AnimalBW
The foundational Animal Flow position: a loaded quadrupedal stance with hands under shoulders, knees hovering an inch off the ground under hips. Trains full-body tension, scapular control, and midline stability — the base every other Animal Flow movement builds from.
Demo: Animal Flow
Sets
3
Reps
20-30 sec hold
Rest
45s
Contraindications
Wrist pain — try fists or push-up handles. Avoid if acute shoulder impingement.Setup
Start on hands and knees. Hands under shoulders, fingers spread wide, knees under hips, toes tucked.
Execution
- 1Push through the hands to protract the shoulder blades (round the upper back slightly)
- 2Lift the knees an inch off the floor and hold
- 3Keep hips level with or slightly below shoulder height
- 4Squeeze glutes and brace the core to keep the spine flat
- 5Breathe steadily through the nose while holding
Key cues
- Push the floor away, don't just rest on your hands
- Knees hover, don't hang or pike
- Flat back like a tabletop
- Hips level with shoulders, not piked to the sky
Common faults
- Butt too high (piking into a downward-dog shape)
- Elbows locked out and shoulders collapsed
- Hips sagging toward the floor
- Holding the breath instead of breathing steadily
- Knees resting on the ground instead of hovering
Tweaks
- Add a slow rock forward/back once stable
- Lift one hand briefly to challenge stability
- Hold for time (20-40s) instead of reps
Progressions
Muscles
Primary: Shoulders, Core, Quadriceps
Secondary: Serratus Anterior, Hip Flexors, Forearms
Notes
The 'home base' position for the entire Animal Flow system. Master this hold before attempting any flow combination.
Sources
Attribution: Mike Fitch / Animal Flow