Beautiful Practice

Movement sequence

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Functional movement sequence

Start slow, build intensity. Change stance often. Seek smooth, powerful movement with core integration. Sharpen your sensitivity and build vitality.

Background and application

Standing arm swings

Normal stance, one foot, lunge or one foot. Engage your core. Swing big.

Standing backstroke

Normal stance, lunge or one foot. Engage your core. Free your shoulders. Breathe.

Figure 8

Normal stance, lunge or one foot. Small or big. Engage your core. Also with med ball.

Wax on, wax off

All stances, all speeds. Small and big circles. Both directions.

Contralateral shoulder rotations

Opposing arcs, rotating at the shoulders. Whole-body integration: hips talk to shoulders. All stances.

Touch low, extend high

Work from deep squat. Touch the earth in front, then reach on the diagonal. (Also with medicine ball.)

Cross-body diagonal pattern

Reaches or strikes. Cross the center line. High, medium, low. Stance, lunge or one foot.

Transverse plane

Trace the arc, both directions. Flat or tilted. Fast, slow. High, low. Stance or one foot.

Diagonals

Work the diagonal line. Swings, strikes or throws. Various stances.

Power pose

Bend your knees into a squat; hold an expansive posture. Sink into it and hold for a minute or so. Breathe.

(For more on the power pose, see Amy Cuddy’s TED talk here.)

Follow with meditation

Sit in a comfortable posture and concentrate on your breath. When your mind wanders, bring your attention back to your breath. Feel the totality of your body and your experience. Relax and feel the energy course through you.

Beautiful Practice is the creation of Frank Forencich. Frank is the author of Beautiful Practice, Exuberant Animal, Change Your Body, Change the World and The Exuberant Animal Play Book. Frank is available for seminars, workshops and keynotes. Contact Frank here.

www.exuberantanimal.com

Training and seminars

Beautiful Practice seminars are highly integrated learning experiences dedicated to performance, health education, team cohesion and creativity. Ideal for managers, decision-makers, human resource directors, knowledge workers, health care and fitness professionals, Contact Frank Forencich for more information.

This functional movement sequence is inspired by dance, martial art and athletic training. Simply follow the prompts, swiping to move to the next movement. Spend as much time as you like on each movement. There’s a lot of potential to each form, so be sure to explore the possibilities. Use this sequence as a warm up or as the basis for a stand-alone movement session. This sequence can be used in classrooms, clinics, gyms and movement studios. No additional equipment is required. View a video example of the short form here.

Begin your movement session