And even in those practices that you will keep for a very long time, like for example a martial art, well the way you practice will change,

Maybe when you're younger you'll be interested in the combat aspect, and maybe when you're older you'll be interested in the quality of the execution of the movements, the technique, etc.

So life, the evolution of the human being and physical practice, for me in this sense, they must be nuanced.

And I think we must dare to enter into this complexity, this beauty and this grace which is the complex physical practice and human life as an art.

We are artists of human movement , and the art to which we are all subjected is that of expressing the movement of our own body and trying to draw the most beautiful fresco that we can draw.

I think it's more like art, something that will evolve, something that is linked to your emotions, to your mental state, rather than something protocol-based, engineering-based, mechanical, where every cause has a consequence, A implies B, B implies C by transitivity, etc.

This mathematization of the world and this search for Cartesian logic, of imposing inferences in the world around us, simply to reassure us as always, we come back to the same fundamental fact that it reassures us,

That it is predictable and therefore that it will facilitate our survival, that it will prevent us from thinking about our own mortality and therefore it is a bit of decisions and questions which are based on fear .

What is the solution to this?

What is the only practice that allows this to be done?

As always, I try to reach higher levels of consciousness to tell you that sometimes simple questions lead us to a life experience that is suboptimal.

So that's why I invite you once again to ask yourself better questions.

When you have a doubt or when, for example, you ask yourself a question, a nice little game is simply to ask yourself “why” 5 times in a row .

“I want this, why?

I do this because this, this and this, etc.”

Generally we arrive at a kind of depth and we manage to eliminate in the end the first question which is rather a surface question, and we arrive at something which is more interesting.

In the same way,

“Is there a sport or physical activity that combines the 7 fundamental movements?”

It's almost impossible to answer, because in the end all the sports or all the physical activities that you are going to do by principle there will be the fundamental movements .

So then if you go into a physical activity that is very specialized and that is very limited in terms of movement exploration, I'm thinking for example of something very athletic like running or sprinting,

Obviously sprinting, even if you have lunges, you will have accomplishment, and locomotion, but there is no push, there is no pull apart if you do physical preparation.

But even with this aspect, it will be an exploration of very limited, very linear movement, you will only evolve on one plane.

That is to say that there will always be these 7 new fundamentals at different degrees, on different gauges, so I think we should perhaps ask ourselves the question:

What physical activities do I enjoy, what brings me joy?

And what is my goal?

Am I also looking for significant movement complexity?

Am I simply looking to maintain natural functions?

In which case, what type of physical preparation will perhaps be more interesting for me, do I still want to have notions of musicality, coordination, collaboration, competition, etc.

By answering these questions, a life path will emerge for me, an evolution towards different practices, in the sense that there is not a single sport that allows you to work on all the fundamental movements .

But it's a limited question that leads you to a limited answer, and it also leads you to a choice that I don't think is going to help you have a higher quality of life.

Let's ask ourselves other questions, what do we like?

What is useful?

What are our weak points that we should work on as a priority?

What is my medium and long term goal?

Do I have any restrictions, certain pathologies, certain asymmetrical deficiencies that it would be interesting to fix as a priority?

And then we organize the evolution of our practice, and that's what I teach in my HOMO MOTUS program which starts tomorrow.

I still have a few spots available so don't hesitate if you're interested!

It's a 12-week program in which we'll work on these 7 fundamental movements and we'll do physical preparation, we'll see how to implement an effective movement routine for yourself.

But also rehabilitation, to allow people to have a simple and minimalist training protocol that evolves with their needs , their progress, and their restrictions.

With this, weekly coaching every Sunday with a small group of students, who are generally over 50 years old, who will be able to get back into shape and regain their vitality.

So don't hesitate to check out my HOMO MOTUS program!

That's the question, Rudy, an invitation to ask other questions and perhaps to think more, but thank you!

Thank you for your attention, my Mouver!

Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS