Mike Fitch - the creator of this technique wants the system to be more sophisticated to fulfill the demands of the human body while still keeping it as easy as possible to understand & apply. This ultimately led to the development of a range of movements & combinations grouped into categories “Six Components''. Each Component is designed to elicit specific results & can be mixed & matched in many ways, allowing the user to incorporate one, some, or all of them in their workouts & programs.

Now, let’s dive into the 6 components of Animal Flow.

(Anthony Geurds - Primal Strength Director)

Wrist Mobilizations are simple, yet effective drills used to prepare the hands & wrists for the challenges of Animal Flow. They help increase: The flow of blood, oxygen & nutrients to the soft tissue in & around the wrists.

- Provide an opportunity to gauge any pain, discomfort or restrictions that may be present.

- Prepare the wrists for the demands of quadrupedal movement, & minimize the development of performance-reducing inflammation & discomfort.

Activations are a way of “waking up” the body & encouraging it to communicate.  

The Animal Flow practice uses 2 activation positions: Beast & Crab, which are foundation forms of the overall program. 

The Beast & Crab activations are perfect complements to each other. Because they engage large areas of muscles, as ideal tools to prime the body before movement of anything we do.

Activations are also an excellent opportunity to gently invite conscious awareness back into one’s body. In today’s world, so many things are competing for our attention which can lead to a disconnection of body & mind. Simply by placing our hands & feet in contact with the ground to perform these seemingly easy tasks, it becomes very difficult to think about anything else that’s happening around us or in our lives.

(Quyen Dang - Primal Movement Director)

Form Specific Stretches (FSSs) are full-body mobilizations that all aim to promote a combination of flexibility & stability (i.e. mobility) via the body's multiple progressions.

Performing each movement slowly is an excellent way to identify & condition strength gaps that you may have within the pattern. However, like many of the other movements with variable applications, we can also perform the FSSs at varied speeds within our Flows. Examples include: APE REACH, CRAB REACH, and SCORPION REACH.

Traveling forms are the animal locomotive movements of Animal Flow, often called ABCs of animal movements: Ape, Beast, Crab, along with their variations, were chosen & altered to elicit specific results within the human body & to complement our bipedal form. Mike Fitch - the creator of Animal Flow, loves using traveling forms as a stylistic way to morph in & out of an animal form.

SWITCHES & TRANSITIONS

The Switches & Transitions (S&Ts) make up the bulk of the “flow” in Animal Flow practice. These are dynamic movements that can be linked together to form endless combinations or can stand alone as a powerful exercise or drill.

Our foundational S&Ts are broken down into four categories: Underswitch, Side Kickthrough, Scorpion, Front Kickthrough & each of their variations. Even with just a few basic Switches & Transitions, the potential combinations of movements are endless.

“It was the feeling of Flow that hooked me from the very beginning of my journey into free movement” - Mike Fitch.

Flows are where all of the Animal Flow components come together. Flows can be performed in many ways, but there are 3 main styles: Choreographed, Freestyle Callouts, Free Flow. The ultimate goal is to perform as seamlessly as possible.

Primal Performance Lab is proud to be the first boutique gym in Vietnam that provides Animal Flow training sessions with Animal Flow Certified Coaches/Instructors that helps you flow in a sure-fire way to be challenged, and supported by the ones who know the fine details. We deliver big groups, team sessions & private training 1 on 1 for anyone who wants to start their Flow journey.