Natural Movement Strength Training Program for Beginners

Perhaps because I was and continue to proclaim I am a good tree climber, that I have always enjoyed natural strength movements. So when I am asked to help school children enjoy moving more, I jump at the opportunity. https://www.rushwalter.com/holistic-strength-training-for-beginners/ I was demonstrating what I thought was a simple bear crawl during a family fitness day at a nearby school, and these kids absolutely schooled me. While I was huffing and puffing after twenty feet, they were flowing around the playground like little movement ninjas, completely at ease with their bodies.

That moment was my introduction to just how far we drift from natural movement patterns as adults, and why getting back to basics is so powerful for beginners. https://www.rushwalter.com/what-is-holistic-strength-training-guide-to-mind-body-fitness-in-2025/

Natural movement strength training is exactly what it sounds like – using the movement patterns your body was designed to do. We’re talking crawling, climbing, jumping, carrying, squatting, and walking. Sounds almost too simple, right? https://www.rushwalter.com/intuitive-strength-training-listening-to-your-bodys-signals/. That’s what I thought until I started incorporating these patterns with my beginner clients and saw results that blew my mind.

The beauty of natural movement for beginners is that there’s no intimidation factor. Nobody feels stupid doing a squat when you frame it as “sitting down and standing up.” https://www.rushwalter.com/natural-movement-strength-patterns-for-real-world-power/ Compare that to walking into a gym full of complicated machines and wondering where the heck to start.

My first real experiment with this approach happened with a 52-year-old client who’d never set foot in a gym. She was convinced she was “too old and out of shape” to start any kind of exercise program. Traditional gym settings made her anxious, so we started with movement patterns she already knew from daily life.

We began with squatting – not barbell squats, just getting comfortable moving from standing to a deep squat position and back up again. I had her practice this while brushing her teeth, waiting for coffee to brew, during TV commercial breaks. Within two weeks, she was squatting down to pick things up off the floor instead of bending at the waist and complaining about her back. Strength training naturally will enhance the longevity of your back muscles.

The crawling patterns were game-changers for almost every beginner I worked with. I know it sounds silly, but bear crawls, crab walks, and lizard crawls build incredible full-body strength while improving coordination and proprioception. Plus, they’re self-limiting – you can’t really cheat the movement or use too much weight because you’re working with your own bodyweight.

Starting with basic quadruped positions I taught my clients how to create stability through their core without doing a single plank or crunch. The bear crawl position alone – on hands and feet with knees hovering just off the ground – activates pretty much every muscle in your body. I’ve had clients shake like leaves holding this position for ten seconds, then progress to crawling around my studio with confidence within a month.

One mistake I made early on was assuming people knew how to squat naturally. Turns out, years of sitting in chairs trains us out of proper squatting mechanics. I started having clients practice Asian squats – deep, flat-footed squats where you can sit comfortably for several minutes. Most beginners could barely hold this position for thirty seconds initially.

The progression became about gradually increasing time in the squat position while working on ankle and hip mobility. I’d have them squat down and hold onto a doorframe or TRX strap for support, slowly working toward unsupported deep squats. This single exercise improved hip mobility, ankle flexibility, and leg strength simultaneously. I do this exercise daily to help my hips, core, and back stay strong.

Carrying patterns opened up a whole world of functional strength development. We started with farmer’s carries using grocery bags, water jugs, or whatever was handy around the house. The beauty of carries is that they train your entire body to work as a unit while improving posture and core stability automatically.

I remember working with a 38-year-old dad who wanted to get stronger but had maybe twenty minutes twice a week to exercise. We focused entirely on natural movement patterns he could do in his living room. Crawling variations, squatting patterns, and carrying his kids around became his workout program.

Six months later, he was stronger and more mobile than he’d been in years, plus his kids thought exercise was the most fun thing ever because dad was always crawling around and playing with them. https://www.rushwalter.com/energy-cultivation-through-strength-training-practices/ Win-win situation.

The climbing patterns were trickier to incorporate without actual climbing structures, but we got creative. Wall sits became wall squats, progressing to wall walks where clients would walk their feet up a wall while in a push-up position. Stairs became opportunities for step-ups, lateral steps, and even bear crawling up for the more adventurous folks.

Jumping patterns started very conservatively with beginners. Most adults have lost the ability to land softly, which is crucial for joint health. We began with step-downs from a small box, focusing on controlling the landing, before progressing to actual jumping movements.

I learned that teaching proper landing mechanics first – knees tracking over toes, soft heel-to-toe contact, engaging the glutes and core – prevented a lot of knee and ankle issues down the road. Many beginners want to jump right into box jumps because they look cool, but learning to land properly is way more important initially. Exercising outside as much as possible on soft ground is effective and more fun.

Walking patterns got more attention than you might expect. Most people think walking is walking, but there’s a huge difference between efficient, strong walking and the shuffling gait many adults develop. We worked on things like walking backward, side-stepping, and walking with high knees or butt-kicks.

These variations challenged balance and coordination while strengthening muscles that regular forward walking doesn’t hit as much. Plus, they’re easily incorporated into daily life – park a little further away when shopping and add some movement variety to your walk. Plus when you choose to park farther away you get several good parking options away from door dingers.

One of the biggest breakthroughs for beginners was realizing that strength training didn’t have to mean suffering through exercises they hated. Natural movements feel good when you do them right. There’s something satisfying about moving the way your body was designed to move.

The breathing component became crucial for beginners who were used to holding their breath during any physical exertion. https://www.rushwalter.com/breathwork-techniques-for-enhanced-strength-training-results/ Natural movement training provided a perfect opportunity to practice coordinated breathing with movement. Crawling patterns especially taught people to breathe rhythmically while maintaining core stability.

I started incorporating what I called “movement flows” – sequences of 3-4 natural movement patterns performed back-to-back with smooth transitions. https://www.rushwalter.com/mind-muscle-connection-advanced-techniques-for-better-results/ For example: squat down, transition to bear crawl position, crawl forward five steps, stand up and repeat. These flows improved cardiovascular fitness while building strength and coordination.

The social aspect was huge for many beginners. Natural movement training is inherently playful, which makes it easier to exercise with family members or friends of different fitness levels. Everyone can participate at their own intensity while doing the same basic movements.

Recovery was built into the approach naturally. Since we were working with bodyweight and focusing on movement quality over intensity, beginners rarely experienced the crushing soreness that often discourages people from continuing exercise programs.

What surprised me most was how quickly beginners developed confidence in their bodies through natural movement training. Within a few weeks, people who initially felt clumsy and weak were moving with grace and discovering strength they didn’t know they had.

The progression potential is endless too. Once someone masters basic crawling patterns, you can add resistance, increase speed, change directions, or combine movements in more complex ways. The foundation stays the same, but the challenge can grow with the person’s abilities.

For complete beginners reading this, start with just one movement pattern that feels comfortable and practice it for five minutes daily. Squatting while watching TV, crawling around your living room, or carrying groceries in different ways. Your body knows how to do these movements – you just need to remind it.

Trust me, your inner five-year-old is still in there somewhere, and they’re excited to play again. Natural movement strength training programs have been an essential part of my workout program for years and are some of the most fun and laughing parts of exercise. Contact us to learn more about how to exercise for fun and daily function. We also provide holistic exercise tools to help you achieve your wellness objectives and will gladly explain the options we have for you. I hope you enjoy a healthy day, Walter