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The Ground Movement Revolution: Reconnecting with our Roots for Holistic Health

2018-10-20 17.29.45
Natural Movement / Personal Stories

The Ground Movement Revolution: Reconnecting with our Roots for Holistic Health

Video in german.

Introduction

Physical fitness and health start with our natural instinct and pathway to move.

Today, we will delve into a fitness method rooted in us, evolution and natural movement and explore its health benefits. Our focus is on Natural Ground Movements, a concept we have been creating and cultivating at Neofold-Academy, and we will share insights from our conversation with Bernd, our expert and the creator of the Natural Ground Movement System.

The Origin of Ground Movements

This Ground Movement concept did not arise overnight. Its development over time was spurred by Bernd’s varied journey through several aspects of physical fitness. He began with traditional Shotokan Karate, a Sports Science degree, later delving into human history with a university degree in Classical Archeology, and eventually immersing himself in Natural Movement Fitness, or MovNat.

The Shift towards Natural Movement

Around 2010, a significant shift in the fitness landscape began. The rise of names like Ido Portal, Dr. Kelly Starrett, Katie Bowman, Gray Cook and Erwan Le Corre to name just a view, signaled a shift towards natural movement, a long overdue shift away from a industrial age few on Fitness and Health. Functional Movement Systems (FMS) played a part in this revolution, focusing on testing and developing the body’s ability to perform standard innate movements.

The real game-changer for Bernd was the realization that the movement deficiencies identified by FMS in hight performance athletes on the upper end start as well on the lower end, where people start to look out to get into the journey to find a fitness training that could help against all kinds modern human health problems. But getting a derails organism corrected by just therapeutic exercises or Functional Fitness, can not work, the only way is to start where it stoped – at the most basic level, the road we all lost – Natural Movement – on an from the Ground Up. This understanding sparked a new paradigm that combined assessment, testing, training, muscle function diagnosis, functional movement screening, and MovNat.

From MovNat to Ground Movements

Over a decade of coaching MovNat led Bernd to recognize a missing link. While MovNat covered a variety of skills such as crawling, balancing, jumping, throwing, lifting, and climbing, it wasn’t quite suitable for those not seeking such physically demanding activities. This is where Ground Movements, previously considered an afterthought, came to the forefront.

This correlated with other experts in the field such as Dr. Kelly Starrett and Katie Bowman that are not just recently but quite a while now pushing towards a movement practice that is similar to the Ground Movements System, as they say – “great minds think alike”.

Prompted by the reflective period during the COVID-19 lockdown, Bernd decided to focus on Natural Ground Movements. He did his investigations into everything that is still used in physiotherapeutic areas like the work of Vojta, the School of Prague, Feldenkrais and the Neuro-Development Sequence and systematically constructed a method and system, a repertoire, cataloging developmental stages used in medicine and adapting them to the adult context.

Today, Natural Ground Movements offer a world of movements: Approximately 32 positions and 1500 possibilities for transitions between them try to replicate the universe of possibilities nature uses to raise children from the ground and make them the best equipped movers on this planet. This offers a clear guideline, a vast range of routines, workouts, and programs that not only help restore mobility, stability and patterns but also enhance body awareness by combining natural movement, natural breathing, brain development and mindfulness that are constituting the base for all further activities of human beings.

Conclusion

Revisiting, recreate, reestablish our natural movement patterns allows us to reconnect with our inherent agility and strength and energy. It opens the potential for health excellence and overall wellness. Ground movements offer a non-intimidating starting point for those beginning a fitness journey without the pressure of high-intensity workouts or complex routines, as well as the whole range of possibilities up to high performance athletes.

At Neofold-Academy, we are committed to promoting natural health and fitness methods like Ground Movements. We aim to help individuals reconnect with their natural movement patterns, thereby fostering a healthier relationship with their bodies and the world around them.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Ground Movements are exercises that involve contact with the ground, often using your own body weight. They simulate natural movements we perform daily, from bending and lifting to crawling and walking. They aim to improve strength, flexibility, agility, and body awareness, enhancing the mind-body connection.

Anyone can practice Ground Movements, irrespective of their fitness level. They are especially beneficial for beginners starting their fitness journey, individuals rehabilitating from injuries, or those looking to improve their overall movement skills. But also, for professional athletes to correct hyper specialization and to build a base for all further movement skills and sports.

Yes, Ground Movements can provide a comprehensive workout. They engage all muscle groups and joints simultaneously, offering strength training, flexibility, balance, and coordination in a single workout. However, they can be combined with other exercise modalities for a more varied fitness routine.

Start slow and respect your body’s limitations. Begin with basic movements like crawling, sitting, and transitioning from sitting to standing. As your strength and mobility improve, you can gradually incorporate more complex movements. It’s about movement exploration and flow to establish a foundation of correct posture and movement.

You can learn Ground Movements at Neofold-Academy. We offer structured programs designed to guide you through the process. We also provide access to professional coaches who can offer personalized advice based on your unique needs and goals.

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