Last month, we took a look at the five pillars of a complete mobility practice. This month, I’d like to discuss the integration of mobility, or flow work. Flow work is whole body, multi-planar movement that can be used to achieve several different goals. In its simplest form, it is the movement between or through several different positions. It can be just your body and the floor, or you can use an external load such as a kettlebell. Let's first look a little more deeply into why this "flow" work is important and why it should be a part of your training program.

1. Flow work offers a compact training unit that develops mobility, balance, accuracy, strength endurance, relaxation and even creativity.

2. Complex movement patterns have been shown to deliver a training effect that is greater than the sum of the individual parts.

3. Flow work offers a release of neuromuscular tension. This tension may be residual tension from your main training sessions, or mental/emotional tension from the stress of your day. By removing this tension before it embeds as a chronic condition, you can accelerate recovery and improve health. You may even reduce elevated stress hormones.

4. Flow work allows you to avoid overuse injuries from redundant movement patterns. In the current varied/functional exercise trend, we see a wide variety of exercises used. However, most of these exercises share a similar movement pattern. By incorporating more organic movements and moving in different planes of motion, you build muscular and structural strength in all planes of movement.

5. Joint and connective tissue strength is built slowly and only in the direction or movements that are done repeatedly. Controlled strain on the joint tissues may increase the formation of fibers, contributing to increased elasticity and strength.

6. Flow work provides safety for times when you are unexpectedly forced out of your regular range of motion. You will have a built in reserve of joint strength and control outside of your required ROM.

7. Contrary to what some have said, flow work does NOT replace your regular training. You still need to lift, pull, run, etc. Properly sequenced flow work will amplify your results in your regular training, and more importantly, allow you to continue it long into the future.

8. Flow work increases proprioception. The more complex movements that you regularly perform, the larger the pool of movement possibilities you can call on, plus the more finely-tuned the inputs to your central nervous system will be. Studies have shown that with lack of regular movement, proprioceptive ability is diminished.

9. Flow work releases endorphins and activates the parasympathetic nervous system.

10. Flow work can be used as play. You simply move and experiment to see what you can do to master your body, much like a child. Children do not hold onto stress as much as adults do. A likely reason: they remove it through movement (play), just as other animals do. As adults, we often stop moving and the stress embeds in our body.

Flow work can be used for several distinctly different purposes. Let’s explore these differences.

Movement recovery

In this context, we'll consider recovery to be removing a limitation to optimal range of motion or joint stability. Though early stage work in removing these impediments will come largely from the other pillars of mobility work (as discussed in the first installment of this series), flow work can be used here also. Here, you are developing the basic movements.

Movement efficiency

In efficiency practice, you focus on execution of the movements you've learned as smoothly and effortlessly as possible. Your focus can be on postural awareness or breathing. This type of practice is done slowly at first, and later can be done at greater speeds. One can even practice with closed eyes as a method of removing distractions and increasing proprioceptive input.

As a recovery modality

The body adapts to everything you do regularly, whether you want it to or not. To stay healthy and progress, the concept of structural balance dictates that the body cannot develop too far in one direction if the opposing or stabilizing movements are not trained. In a basic sense, this is now well understood. As an example, we recognize the importance of balancing a pushing movement like the bench press with a similar pulling movement such as a row. Compensation through flow work goes way beyond this, though. Its purpose is to realign and stabilize the joints, plus remove residual tension. To decide what types of movements should be done as compensation is part art and part science, just as traditional program design is as much an art as a science. You want to look at the primary training movement and see what is not moving, and also what is not moving through full ROM. From here, you can develop movements to address this.

As metabolic conditioning

Once you have developed quality technique with a set of movements, you can use them as energy system work. Different sequences have inherently different metabolic demands, and since most flow work involves the whole body, some movements can be very demanding from an energy system standpoint. At a slower pace, flow work can be a great low intensity recovery session. It can even be done as active rest during mixed aerobic power sessions. Depending on the movements chosen, local muscular endurance may be developed as well.

Stages of Flow Practice:

1) Develop the positions

You first must be comfortable in the positions that you wish to move through. These positions may be developed by more traditional stretching methods, or by practicing each position.

2) Single movement practice

Start by using two positions. Practice moving smoothly between the two points.

3) Sequencing

Once you have several two position movements learned with a common point, then you can build a chain of movements.

4) Improvisation of practiced movements

As your movement vocabulary grows, you can begin to practice free-form movement. Pick a time and move continuously without planning ahead as to what you will be doing.

Building a Flow

Let's finally get down to how to build a sequence. Flow work and training complexes are similar in basic construction. I will use an example of a training complex that should be familiar to everyone. Imagine that we have a power clean, a front squat, a front racked forward lunge and a split jerk. All of these movements share a common point - the racked position. As a result, we can combine these movements in many ways. A planned, known sequence could be done, and this could be repeated for reps. This is like stage 3 above. Or, one could simply keep the bar moving for a planned time frame, such as one minute, with no planned order or number of movements - you just move constantly through the movements at random. This would be similar to stage 4. Bar complexes such as the ones mentioned above aren't really flow work in a true sense, as they are a collection of linear movements. They serve here to illustrate the basic process, though. Next, let's develop an actual flow.

Let's say we want to develop a flow to help recover from squatting. There are many ways to do this, so please don't take this as a prescription. There are many individual concerns to take into account and many potential levels of difficulty! This is simply a non-individualized, generic example. First, let's look at what is not moving in a squat. The big one is obvious - the torso is held rigid during the whole movement. The hips do not appreciably rotate, either. There is more, but we'll start here. Next, what moves, but not through full range of motion? The entire anterior side of the body does not fully open, and there is no plantar flexion of the ankles. We'll now build a collection of movements to address this.

We'll use a deep, relaxed squat as a common point. This position alone can be used to release lumbar tension and increase mobility around the hip, but we'll add to it. The next position will be some variation of the plough pose from yoga. Connecting the two will be done using the exercise commonly known as the "deck squat"--from the deep squat, roll smoothly onto your back into a spinal rock or plough position, then roll back to the deep squat position. The key is to roll smoothly - try to focus and remove any "flat spots" that clunk on the ground as you roll.

The second sequence we'll use is from the low squat, reaching behind you with one hand, then the other. You'll be in a crab walk-like position. Lifting your heel and staying on your toes, rotate the left hip maximally outward, then inward. Repeat with the right, and then push yourself back into the squat. This will take care of hip rotation.

The third sequence will move from the low squat to an elevated shin stretch. You'll plant your hands in front of you, transfer weight to them while softly jumping your feet together and pointing your toes. Rebound back to the starting position of the squat.

The fourth and final sequence goes from the low squat thru a gymnastic bridge. My good friend Ido Portal calls these "rotations through high bridge" and they are a staple of his flow practice. You'll reach behind you with one hand, rotate on the outside of that hand into a gymnastic bridge, then exit back to the squat on the opposite side. Repeat in the opposite direction. This is a more advanced movement than the other three, but one I feel everyone should be able to eventually do.

At first, you'll practice just the individual sequences. Later, they can become a complete flow if you move through them sequentially. Do not move into pain. You must always seek to remove tension through your movement, not add to it! If you find a challenging movement, go slower and relax thru it. Do not hold your breath at any point, as doing so adds to your tension and decreases your quality of movement. Work up to performing the entire flow for three rounds of 3 repetitions, resting for 30 seconds between rounds in the low squat. Do it at the end of your regular workout, and also on recovery days.

One reason that flow work is rarely taught is because of the complexity of describing the movements. Thankfully, I've linked to a video of these sequences so you can better understand them. I have also included a handful of sequences that I use, either in my personal practice or with my clients so you can get a better idea of what I am talking about. These sequences are all floor work, though I’ll some work with weighted implements in the final installment next month. We will look at simple but effective sequences that we use in our facility, how to program flow work into sessions with examples, and then bring it all back together with the periodization of flexibility/mobility.