Basic movement patterns

The following are animal-inspired movement patterns that I learned through my GMB apprenticeship. These build strength, stability, and increased range of motion. You'll probably see me mention these a lot, so I thought a page with example videos was in order. You can also read more about these movements on the GMB site.

Prepare for movement

Be sure to prepare your wrists, hips, and body before doing these movements. Here's a generic prep routine you can use.

Bear

A quadrupedal movement that builds shoulder stability and strength, engages your core, and stretches out your calves and hamstrings.

Crab

A reverse quadrupedal crawl with your chest facing up, hands behind you, and hips lifted. The crab activates your glutes and posterior chain, since you have to keep your hips lifted. It also improves core and scapular control as you are pushing down to keep your chest and shoulders from collapsing.

There's also a side-to-side version of the crab, which really challenges your stability.

Frogger

A deep squat that transitions to a hand-loaded position. This movement helps improve your core strength and balance. It also helps with hip and ankle mobility.

Monkey

A lateral, squat-based movement that shifts your weight side-to-side. It's great for hip mobility and strength.