MovNat Training Guide: Natural Movement for Modern Life

I discovered another exercise program called MovNat during one period of my fitness career. Despite training consistently for over twenty years, sometimes I felt like I was getting weaker at the things that actually mattered in daily life. https://www.rushwalter.com/holistic-strength-training-for-beginners/ I could deadlift impressive numbers but struggled to carry my sleeping five-year-old grandson up a flight of stairs without my back aching. I could bench press my body weight but felt unsteady navigating unfamiliar hiking terrain with my family.

That disconnect between gym strength and real-world capability led me to research a MovNat education program by Erwan Le Corre. What I experienced expanded my understanding of what fitness should actually accomplish. https://www.rushwalter.com/what-is-holistic-strength-training-guide-to-mind-body-fitness-in-2025/

The research started with what seemed like simple challenges: carry this log for fifty yards, crawl under this obstacle, balance across this beam, climb over that wall. Reminded me a bit of basic training in the Army. Movements that appeared elementary exposed emerging gaps in my strength, mobility, and coordination. More importantly, they revealed how disconnected I’d become from the natural movement capabilities that define human physical competency.

Understanding MovNat Philosophy

MovNat isn’t just another exercise system – it’s a return to the movement patterns that humans evolved to perform. https://www.rushwalter.com/natural-movement-strength-patterns-for-real-world-power/ The philosophy recognizes that our modern environment has created a massive mismatch between what our bodies are designed to do and what we actually ask them to do daily.

Erwan Le Corre developed MovNat based on the observation that indigenous populations who maintain traditional lifestyles demonstrate movement capabilities that surpass most modern athletes in practical applications. These people aren’t training for fitness – they’re using their bodies naturally for survival and daily tasks.

The core insight is that natural movement isn’t about going backward to primitive living, but rather integrating timeless movement patterns into modern life to restore physical competency that civilization has gradually eroded.

MovNat identifies ten fundamental movement skills that form the foundation of human physical capability: breathing, posture, walking, running, balancing, jumping, crawling, climbing, lifting and carrying, throwing and catching, and swimming. Every other movement pattern builds from these basics.

The Natural Movement Hierarchy

MovNat training follows a logical progression that mirrors how humans naturally develop movement skills. https://www.rushwalter.com/intuitive-strength-training-listening-to-your-bodys-signals/ You start with basic patterns performed in ideal conditions, then gradually add complexity, environmental challenges, and practical applications.

The progression begins with what MovNat calls “foundational movements” – basic patterns performed with perfect technique in controlled environments. These might include simple crawling patterns, basic lifting mechanics, or fundamental balancing skills.

Next comes “transitional movements” where you combine basic patterns into flowing sequences. https://www.rushwalter.com/animal-flow-for-beginners-build-strength-through-natural-movement/ Instead of isolating individual skills, you practice moving smoothly between different patterns, which is how real-world movement actually works.

“Combinatorial movements” integrate multiple skills simultaneously while adding environmental variables. You might crawl under an obstacle, then immediately transition to lifting and carrying an object, then balance across an uneven surface.

Finally, “practical application” takes your movement skills into real-world scenarios where you apply them to actual tasks and challenges rather than abstract exercise patterns.

Essential MovNat Movement Categories

Locomotive Skills

Walking becomes much more than putting one foot in front of the other when you approach it through MovNat principles. Efficient walking involves proper posture, rhythmic breathing, and the ability to adapt to varying terrain and conditions.

I invested time relearning how to walk after discovering how poorly I moved through this most basic human activity. Simple adjustments to foot placement, posture, and breathing rhythm dramatically improved my energy efficiency and reduced the joint stress I’d been creating through poor mechanics.

MovNat walking progressions include balancing walks across narrow surfaces, walking with loads, walking on uneven terrain, and walking while performing other tasks. Each variation challenges different aspects of this fundamental skill.

Crawling patterns in MovNat go far beyond basic bear crawls. You learn to move efficiently in restricted spaces, navigate under obstacles, and transition smoothly between crawling and other movement patterns. The practical applications are enormous – from emergency situations to playing with children to accessing confined spaces.

Running in MovNat emphasizes efficiency and adaptability over speed and distance. You learn to run on various surfaces, change direction quickly, and integrate running with other movement skills like jumping or crawling.

Manipulative Skills

Lifting and carrying in MovNat focuses on real-world objects rather than perfectly balanced weights. You practice lifting awkward loads, carrying objects of various sizes and shapes, and maintaining good mechanics when handling unpredictable resistance.

I learned this lesson when helping a friend move furniture. Despite years of deadlifting in the gym, I struggled with the awkward dimensions and shifting weight distribution of a loaded bookshelf. MovNat’s approach to lifting prepares you for these real-world challenges.

Throwing and catching skills develop hand-eye coordination while building explosive power through natural movement patterns. These skills have obvious applications in sports but also develop the reaction time and coordination needed for daily activities.

Combative Skills

While MovNat isn’t a martial art, it includes basic defensive movements and ground fighting skills that have practical self-defense applications. More importantly, these movements build confidence and body awareness that enhance overall physical competency.

The ground movement skills developed through combative training improve your ability to get up from falls, navigate tight spaces, and move efficiently when standing isn’t possible or practical.

Aquatic Skills

Swimming and water safety skills are fundamental human capabilities that can literally save your life. MovNat’s approach to aquatic movement emphasizes efficiency and safety rather than competitive swimming techniques.

Even if you live far from large bodies of water, the breathing techniques, body awareness, and comfort with being in challenging environments that aquatic training develops enhance all other movement skills.

MovNat Training Methodology

MovNat training sessions are structured around what’s called “movement practice” rather than workouts. https://www.rushwalter.com/natural-movement-strength-training-for-complete-beginners/ This philosophical distinction is important because it emphasizes skill development and movement quality over intensity and exhaustion.

A typical session begins with breath work and postural awareness, establishing the foundation for all other movement. This isn’t just stretching or warm-up – it’s conscious preparation of your nervous system for coordinated movement.

Movement practice progresses through increasing complexity levels within each skill category. You might start with basic crawling patterns, progress to crawling with directional changes, then crawling while carrying objects, then crawling through obstacle courses.

The key principle is mastering each level before progressing to the next. MovNat emphasizes movement efficiency and safety above all else, which requires patient development of fundamental skills before attempting advanced applications.

Environmental Integration

One of MovNat’s most powerful aspects is its emphasis on training in varied environments. While you can practice basic patterns indoors, the real benefits come from taking your movement skills into natural settings with unpredictable challenges.

Outdoor training might involve navigating forest trails, moving across rocky terrain, balancing on logs, climbing trees, or swimming in natural water bodies. https://www.rushwalter.com/nature-as-your-gym-outdoor-functional-fitness-workouts/ These environments provide the kind of complex, unpredictable challenges that develop true movement adaptability.

Urban environments offer different but equally valuable training opportunities. Stairs, railings, walls, and urban landscapes provide obstacle courses that develop practical movement skills for city living.

The environmental variation is crucial because it prevents your movement skills from becoming too specialized or predictable. Real-world situations are messy and unpredictable, so your training should prepare you for that reality.

The Modern Application Challenge

The biggest challenge with MovNat is integrating natural movement patterns into modern life in practical, sustainable ways. Most of us can’t spend our days crawling through forests or swimming in rivers, so we need creative approaches to maintaining these capabilities.

I’ve found success with what I call “movement snacking” – brief sessions throughout the day that practice natural movement patterns. This might mean crawling around my living room for five minutes between work breaks, practicing balance walks along curbs during lunch breaks, or doing lifting practice with household objects.

The key is finding ways to practice natural movement that fit into your actual lifestyle rather than requiring major life changes. Small, consistent exposures to natural movement patterns are more valuable than sporadic intensive sessions.

Assessment and Progression

MovNat uses practical assessments rather than abstract fitness tests. https://www.rushwalter.com/understanding-functional-movement-screens-what-they-reveal-about-your-body/ Instead of measuring how much you can bench press, you might be assessed on your ability to crawl under a obstacle, carry a awkward load for a specific distance, or climb over a wall of a certain height.

These assessments provide more relevant information about your real-world physical capabilities. They also reveal weaknesses and imbalances that don’t show up in traditional fitness testing.

Progression in MovNat is measured by increased movement efficiency, expanded movement vocabulary, and improved ability to handle complex, unpredictable movement challenges. The goal isn’t maximizing any single performance metric but developing broad-based movement competency.

Common Modern Applications

Emergency preparedness is one of the most practical applications of MovNat training. Natural disasters, accidents, or other emergency situations often require movement capabilities that modern life doesn’t develop. Being able to crawl through tight spaces, climb over obstacles, carry injured people, or navigate difficult terrain could literally save lives.

Parenting becomes much more enjoyable when you have the movement skills to actively engage with your children. Crawling around with toddlers, playing on playgrounds, and participating in active games requires movement capabilities that many adults have lost.

Travel and adventure activities become more accessible when you have confidence in your movement abilities. Hiking challenging trails, exploring new environments, or participating in adventure sports requires the kind of movement competency that MovNat develops.

Building Your MovNat Practice

Starting a MovNat exercise routine requires honest assessment of your current movement capabilities and patient development of fundamental skills. Most people need to spend significant time rebuilding basic patterns before attempting complex applications.

Begin with indoor practice of basic patterns – crawling, simple lifting and carrying, balance challenges using household items. Focus on movement quality and gradually build complexity as your skills improve.

Progress to outdoor practice in safe, controlled environments. Local parks, beaches, or hiking trails provide opportunities to practice natural movement in more challenging settings.

The Long-Term Vision

MovNat isn’t a quick fix or short-term fitness program. It’s a lifelong approach to maintaining and developing the movement capabilities that define human physical competency. The goal is aging with grace, maintaining independence, and feeling confident in your body’s ability to handle whatever challenges life presents.

The investment in natural movement training pays dividends that extend far beyond physical fitness. https://www.rushwalter.com/how-to-create-your-own-natural-movement-training-program/ The confidence, body awareness, and movement skills you develop enhance every aspect of life while providing insurance against the physical decline that many people accept as inevitable.

Most importantly, MovNat reconnects you with the joy of movement that most adults have lost. Moving your body through space in natural, efficient patterns feels good in ways that gym-based training often doesn’t. It reminds you that your body is designed for movement, adventure, and capability rather than just sitting and surviving.

Your ancestors moved naturally out of necessity. You can choose to move naturally for the joy, capability, and resilience it provides in modern life. We who decide to live healthier need to increase our knowledge of our bodies and how they work today and how we would like for them to work tomorrow. With correct exercise and the proper Rush Fitness Tools we can increase our health benefits daily, and help our friends and family become healthier.

Please feel free to contact us when you would like specific direction becoming stronger, more flexible, and with better endurance. I have over 35 years in the fitness industry and look forward to serving you regarding your wellness needs. I help individuals design, implement, and benefit from customized exercise routines and the specialty fitness tools to accomplish the worthy objectives. Thank you for reading this fitness blog. I hope you enjoy an amazing day, Walter