Fitness over 50 isn't just about staying active—it's about embracing movement that nourishes both body and mind, especially as we navigate the complexities of middle age. Amidst the sea of exercise options, yoga teachers and getting a personal gym trainer, there's one unconventional practice that's capturing attention for its transformative potential: Animal Flow. Despite its wild-sounding name, Animal Flow offers a uniquely anytime anywhere joyful and creative movement experience, particularly beneficial for middle-aged women. Here's why every woman in her middle years should consider delving into and playing with Animal Flow:
Table of contents:
1. Engaging the Whole Body
2. Enhancing Joint Health and Mobility
3. Mind-Body Connection
4. Versatility and Accessibility
Animal Flow doesn't look like a traditional workout routine. Some people describe it as a dance, for others it's ground flow, capoeira-esque, a Brazilian Ju Jitsu warm up gone mad, a parkour QM conditioning session, breakdancing and for others it's simply movement. And they are all right. Mike Fitch who created Animal Flow spent time in each of these communities and packaged many of the elements that could then be scaled and structured in beneficial ways.
As the Animal Flow website states "Animal Flow includes a range of movements and combinations that are grouped into categories we call the “Six Components.” Each Component is designed to elicit specific results. The Six Components can be mixed and matched in many ways, allowing you to incorporate one, some, or all of them in your workouts. These include wrist mobilisations, activations, from specific stretches, travelling forms, switching and transitions, and flows. "
Personally I LOVE the flows, switches and transitions. This is where we really get to see how we join the dot sin how we move.
Benefits of Animal Flow are:
1. Engaging the Whole Body:
Animal Flow involves bodyweight exercises and engages every muscle group, from head to toe. Whether crawling, balancing, or flowing through sequences with names like the bear, crab, or ape, this holistic approach ensures comprehensive activation and strengthening of the entire body, fostering improved overall fitness and mobility.
2. Joint Health and Mobility: Middle age often brings with it the onset of joint stiffness and decreased mobility. However, Animal Flow offers a solution to counteract these challenges. Through its primal, multi-planar movements, Animal Flow promotes joint mobility and flexibility, helping to alleviate stiffness and enhance range of motion. By embracing the natural fluidity of the animal-inspired movements, practitioners unlock new levels of mobility, improve joint stability, and mitigate the risk of injury—a crucial consideration for women navigating the physical changes of midlife.
3. Mind-Body Connection: Beyond its physical benefits, Animal Flow provides an opportunity to cultivate a deeper connection between mind and body. In the midst of life's demands, it's easy to lose touch with our bodies and the present moment. However, the rhythmic, flowing nature of Animal Flow encourages mindfulness and presence, inviting practitioners to synchronize breath, movement, and sensations. To invite in a flow state of coordination, challenge, balance, spontaneous decision and new movement patterns. This mind-body connection not only enhances the effectiveness of the workout but also fosters mental clarity, stress relief, and a profound sense of empowerment—a priceless gift for women navigating the complexities of midlife.
4. Embracing Versatility and Accessibility: One of the remarkable aspects of Animal Flow is its adaptability and accessibility to individuals of any and all fitness levels and backgrounds. Whether you're a fitness novice or a seasoned athlete, Animal Flow can be tailored to meet your unique needs and capabilities. Movements can be modified to accommodate mobility restrictions or injuries, and still bring you strength and importantly joy in how it feels to move your body. Moreover, Animal Flow requires minimal equipment and can be practiced virtually anywhere—whether at home, in the park, beach or clifftop or even while traveling—making it a convenient and sustainable fitness solution for busy middle-aged women.
In conclusion, Animal Flow offers middle-aged women a dynamic and transformative approach to play with new ways of moving that transcends traditional exercise modalities. From its comprehensive engagement of the body and promotion of joint health to its emphasis on mindfulness and inclusivity, Animal Flow has the potential to invite more women to enjoy how they approach their health and well-being in midlife.
So why wait? Embrace your inner strength, unlock your potential, and embark on a journey of vitality and self-discovery with Animal Flow. Your body and mind will thank you for it.
If you're looking for somewhere to start find out about my 45 minute Beginners Introductory Animal Flow class.
If you havn't found a movement system that works for you yet, Animal Flow maybe the hybrid one that could work for you...