By: Mariam Elhamy
Your workout doesn’t have to be tedious and routine anymore! Animal Flow will get you on the ground, sweating hard and working out every muscle in your body all at once, and you’ll be doing it all barefoot. Animal Flow certified instructor, UFC Trainer and PFTS (Physique and Figure Training Specialist) Ahmed Desouky has 8 years of experience in the fitness field and explains how this quadruple movement training uses both your upper and lower body at the same time, improving coordination and gives your muscles strength, flexibility, and mobility. Animal Flow also exercise the muscles that don’t usually work with any normal exercise.
Here are a few steps to get you hooked on Animal Flow!
Beast Reach
Starting on all fours, push your glutes back onto your heels, opening your knees and pushing your chest to the floor (Loaded Beast position). Launch your body forward, elevate your hips and reach one leg forward to your chest while keeping it tucked to your body. Reach your leg further past your arm until it meets the elbow; keep the other leg straight, your eyes should be looking forward.
Crab Reach
Start in the Crab position, reach your hand forward in an arch. Push through your heels and create a three-point bridge with your hips. Then reach your hand up and around your head creating a frame, with your hips and spine extended and rotated, keep your head looking towards the steady arm on the ground.
Wave Unload
Start in Loaded Beast then lift your hips up towards the ceiling, when you reach full extension tuck your head in and flex your spine. Keep your shoulders in front of your hands and move into a wave. Drop your hips down, open your chest and push your pelvis to the ground. Lift your chin from your chest looking up to the sky, then reverse the wave pulling your hips backwards and return to Loaded Beast.
Ape Reach
Lower yourself into a deep squat position, with your feet pointing slightly outwards, your elbows in between your knees and your torso upright. Reach your hands past your feet internally rotated, thumbs down towards the ground but without actually touching it. Your spine should be completely flexed and you’re your chin tucked into your chest. Then, shift your weight from heels to toes, bring your pelvis forward, and support your hips on your heels. Finally, extend your spine and abduct your arms horizontally at shoulder level, palms facing up.
Side Kick Through
From Beast position, lift one leg and the opposite hand up then rotate your whole body towards the raised leg. Drop the heel of your other foot to rest on the ground, kick the raised leg and point your toes. Lift the arm opposite to the raised leg to shoulder level or slightly higher with your palm away from your face.
Scorpion Reach
Begin in Loaded Beast position, reach one leg to the opposite wrist and make sure that your ankle is flexed. Then reach that leg up to a 90-degree position, keeping your head between two straight elbows. Keep your base foot heel rotated outwards so that you’re slightly standing on your toes.
Ahmed Desouky
Animal Flow Instructor at UFC Egypt
Instagram: @ahmeddesouky.ch
Instagram: @UFCGymEgypt
Website: www.ufcgymegypt.me
