Featuring: MovNat Performance Director, Danny Clark
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What is MovNat?
What makes natural movement different than a typical gym workout? Who should practice MovNat?
These are some questions that come to mind when you watch MovNat videos of people crawling around, climbing objects, balancing, and jumping all over in every environment.
We had a Q&A session with Danny Clark from Montpelier, VT. Danny has spent years researching and refining his work with Natural Movement via MovNat. We had an opportunity to speak with Danny during his trip to Boston to meet up with Gray Cook for his FCS workshop. Chi is going to BKBx for a 4-hour MovNat Elements workshop on Sunday, February, 16th 2020 from 12 PM – 4 PM. We hope to see you there for this intro workshop to expose you to the magic of Natural Movement. Here is the abbreviated transcription of Chi’s sit-down interview with Danny Clark. For the full interview, watch the video at the end of this article.
Q: What is MovNat?
Danny: MovNat is about moving more naturally… in a way that your body was designed to move. In fitness, we commonly have a reductionist approach by isolating body parts or movements with machines. MovNat is getting back to basics: move on the ground, get up and down off the ground, jump, balance, crawl, etc.
Q: Who should practice MovNat?
Danny: Really anybody who has a human body. It is about connecting to the most foundational movement patterns that we do as human beings. Anyone who wants to start moving smoother and start feeling better… and improve cognition because movement and cognition are linked like the childhood essence of enjoying movement. Other reasons are for the restorative properties of movement, adding diversity, and different stimulation to your fitness practice. It is basically for anybody and everybody.
Q: Are there any prerequisites for the Elements Workshop?
Danny: Elements, this workshop is meant for the total beginner… if my grandparents wanted to come in and learn the essentials of movement. It will not put them at risk in any way and for others who might be a bit more advanced, it is a new way to improve and refine to reset your base. This workshop will give a solid introduction to the MovNat practice.
Q: What should one’s expectations be as takeaways from the Elements workshop?
Danny: It really depends on your intention. The more intention you come with, the more you will walk away fulfilling that need. Bring a notebook and maybe you’ll find some gems that you can take with you. If you are coming with a shoulder injury, make sure you bring a notebook and ask your questions. You can take away specific drills that you can add to your existing fitness routine or things you can inject into your daily lives. MovNat is about practical natural movements and there are plenty of natural movement opportunities throughout your lives that you can apply these fundamental movement patterns and translate them into something tangible that will lead to immediate action and will enrich whatever it is that you are doing.
Q: How can one incorporate what they learn into their own personal practice?
Danny: By definition, natural movement is functional. Through this workshop, we will explore opportunities to incorporate these movements into our natural environments and most of all, HAVE FUN while letting our environments sharpen us. MovNat is about applying natural movement in a safe, conscious and professional way using logic and expressing it as play.
If you are moved by this content and looking to learn more, sign up for the Elements Workshop being held at BKBX, Sunday, February 16th from 12pm to 4pm. You won’t be disappointed. “Running water never goes stale, so you gotta keep on flowing” -Bruce Lee.