Animal Movement & Crawls: The Brain's Secret Weapon For Those With ADHD

 

Happy 4th Of July Everyone. Hopefully you're all having a blast with the BBQ's fireworks and spending time with great people. Today, I want to go over some key things about Animal Movements & Crawls that not only are useful but showcase that there's FREEDOM in being able to play while you train. Let's get this party going shall we?

Some of the advice people get in the world of those with ADHD (which I display some symptoms of but have learned to manage it without drugs or therapy) can be a circus and a pain in the ass. Just do this or that or go to Africa and see how the natives live and realize ADHD is a myth. Yes I've heard dumb shit like that and that's not how that works but then again many on Social Media think they're experts when they can't tie their own shoelaces without rambling on like the teacher from Charlie Brown. 

One of the things that actually is beneficial and gives off those relaxing vibes when the brain feels like it has dozens of tabs opened is to get on the fucking floor and move like an animal in the wild. I'm not joking man, dead serious here. Why are they beneficial? What are the reasons for them to work for those who do have focus issues?

For Starters:

For many of us and from a certain perspective, it gives what the brain craves: Input. It's not about just focus, it's the nervous system that is deeply and specifically overhyped or bored and needs stimulation. Crawling such as Bear Crawls, Crab Walks, Duck Walks and doing Jumps like a Frog dumps in what's called proprioceptive input into the joints. In other words for those trying to understand what that means, in a nutshell, basically its the deep pressure that informs the brain where the body is. 

The "heavy work" on display is what calms the system down. When you're in a relaxed state or have better focus, you're not having anxious moments like restless leg syndrome or playing the fast clicking game with your pen. You fed the brain what it needed and that's that input plus the structure. 

The Second thing is what's referred to as Training The Brakes and not just the Gas:

One of the major symptoms of ADHD is Impulsivity. It's like Doug from Up where he can talking and then out of nowhere, SQUIRREL. Attention spans are erratic so it's important to understand how we can find ways to control those impulses in order to deliver results. Take the Bear Crawl for example, learn to move, shift and be able to stop/pause on as dime. With practice, you can display Inhibitory Control which shows where you can focus in real time. 

This was figured out decades ago with kids but it also is important to help reduce the need to put those kids on medication. Because of the symptoms I displayed when I was very little from the meningitis, I was put on Ritalin until I was about 10 years old. If I was taught more how to use Animal Crawls and was taught it as play instead of just wearing me out, things may have gone differently. As an adult who has been doing this kind of training off and on since about 2008, I can tell you that although it's not 100% curable, it has helped me in ways that keep me going and helps me be focused on things that are important to me. It's not so much a disease but more of an aspect of the need for stimulation. It's one of the reasons why I love training all the time and why things change for me more frequently than those who consistently exercise. 

A Third Factor is utilizing Cross Body Movements That Cross Wires The Brain:

Movements like the Bear Crawl uses patterns of Opposite Arm & Leg. Crab Walks force greater stabilization cause variations have your hips high to look like a table. Either way, these patterns build strong connections between the brain's left and right hemispheres. What does this translate to or bring about outside of this? It helps you read better, can show greater formats of hand-writing and transition well among tasks. 

Number 4 is on Posture that Fixes The Fidgeting:

About half of the "hyperactivity" shows shitty Postural Endurance. What this means is that when the Core and Shoulders are weaker than Bob Ueker's Career Batting Average, its obvious why it's difficult to sit still. There's a lot of energy just attempting holding yourself upright. Many crawl patterns load the muscles that keep you having that strong posture. The stronger the posture, the less likely to be squirming. 

The 5-Count Pin. Chaotic Organizing....Many of those with ADHD LOVE THIS:

It can be mind numbing running on a treadmill, doing random Jumping Jacks that just make you quit after a short period of time, not because you can't keep going, but because the stimulation doesn't help much. What gives the formality of Hyperactivity being put into a container is moving like an animal. It's learning the rules while being a maniac. You have to learn to coordinate, be able to think on your feet (or on all fours) and burn all that energy since it will organize the brain all at the same time. 

Studies of Movement that even include 12 week programs showed massive drops in Hyperactivity scores when this type of training is thrown in the mix. It's not about "Just try harder" anymore. It's giving you opportunities to live life on your terms while managing something that isn't easily managed. 

In Conclusion:

Like I said earlier based on my own life and experiences, Animal Moves won't 100% get rid of ADHD. I can be an asshole and tell you to just go do 500 Hindu Squats or you'll be a pussy, but I'm not going to do that to you, what benefit do I get out of that? We may have different ways to handle this but I'm also telling you you're not alone and I want you to find the best outlet. Animal Crawls all in all, are just a tool like anything else but if you like swimming, hiking, working with a sledgehammer or go to the gym, fucking do it man. Take control of what benefits you. 

For more info on building Animal Conditioning, check out Movement 20XX by Vahva Fitness. One of the best courses around for not just building physical things like endurance and strength but to also help channel the brain so you can do tasks that are important and be able to work the capacity you need to to make a living. Most marketing scammers and "gurus" only play off courses (which are fabricated & plagiarized) to only show how to lose weight and think it's about being physical when they don't care about the mental side of it by helping others use it for mental health. They don't give a shit about that side of the fence, only to look good and have some inferiority complex. Courses like Movement 20XX show what it can do for your mental health and teach you patterns that are fun, exciting and enhance positive vibes. Also, I encourage you to check out Eero's Channel which has a lot of cool moves you can try. 

Shoot a comment here or use the linktree to send me an email and let me know what you think. 

A Morning Routine That Takes 3 Total Minutes

Many will often wake up groggy, wanting to go back to sleep or just do whatever they need to in order to get themselves out of bed. It can be a pain in the ass at times and there can be so much going on the moment you get up. Here's a micro workout you can do to help fire up the neurons and get some good movement in the morning.

I've always believed Animal Movement is one of the best ways to train, not for the sake of working patterns but to play and have that positive energy while getting the body flowing. Mimicking animals in the wild gives you a sense of being with nature and learning to control the body that will function in ways that can be lifesaving especially as we get older. It can be treated as fitness but it's better to treat it as a formality that brings back to a time where we just played and have that free-spirited energy. 

A good routine to do is to pick 3 exercises or crawls, do them for 1 minute each to start the day. You can mimic the type of animals you like and work on waking the muscles and waking up the brain at the same time. For me, I like to do Bear Crawls, Gorilla Hops & Tiger Walks to get things going. Since coffee is out of the question for me (I absolutely hate it), this is better in my opinion and it doesn't take long. Even after doing one of the moves, I'm already waking up quick and feeling good. 

It doesn't have to be the three animals I mentioned, if you like Duck Walks, Crab Walks or moving like a Lizard, go for it. Keep the basics, follow patterns of opposite arm/leg and don't move so fast you'll crash on your face LOL. We may not always spring up in the morning but with a routine like this, slowly getting ourselves moving to fire things up, it could put that spring in our step after and feel like we can take on the world. 

Set your watch or timer for 60 seconds, do a move, take a brief rest and repeat 2 more times and that's it, there's your morning routine. Productivity that works cognitive function and blood flow to your system while stretching and moving at the same time. You can go longer as time goes on but this is a good start to your day. If you really would just like to start for 1 minute, that's fine too but 3 minutes is really the stepping stone here. You don't have to go Sonic The Hedgehog on the moves or anything, just start moving and feel your body.  

For more info on Animal Moves, come check out the bad ass course Movement 20XX that has all sorts of exercises, flows and routines that will help you build strength, flexibility, mobility and brain power. If you're on a budget and would like something a bit more affordable, check out Animal Moves by Darryl Edwards who's great motto is to "train like an animal, to move like a human." You always have options. Be amazingly awesome and get moving, your life depends on it and get that grumpiness out of your system in the morning, wake up with fire in you and jump start the day with energy. 

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