Most of the time when new clients come to see us they’re really eager to start lifting weights. The challenge is that they often haven’t lifted anything relatively heavy in years and they’ve been feeling achy, sore, and stiff from sitting in a chair all day at work and at home in front of the tv. Of course, that’s why they’ve come to see us! But getting right into a lifting routine from ground zero is a big mistake because it tends to create a lot of shearing, torsion, and compression on the joints. That’s just what happens when we’re not prepared to load our bodies this way. Therefore, we typically start our clients on a bodyweight flow program so that they can learn to manage their own weight before loading more weight onto their joints, and the results can be amazing.
You may have tried a yoga flow class before where the “flow” connects different poses and is a constant flow of movement the entire time. Well, that’s kind of what Bodyweight Flow programs are all about. In fact, they often incorporate several yoga poses within the flow. These movements use anatomical lines of the body, which help you “flow” more fluidly between movements and poses. They also give you many of the same benefits of yoga and other energizing routines such because these movements are also coupled with breathwork and require strength, control, and attention to detail of how you are moving. This allows you to be more in-tune with your body and it prepares you for more intense exercise, including lifting weights. But there are many more benefits to bodyweight flow!
Mobility. Because you’re moving in so many different directions and planes throughout a bodyweight-flow workout, you’ll notice you feel incredibly loose afterward. It’s an unexpected sensation of feeling both strong and mobile at the same time — unlike most workouts, during which you may feel strong but need a serious cool-down of stretching afterward to loosen up.
Mind-body Connection. While doing bodyweight flow, you’re firing more neurons in both the left and right hemispheres of the brain because there’s so much coordination involved and so much information being given to you by the floor in your hands and feet. Because you’re going from one movement to another and using your whole body in a dynamic way, everything has to work together. So your brain is having to coordinate all these things, just like traffic on the highway during rush hour. You’re essentially creating a superhighway of information running up and down the body.
Full-body strength. You may be wondering how you’ll gain strength without lifting any weights. Well, even though you aren’t loaded down with weight, you definitely aren’t stronger than the floor. So bodyweight flow is almost like using your own body as a resistance band. You’ll be taking point A and point B in the body and pulling them away from each other to create even more tension — and this increases your strength. Plus, you’re able to control different degrees of motion, so when you do add a kettlebell into the mix, your body has already had that sensory input.
Lean muscles. Contrary to what you might think, you don’t have to spend time huffing and puffing away on a cardio machine to lean out — bodyweight flow burns a ton of fat and calories. We always tell clients to just focus on how good and smooth and fluid you want to make the movements — and the side effects include getting lean, getting strong and getting amazing abs. On that note, you also can say goodbye to miserable crunches on the floor because bodyweight flow comes with plenty of core work.
Meditative. Think of bodyweight flow as a puzzle you’re putting together — it’s a free flow movement, like a create-your-own adventure workout. Many people find it akin to a movement meditation, in which they’re connecting to their body and to breath in a way they never have before. Plus, if you aren’t good at breathing properly when you work out, you will essentially be forced to here because the movements are so complex.
Increased coordination. If you are embarrassed to take a Zumba or other aerobics-type class because you can’t figure out the choreography, bodyweight flow can help with that, too. You’ll have to learn how to control each position, which forces your mind and body to balance and move differently.
Joy. We like to describe bodyweight flow as being on a meditative cloud of awesomeness. You feel great afterward because you have just been moving more freely than you have anywhere else in your life. It’s actually fun, unlike being stuck doing one boring movement, counting your reps and wishing they’d go by faster. The goal is to spark creativity, challenge your body and find new freedom in the flow.
If you’re interested in learning more about how to connect with your body to get amazing results, then please contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation and we’ll be happy to introduce you to bodyweight flow programs, along with several other tools to ensure your guaranteed success!