A new breed of exercise class inspired by the animal kingdom is making its way into wellness. We take a closer look
“M
ovement is the new fi tness,” declared Jeremy McCarthy during
a trends presentation at the Spatec Europe event in June. The group spa director for Mandarin Oriental references the work of movement guru Ido Portal as a revolutionary example. He explains: “Whatever kind of exercise you do – yoga, lifting weights or a certain sport – as soon as you start to specialise in one kind of movement, you’re sacrifi cing other areas. Portal’s approach is to practice a diversity of movement, to use your body is as many
diff erent ways as possible and not to repeat patterns which create imbalances.” This echoes something we’ve
picked up on in the global fi tness arena in our sister publication Health Club Management – the emergence of multi-movement animal-inspired exercise classes. Relying on bodyweight, without the use of equipment, these new classes see people crawling on all fours, swinging from bars and leaping from obstacles to help them rediscover the joy of natural movement in a fun way. They’re a great option for spas and a number of providers are cropping up worldwide...
Zuu develops agility, fl exibility and endurance ZUU ANIMAL FLOW
Originating fromºº the US, Animal Flow mixes quadrupedal and ground- based movement with elements from bodyweight- training disciplines to create a fun, challenging workout emphasising multi-planar, fluid movement. Its wide range of exercises are grouped into six components, with a typical class moving through each section and then combining them into a fluid ‘flow’ at the end. The six components are: ■ Wrist mobilisations – particularly important as you spend a lot of time in the class on your hands. ■ Activations: Static holds to connect the body, including Static Beast Hold and Static Crab Hold. ■ Form-specific stretches are full body stretches that start in an animal form and then move through a wide range of dynamic motion to increase a person’s mobility and flexibility. Examples of the stretches include the Ape Reach, Beast Reach, Crab Reach and Scorpion Reach. ■ Travelling forms are cardio exercises that mimic animal
ZUU is the Australian-born fitness concept based on primal movements. Designed by expert in human movement Nathan Helberg, it combines high-intensity interval training with exercises grounded in seven natural human movements: push, pull, bend, twist, squat, lunge and locomotion. The full-body workout has been
Animal Flow is built on six components which are then combined into a sequence
movements, starting with the ABC: Ape, Beast and Crab. ■ Switches and transitions are dynamic movements performed one after the other, creating the ‘flow’ in Animal Flow. Examples include the many variations for Underswitches, Side Kickthroughs, Front Kickthroughs and Scorpions. ■ Flow combines the moves, linking them together in a fluid sequence. Originally launched as a signature
class at US gym chain Equinox, Animal Flow is no longer exclusive to that operator and is now available in a number of other facilities across North America, Europe and Australia. Details:
www.animalflow.com
designed to develop mobility, agility, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance while strengthening muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and fascia. It’s claimed that exercisers can burn up to 600 calories in 30 minutes. ZUU has over 100 unique moves,
with each one working the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems and named after the animal that inspired it: Gorillas, Bears, Iguanas and Frogs. Helberg says: “Before ZUU, I was
fit and strong but only in singular movements. When I tried exercises that worked multiple muscle groups, I found my joints were weak. I developed a more functional style of training that didn’t involve weights or machines, but used body weight to improve the range of motion and overall strength. The results were incredible.” The concept is available across
Australia and also internationally in the UK, France and North America. Health club partners include Goodlife and Virgin Active. Details:
www.thezuu.com.au
©CYBERTREK 2015
spabusiness.com issue 3 2015 103
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