The Seven Primal Movement Patterns: Building a Foundation for Functional Fitness

The Seven Primal Movement Patterns: Building a Foundation for Functional Fitness

Human movement, in its complexity, can be broken down into seven fundamental patterns: squat, hinge, push, pull, lunge, rotation, and gait (or locomotion). These patterns represent the foundation of our functional capacity, reflecting the movements we perform in everyday life. Understanding and mastering these patterns is crucial for building a resilient, adaptable, and pain-free body.

1. Squat: The King of Lower Body Movements

The squat is a foundational movement that engages multiple muscle groups, primarily the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. It mimics the action of sitting down and standing up, a fundamental movement pattern we perform countless times daily.

• Why it's essential:

  • Develops lower body strength and power.

  • Enhances hip and knee stability.

  • Improves functional mobility.

  • Contributes to core stability.

  • Essential for activities like lifting, sitting, and jumping.

• Variations:

  • Bodyweight squats

  • Goblet squats

  • Back squats

  • Front squats

  • Overhead squats

2. Hinge: Mastering the Posterior Chain

The hinge pattern, exemplified by the deadlift and Romanian deadlift, focuses on hip flexion and extension while maintaining a neutral spine. It primarily targets the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

• Why it's essential:

  • Strengthens the posterior chain, vital for posture and injury prevention.

  • Develops hip power and stability.

  • Improves lifting mechanics.

  • Enhances core engagement.

• Variations:

  • Romanian deadlifts (RDLs)

  • Conventional deadlifts

  • Good mornings

  • Kettlebell swings

3. Push: Upper Body Strength and Stability

The push pattern involves pressing weight away from the body, engaging the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It's a fundamental movement for activities like pushing doors, lifting objects, and performing athletic movements.

• Why it's essential:

  • Develops upper body strength and power.

  • Enhances shoulder stability.

  • Improves pushing mechanics.

  • Contributes to overall upper body function.

• Variations:

  • Push-ups

  • Bench press

  • Overhead press

  • Dumbbell presses

  • Dips.

4. Pull: Balancing the Push

The pull pattern involves pulling weight towards the body, engaging the back, biceps, and rear deltoids. It's crucial for balancing the pushing movements and maintaining postural integrity.

• Why it's essential:

  • Develops upper back strength and posture.

  • Enhances pulling mechanics.

  • Balances pushing movements to prevent imbalances.

  • Improves grip strength.

• Variations:

  • Pull-ups

  • Rows (barbell, dumbbell, cable)

  • Chin-ups

  • Face pulls

5. Lunge: Unilateral Strength and Stability

The lunge pattern involves stepping forward or backward, engaging the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings unilaterally. It's crucial for developing single-leg strength and stability, essential for activities like walking, running, and climbing stairs.

• Why it's essential:

  • Develops unilateral strength and stability.

  • Enhances hip and knee stability.

  • Improves balance and coordination.

  • Corrects imbalances between legs.

  • Mimics walking and running.

• Variations:

  • Forward lunges

  • Reverse lunges

  • Lateral lunges

  • Walking lunges

  • Bulgarian split squats

6. Rotation: Core Strength and Dynamic Movement

The rotation pattern involves twisting or rotating the torso, engaging the core musculature, particularly the obliques and transverse abdominis. It's crucial for activities like throwing, swinging, and changing direction.

• Why it's essential:

  • Develops core strength and stability.

  • Enhances rotational power.

  • Improves coordination and agility.

  • Essential for many athletic movements.

• Variations:

  • Russian twists

  • Woodchoppers

  • Rotational cable exercises

  • Medicine ball throws

  • Torso rotations.

7. Gait (Locomotion): The Foundation of Movement

Gait, or locomotion, encompasses all forms of movement that involve traveling from one point to another, including walking, running, crawling, and climbing. It's the most fundamental movement pattern, reflecting our innate ability to navigate our environment.

• Why it's essential:

  • Develops cardiovascular fitness.

  • Enhances coordination and balance.

  • Improves functional mobility.

  • Essential for everyday activities.

• Variations:

  • Walking

  • Running

  • Sprinting

  • Crawling

  • Climbing.

Integrating the Seven Movement Patterns into a Training Plan

A well-rounded training plan should incorporate all seven movement patterns to ensure balanced development, functional strength, and injury prevention. Here's a sample plan that integrates these patterns:

Sample Training Plan (3 Days/Week)

Day 1: Lower Body Focus (Squat, Hinge, Lunge)

• Warm-up: Dynamic stretching and mobility drills (10 minutes)

• Squat: Back squats, 3 sets of 8-12 reps

• Hinge: Romanian deadlifts (RDLs), 3 sets of 8-12 reps

• Lunge: Walking lunges, 3 sets of 10 reps per leg

• Bulgarian split squats: 3 sets of 10 reps per leg

• Kettlebell swings: 3 sets of 15 reps.

• Cool-down: Static stretching (10 minutes)

Day 2: Upper Body Focus (Push, Pull)

• Warm-up: Dynamic stretching and mobility drills (10 minutes)

• Push: Bench press, 3 sets of 8-12 reps

• Push up variations: 3 sets to failure.

• Pull: Pull-ups (or lat pulldowns), 3 sets of as many reps as possible (AMRAP)

• Barbell rows: 3 sets of 10 reps.

• Face pulls: 3 sets of 15 reps.

• Cool-down: Static stretching (10 minutes)

Day 3: Full Body and Rotation/Gait

• Warm-up: Dynamic stretching and mobility drills (10 minutes)

• Goblet Squats: 3 sets of 12 reps.

• Deadlifts: 1 set of 5 reps, 1 set of 3 reps, 1 set of 1 rep. (Increase weight each set.)

• Overhead press: 3 sets of 8 reps.

• Chin ups: 3 sets AMRAP.

• Woodchoppers: 3 sets of 12 reps per side.

• Medicine ball throws: 3 sets of 8 reps per side.

• Sled Pushes: 3 sets, 50 Yards.

• Crawling Drills (Bear Crawls): 3 sets, 25 yards.

• Cool-down: Static stretching (10 minutes)

Key Considerations:

• Progression: Gradually increase the intensity and volume of your workouts as you progress.

• Proper form: Prioritize proper form over lifting heavy weights.

• Variety: Incorporate variations of each movement pattern to challenge your body in multiple ways.

• Individualization: Tailor your training plan to your individual needs and goals.

• Rest and recovery: Allow adequate rest between workouts to promote muscle recovery.

• Listen to your body: Pay attention to your body's signals and avoid pushing through pain.

• Mobility: Including daily mobility work, will improve the full movement patterns.

• Nutrition: proper Nutrition is needed to fuel your movement.

By incorporating these seven essential movement patterns, you will build a solid base for both fitness, and health.