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SmoothMoves

You are not just what you eat, but what you had to do to eat
Writer Andrew Cox

101. Thankfully our ancestors were very good at this game of life
or death, and over a period of millions of years this process has
molded our anatomy, physiology and psychology.
The keystone of success for species was functional, adaptable
and opportunistic movement. Move or die was never truer than
when grunted by a caveman. The movement patterns required on
a regular basis were walking, running, leaping, squatting, lifting,
dragging, crawling, climbing, throwing, reaching and pulling toward

Vyshinsky Denis/ITAR-TASS Photo/Corbis

s descendants of hunter-gatherers, the human body evolved

in an overtly dynamic, hostile environment where every day
was met with challenges. These revolved around moving
our bodies and formulating strategies to survive through attaining or
maintaining shelter, protecting our tribe of family and friends, taking
in calories amidst play, wrestling, dance and procreation to continue
the species all while avoiding becoming prey for another animal.
Press repeat for a few decades and there you have it Evolution

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SmoothMoves
and pushing away. The further you go back along the evolutionary
path the more tools and natural objects like rocks and sticks are
used, and land with infinite variations would have called for
response stimuli from all directions, and at different speeds and
ranges of motion.
We are the end result of a continuous line of success all the way
back to when your mothers mothers mothers mother was a fish!
From that perspective, youre a winner. From a different perspective,
big shoes to fill walking in that shadow. What influence do we have
on our gene pool?
The human body is a magnificent product of nature that is
designed to move. Fast-forward to modern day where movement
beyond the wrists seems to be a choice, theres a rapidly growing
industry responding to the need regardless of environment. Just like
sharks swim to breathe, humans must move regularly to maintain
any semblance of health and vitality and that of future generations.
Some of the weaponry used in this war on stagnation, physical
decline and lethargy has instructors and practitioners using primal
animal, developmental and athletic movement patterns.
The health and fitness industry has a broad label and
encapsulates many disciplines including dance, martial arts, strength
and conditioning, yoga, parkour, gymnastics and acrobatics. Another
discipline, Movement Training, also appears to be on the rise. A
general practice as its name implies, its origins stem from a melting
pot of the disciplines mentioned above.
My working definition at the time of writing is that it is the study
and incremental enhancement of human movement capabilities an
ongoing refinement of rhythm, full-body functional strength, stability
and flexibility. A practice that should result in increased resilience,
adaptability and movement creativity. Here are some of the systems
developed to coach movement training and the coaches that teach
the systems internationally:

Exuberant Animal

Exuberant Animal was founded by Frank Forencich who centres

most of his trainings from Washington in the US, but has travelled
extensively in his study and presenting his work. He studied human

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biology and neuroscience at Stanford University, is a sought-after

passionate speaker and author of Play As If Your Life Depends on
It: Functional Exercise and Living for Homo Sapiens.
The Exuberant Animal mission is to create a best of both worlds
culture using modern tools in life-enhancing ways, while keeping
one foot in raw outdoor physicality, vigorous movement and natural
sensation to develop the mind, body and spirit. His inspiration
comes from spending time with the Bushmen of Tanzania, studying
with other industry leaders such as Vern Gambetta and Gary Gray,
and from playful children and his dog Mojo.
Forencich describes his movement philosophy as Paleo
opportunist. He always opts for outdoor movement if possible,
hiking, running, and climbing and believes a connection to nature
and outdoor movement is essential in the digital age to counteract
the hours spent at computers and devices. When training indoors,
he promotes full-body functional movements with body weight or
free weights, and martial art play when friends are handy.
www.exuberantanimal.com

MovNat

Move so you can be strong, and be strong so you can be free,

says Frenchman Erwan Le Corre, founder of MovNat. The physical
education system and lifestyle developed is based on natural
movement skills such as walking, running, balancing, jumping,
crawling, climbing, manipulative skills like lifting and throwing,
and self-defense.
Czon Wong, certified MovNat trainer in Hong Kong, came
from a Yoga and Pilates background and says MovNat helped her
address many of her weak links. She says that many of her female
students gained confidence and skills in their movements, and are
able to enjoy a much greater variety of activities, including those
that are typically seen as boyish or strength-dominated, as well
as better body definition.
Oh! I used to do that as a kid is a common remark in Wongs
classes, which brings a smile to her face as she believes that this
association facilitates increased learning because as children we
learnt how to move when playing and having fun!
www.movnathongkong.com

THIS PAGE: MovNat is a physical education system and lifestyle based on natural movement skills. OPPOSITE PAGE: Exuberant Animal aims to develop the mind, body and
spirit through raw outdoor physicality, vigorous movement and natural sensation; Fighting Monkey creates games to analyse participants movements and identify their strengths
and weaknesses

Fighting Monkey

Fighting Monkey is a movement practice developed by Jozef Frucek

and Linda Kapetanea. Frucek says, As I see it, a human being is
like an entire universe. Studying such a complex system provides
endless excitement in terms of the amazing outcomes research can
potentially bring. People make fascinating connections to survive,
interact and develop. This is what we are extremely interested in.
For the last 10 years he and Kapetanea have been designing
movement situations and games that stimulate and instigate
adaptability, intelligence in inventing creative strategies, and that
increase the adaptive value behavioural traits and strategic planning
for lifes challenges. Through the games test, participants movements
are analysed to identify strengths and weaknesses, and problemsolving techniques when challenges arise.
Frucek adds, We play at Fighting Monkey, and through these
innocent, sometimes slightly competitive games, we test your
limits. Through practical experience and exploring your potential
using difficulty, unpredictability, stress and danger, we develop
your strength, adaptability and softness. He believes the Fighting
Monkey practice reaches far beyond the physical training aspect.
www.rootlessroot.com

Ido Portal Method

Ido Portal took his study of capoeira and martial arts and expanded
upon his eponymous movement, travelling the world learning from
many different teachers and then blending what he learns and
practises into the Ido Portal Method.
Portal says, Movement is big. Bigger than any specific
movement discipline and it contains within it huge worlds like

fitness, dance, martial arts, strength, flexibility and circus. Beyond

our specialties we are human first and movers second. He
recently received a lot of press working with Irish MMA fighter
Conor McGregor.
George Chan, personal trainer at Joint Dynamics Hong Kong
says, Becoming a good mover starts by going back to basics with
mobility drills and games, crawling on the floor, and sitting in a
deep squat position. It also includes handstands and training to use
the Olympic rings. Its a process where you learn to move better,
get stronger and challenge yourself by learning new movement
patterns. Ido Portals Movement system is suitable for anyone.
You learn at your own level and progress at your own pace. Its
fun and exciting!
The enigmatic Chilean film and theatre director Alejandro
Jodorowsky once said, Birds born in a cage think flying is a sickness.
Throughout the generations, humans have been so enclosed and
incapacitated from our physical heritage that our bodies have been
relegated to a vehicle to transport our brains from one meeting to the
next. We have gone from natural aboriginal athleticism to obesity
epidemics and record levels of musculoskeletal pain.
Authorities on health must warn us to consult with a physician
before engaging in a programme that is in alignment with what and
who we are as a species. It is analogous to a warning demanding
you take your dog to the vet before letting it off the leash in a park!
Regular physical activity and healthy food are needed to attain
and maintain the health and vitality that is our genetic birthright.
Movement is one of the mandates of nature, and movement training
step by step, or should I say crawl pattern by crawl pattern, has the
capacity to reignite your joy for physical activity, attenuate fears
and physical pains and develop an adaptable body.
www.idoportal.com

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