Beast Reach

AnimalBW

From Beast, one arm reaches under and across the body while the opposite hip drives back and down, creating a rotational stretch through the thoracic spine and lat. A staple mobility-loading drill in the Animal Flow canon.

Demo: Animal Flow

Sets

3

Reps

6-8 per side

Rest

45s

Contraindications

Avoid with acute wrist or shoulder impingement pain.

Setup

Start in Beast hold, knees hovering, hands under shoulders.

Execution

  1. 1Shift weight onto one hand and the opposite knee
  2. 2Reach the free arm underneath the body, rotating the torso
  3. 3Simultaneously push the same-side hip back and down toward the heel
  4. 4Look toward the reaching hand as it slides through
  5. 5Return to Beast and repeat on the other side

Key cues

  • Reach through the window, don't just rotate the arm
  • Hip drives back as the arm reaches
  • Keep the supporting arm locked and pushing the floor away
  • Eyes follow the reaching hand

Common faults

  • Collapsing into the supporting shoulder
  • Not moving the hip back — turning it into a pure arm reach
  • Butt popping up during the reach
  • Rushing the movement instead of controlling the rotation

Tweaks

  • Slow the tempo to 3-4 seconds per reach
  • Add a pause at full reach
  • Combine into Beast reach and side swipe for more rotation

Regressions

Beast Position (Hold)

Progressions

Beast Reach and Side SwipeUnderswitch (Beast to Crab)

Muscles

Primary: Obliques, Latissimus Dorsi, Shoulders

Secondary: Thoracic Spine Rotators, Core

Notes

One of the six original Animal Flow 'Form Specific Stretches' alongside Crab Reach.

Sources

Attribution: Mike Fitch / Animal Flow