2. Bear Essentials Natural Movement Fitness Program – Movement Patterns
If you have followed the program from the beginning, you have worked through 26 foundation skills to help you get strong and mobile. Moving forward, we are going to do a wide variety of movement patterns which will help increase mobility, balance and strength.
At this point, there are 36 movement patterns to learn, practice, and do. Many are named after animals and even insects to indicate where the movement pattern comes from. We start with easier movement patterns and then progress to challenging movement patterns. I try to avoid movement patterns that put too much strain or pressure on the knees, so I have not included some movement patterns that stress the knees too much.
Are you ready? You are in Bear Essentials country, so prepare to move naturally. This is the Real Motion™ Bear Essentials Natural Movement Fitness Program.
Music by Erica Van Drunen from the Aqua Dreams CD.
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Video 51 – Bear Essentials – Crab
The Crab is a standard fitness movement pattern, but very effective for full body strength and mobility.
Moving as a crab, or its variations, will increase your strength, mobility and balance. Start with the Crab March. Then do the Crab Walk and move opposite limbs, or to challenge yourself, mo...
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Video 52 – Bear Essentials – Crab Rolls
The Crab Roll really challenges strength, balance and mobility as you shift your weight and points of contact. Once you get it, you will love it, too. Also do the Crab Reach to challenge yourself. Keep practicing and you might even break into a dance.
This movement pattern is part of the Real M...
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Video 53 – Bear Essentials – Bear-Shuffle
The Bear pose is a standard fitness pose that works the entire body. But before you can walk, you need to learn to get comfortable doing smaller, but challenging bear moves like the Bear Shuffle and Bear Jacks.
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Video 54 – Bear Essentials – Bear Roll
In the Bear Roll, you shift your weight from 4 points of contact with the ground, to 3 to 2. It is a bit more clunky and a slower movement than the Crab Roll, but more challenging than the Scorpion.
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Video 55 – Bear Essentials – Bear Crawl
This is what you’ve been working so hard for up to this point. Now you are strong, NOW YOU ARE the BEAR. However, there is a distinction between the Bear Crawl and the Bear Walk as you’ll soon discover.
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Video 56 – Bear Essentials – Grizzly-Walk
This is the big one, the Grizzly Walk. It is like the Downward Dog Crawl, but you move like the Bear Walk, and you need to get that buttocks swaying side to side. Show the world you are the king of the forest.
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Video 57 – Bear Essentials – Panther Walk
The Panther Walk is a stylized Bear Crawl but with more control. Think like a cat, a big one, moving gingerly with style and confidence. Now we get into the more challenging movement patterns with the Panther Walk.
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Video 58 – Bear Essentials – Wolverine Strut
Today, most people think of a wolverine as a comic book superhero character. You might be familiar with the real animal that is tough, has attitude and has a really strong jaw and teeth that can chew through frozen bone. But have you ever seen one move? They have a playful but tough attitude as t...
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Video 59 – Bear Essentials – Cat Walk
Cats have attitude and often show it when they walk carefully placing their paws on the ground as they move forward. The Cat Walk will require more balance and control than other walks, and we step it up a notch. Start on the ground in a straight line, then move to some 2X4 lumber. Practice, prac...
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Video 60 – Bear Essentials – Plank Walk
It is all about the core – planks are amazing, but a moving plank, a Plank Walk, takes you to the next level and really challenges your entire body.
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Video 61 – Bear Essentials – Tortoise Walk
If you thought the Plank Walk was a challenge, wait until you tackle the Tortoise Walk. Slow, steady, methodical movement and control is required. The Tortoise Walk will challenge your strength.
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Video 62 – Bear Essentials – Walrus
Now that you’ve nailed the Plank Walk and Tortoise, you’ll be able to the Walrus with ease…sort of. The Walrus is like the Mermaid movement but with belly down. It comes down to crawling and dragging your legs, or your feet. You can do it. You will need something to slide on the floor with as tha...
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Video 63 – Bear Essentials – Lizard Crawl
Some people call this movement pattern the Spiderman or Crocodile or Lizard, but any way you name it, it requires control, balance and strength.
This is the last video in the Bear Essentials series. I hope you have enjoyed learning new skills, getting stronger and more mobile.
Be the Bear. Be...
