Animal Gymnastics

Without question the greatest athletes in the field of bodyweight training are the acrobats and gymnasts. Now why do I say that? Simple really, they use their bodyweight in ways most others can’t even compare to. They’re control, balance, awareness and conditioning is second to none. The closest to conditioning I would compare them to are wrestlers. The way they train almost seems animal-like, graceful, strong and powerful. 

 Do you need to be a gymnast or acrobat to be in good condition? Hell no. You can have a powerful and strong body just using simple and basic gymnastics training and if you want to be wild about it, you can even do Animal exercises which imitate the most graceful and strongest animals on the planet. The benefits of learning these types of methods is off the charts…Strength, flexibility, stamina, lean body and have great mental clarity. Animal Gymnastics is the combination of basic gymnastics along with the movement of wild animal. It’s not hard to say just doing basic movements is really the key foundation to a strong, healthy and illness resilient body.

 Have you heard of those lethal hormone injections that athletes and celebrities use on the competition to gain an advantage in their sport or movie role? Well, I’m going to lay it down for you, unless you’re sick and in a hospital you don’t need that shit whatsoever. What you need is good old-fashioned exercise where multiple muscle groups are used, you will be getting your hormones jumped through the roof and this can happen at any age. Younger people like me don’t worry so much about that because we’re not at that age yet where it has to be a factor, older folks however especially over 40 and beyond have a tougher time getting that lean body they want and the percentage you lose each year of hormone levels. Don’t ever let that happen to you. If you practice programs like these, your hormones will run through your veins as if you were young again.

 When you move like a wild animal, you’re moving your body in ways other methods can’t match. Do you see a Gorilla on a treadmill or a Bear on a weighted bench? No you don’t because they are strong and fast as they need to be. Going to a gym is fine if you want to do that but if you want real world strength that is functional and powerful then go to a park or your own backyard and roam free. One of the key secrets to this type of training is not going through the motions like some dull airhead, see yourself as that animal and picture yourself being strong and taking your conditioning to levels unheard of before.

 Do you what a bear cub does after it’s born? It learns to walk, then run and wrestles his brothers to learn survival so when it becomes a full grown bear it will be fierce, feared by man and run down its prey faster then you can say Jack Rabbit. Now what’s that called again when you learn new things and want to get better at them? Oh yes that’s right, PROGRESSION!!!! A lot of people feel starting small isn’t enough for them, even some trainers have that “Go big or go home” attitude and that’s just crap. In order to get good at something no matter what it is, you have to learn how to earn it. If you’re new to exercise or a seasoned veteran, you must learn the value of progressing through the things you want to accomplish.

 Like adults, children too need that structure of becoming good athletes no matter what they want to do. Exercise for kids is very important especially in our society today where childhood obesity is more common then smoking a cigarette. Children need the feel of fun and learn the ins and outs of what’s right and wrong. Exercise has been shown to help children’s emotional state balanced and it helps them with structure and what can work for them. Some children are very active and sometimes are tough to put down for a nap because of all that energy, exercise helps that too. If a child has low self-esteem and has symptoms of depression, exercise has been shown to bring up their spirits and not even treat as a sign of working out but more like play. A program like this can give your kid a lifetime of fun and helping them along with other things in their lives.

 How do I know about self-esteem and exercise? Well when I was a teenager, I wished I had higher self-esteem and more exercise because I wasn’t the typical 97 pound weakling teen matter of fact weight wise I was the exact opposite. At 13 I was 5’4 and nearly 200 lbs of blubber and didn’t have much muscle to show for. I was also slow and very rebellious. I didn’t have strength to write home about and was ridiculed on not just my weight but my personality. As I got older and shifted more towards exercise and mental training I became the person I should’ve been all along. In a way I have evolved over the years and becoming strong and healthy was a major key and I never want kids at that age or younger to go through that so parents, train with your kids and help them achieve their goals, they’ll thank you in the long run.

 Have you seen the abs on those gymnasts? I mean holy shit, that doesn’t look human at times but seriously, gymnasts have the strongest abs on the planet bar none. They have to be strong and powerful otherwise the skills they perform won’t be that good looking.  Your core is one of the most important keys in either sports, fitness or for overall daily life like holding groceries, lifting a heavy box or carrying a couple kids. Crunches are not the best choice to do abdominal work unless you’re a beginner. If you want strong and powerful abs, then you need to work your whole body as one unit while focusing on keeping the core muscles tight and locked. Even doing Hand Balancing requires complete core strength and overall body strength. Doing basic gymnastics and animal training can get you there and trust me, having a strong, injury-free and healthy body goes a long way for things in your life.

We all have some form of Animality within us and we can unleash that thirst for strength by exercising like the animals that far out-beat us in every aspect of fitness. Screw aerobics and treadmills, go out and have fun and be a wild animal. Bring out that animal within.