Back to Basics
It is in our nature to move. It’s how we interact with the world in
order to improve ourselves and others. Today, we still have these
abilities, but in more complex ways. Movement has become more about
aesthetics and less about functionality. Is it possible to get back to
our primitive instincts to improve our health? Primal movements will
achieve this exact goal for any athlete or ordinary person.
Origins
The Primal Movement Workouts
first took shape in 2017 by Hungarian professional athlete Peter
Lakatos. Growing up, his instructor trained him through games that
tested his coordination and intelligence. As an homage to this, Lakatos
developed a style of exercise that targeted the same goals. All the
while, it was supposed to be fun.
This style holds core values to develop someone as both a person and
an athlete. First, the entire body is worked throughout the experience.
There is no need to organize a weekly split; it’s already a full body
workout. This may be the solution to anyone who does not have the time
for a workout split.
High-intensity circuit training such as primal moving is more
time-efficient for busy people. Wildland firefighters performed two
sessions for 8 consecutive weeks. They had remarkable improvements in
speed, upper limb and abdominal strength, and explosive leg strength
(1). This means athletes can dedicate more time to being a person
outside of their fitness identity.
Also, it plays into the body’s natural, primitive movements used each
day. There are no fancy moves that need to be learned. Instead, people
will get in-touch with their basic and playful manners. The playfulness
will get one to look forward to the next practice/game rather than see
it as a chore. It can target calisthenic strength, posture, and mobility
in one session. Inactive males who practiced squat jumps (a primal
movement) for eight weeks improved their lower body functionality,
including velocity and strength (2).
The Basics
Primal movements fit into these seven categories:
Pushing involves distancing one force from another.
It’s a natural instinct to push danger away for self-defense. These
movements are common in pushing our own bodyweight away or pushing a
force away from us. The muscles recruited in pushing are the shoulders,
upper back, chest, and triceps.
Pulling involves attracting resistance towards us.
It’s a movement we cannot accomplish on our own. Unlike pushing, we need
something to grab onto to complete the movement. Pulling is seen in
rowing movements in which the elbows get drawn back. The muscles
recruited are the lats, upper back, and biceps. These muscles are also
used in hanging movements.
Rotation is used for turning the body. It’s the one
movement that is solely dedicated to the core and abdominal strength.
These movements will keep the core stable while in motion. It can
support the push and pull movements by increasing the ability to further
contract the working muscles. Whether it’s turning to check blindspots
in a car or an open environment, it’s a movement worth practicing.
Squatting is one of the most underutilized movements
today. Our lower body mobility has devolved throughout time because we
don’t squat as often. You can thank chairs for this. Our ancestors used
to squat multiple times in a day. It’s how they got to the ground to sit
or pick up something. This movement can be done on its own with or
without resistance. It will bring mobility to the quads, hips, ankles,
and feet.
Hinging, or bending, is another way of using the
lower body. Squats work vertical mobility and hinging works horizontal
mobility. This is beneficial for reaching a target that is low and far
away. There is some muscle recruitment carried over from the squat such
as the hips, ankles, and feet. For the horizontal depth, it uses the
hamstrings instead of the quads.
Lunging is good for maintaining overall balance.
Squatting and hinging are bilateral movements, meaning they use both
sides of the body simultaneously. Lunging relies only on one side,
deeming it a unilateral movement. This is the most evident when using stairs.
Locomotive, or gait, is the body’s natural way of
transportation. Our ancestors had to travel long distances on foot. Even
if the journey took days, they used their only way of transportation.
As for short-range distances, they were crawling and leaping, similar to
primates. In today’s world, cycling and swimming are also considered
sources of locomotives.
Inner Animal
Many contemporary styles of fitness involve primal movements.
Calisthenics has primal movements at its heart, making it the foundation
of every exercise. Yoga and mixed martial arts have combined primal
movements with discipline and natural instincts. Endurance training is
even a modern form of practicing natural locomotion. The primal
movements can be accessed in any form of activity. How will you connect
with your inner animal?
Works Cited
- https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/3/2073
- https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/10/7/1217
