Primal Movements Thread

Great thread.
Another couple of movements I'd put in here would be the ability, with a short run, to jump over a decent height (hurdle type height), vault (with help from your hands) over something a bit higher (5-bar gate type height) and clamber over a wall of your own height.
Also some sort of long jump perhaps. Something approaching your own height?
Basic stuff that would allow you to traverse most environments and different terrain with some degree of efficiency. Like our ancestors had to do before pavements and roads.
Not sure how you'd train for all that though?

 

Nice one Simon! I still use many of those movements in programs designed for others I train. I couldn't agree more that people need more of the primal movement patterns in their increasingly limited movement pattern lives. Most programs are far too sagittal plane movement heavy and often neglect the frontal plane or the transverse plane. Sadly many trainers aren't even aware of how to call these planes out or program them into workouts.

In the interest of this thread I'll post a video that covers the planes and axis of movement so that we can all be on the same page. Very important for everyone to get to grips with the basic terminology so we don't all talk in circles. At first it can seem very confusing... but once you get your head around it's a very well thought out system that's been in use in medicine for a long time. PT's who know their stuff will also have a command of this type of system for naming and indicating direction in regards to movement and the human form. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsZwsjGuDxU"]Axes & Planes Part 1 - YouTube[/ame]

 

You'd want a program (workout) designed that covered some form of movement in all those planes of motion. So you could start looking at your own training and workouts and see how many of the planes of motion are covered. Typically most workouts are lacking in transverse or rotational movement - lateral or frontal plane movement is usually lacking as well.

One of the things I often do when teaching young trainers program design is to have them design up a 1 hour program for a client and then go back over it with them to see how many planes of motion they have covered. From there you then need to consider the needs/wants of the client and any imbalances or limitations the client may have. Usually that means an old injury or a pronounced weakness in one type of movement or bodypart or they are looking for something that has to be sports specific... example... the sport of Rugby tends to sagittal plane dominant in terms of movement planes and quad dominant in terms of muscle groups.

 

The lack of ability to squat in many people growing up in developing countries is sad - it's the primal way to poop!

 

The run route I do has a "kissing gate" that I climb over, instead of going through, and a drainage ditch that I jump (4-5 foot long jump). Adding that sort of thing into a run I think is quite primal and makes the run more taxing and varied than a straight pavement slog.
I'd love a 6 foot wall to climb over too. Or even a 10 foot rope climb.
I remember a systema video where the guys basically ran cross country, over ditches, climbing and such. I think that level isn't needed (don't wanna catch Weil's disease!) but I liked the essence of what they were getting at.

 

I'd probably say your standard Primal Movements consist of variations of:

Walking
Running
Jumping
Swimming
Climbing
Pushing
Pulling
Carrying

Upright and at ground level. As long as you're doing these on a regular rotational basis you'll be alright (Swimming at Ground Level? Yes!).

Too many strength etc workouts concentrate on just a fraction of these. Plenty of folk can Bench Press 2, 3 times their bodyweight but can't even do one lock (change rungs) on the monkey bars.

 

Great thread, Simon!

I'd have to agree with what has been said thus far and second Sokklab's additions. As a capoeirista, I'd like to think that inversions--while perhaps not essential--are useful additions to one's repertoire of movement. Also, some challenging and fun close to the ground movements similar to things we're used to doing in capoeira might be interesting. Things such as:

Alligator walks
Crab walks
Bear/Camel walks
backbends

Inversions would consist of cartwheels and handstands, of course.

 

I was actually thinking of capoeira when I read this thread. The art is (obviously) full of these movements; leaping, lunging, twisting, turning, squatting etc etc.

These movements have really helped me become more agile, mobile and a little lighter on my feet in daily life. There was a time when I hated sitting on the floor as my back and core was so weak and flexibility was so bad, I could hardly stand up with out some kind of help.

So yeah kids! Get 'em into your workout.

(Nice thread Simon!)

 

Bit of an overly massive generalisation there. I don't have kids of my own. But I do have plenty of nieces and nephews. They play outside. Have no issues like that at all. And neither did the junior Aikido class I used to teach.

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While I'm sure things have changed drastically from when you grew up to now in comparison to when I grew up to now, I was shocked when I visited my childhood home for a month when I ended my active duty service in the military. I come from a very small town and I remember hanging out after school to play basketball or roaming the towns streets, events held at the high school track, a plethora of children programs (that weren't very good honestly) or just facilities being open.

I went to the high school a couple of times during my visit and drove around the town too. I wanted to see if I spotted any of the young kids I knew or taught in my later high school years and see how they've grown. You would have thought it was a ghost town. Out of 5 or so out door basketball courts around the town there was not one being occupied. Neighborhoods I remember
playing in the streets of you couldn't find a kid in sight! It was like an entirely different place.

While I'm sure individual experiences may differ with the whole "children need to play out doors" problem, on the grand scheme of things I've noticed quite a lack of it in specific areas from my own child hood where it seems to be a lost practice.

 

I went to a rope workshop in Clerkenwell last Saturday, and on my walk there (its a bit of trek from the nearest tube) I saw a bunch of guys doing Barstarz bodyweight stuff in the park on the bars they had. Almost tempted to stop for a few pullups, just to prove I could, but I was running late. Alas, nothing like that in Cambridge, the bars in parks I mean!

 

Couldn't all you old guys just go and play with your kids? All the young ones here need to do is take up Parkour

 

Hipster Simon meme needs to be created now

 

Quite a good list there, Simon. Pull-ups are curiously absent, though. :O

 

My advice? Move to Scotland.