The Three Rules of Learning Locomotion

Learning Locomotion Flow

Contemplating how to learn Locomotion Flow movement can feel overwhelming at first glance.

However, with a systemized approach to learning locomotion, you can accelerate this process and ensure high quality of movement along the way.

When I first saw Locomotion, I wasn't sure if the practitioners were just making the movements up as they went, or if they had choreographed plans.

So, I went about learning Locomotion and soon found out there are three rules to learn Locomotion Flow movement:

1. Isolate;

2. Integrate;

3. Improvise.

Step 1 - Isolate

Although to the untrained eye it may look as though a practitioner is just making the moves up as they go, the truth is that almost all of them have spent considerable time isolating each skill and practicing it on it's own.

Most skills can even be broken down themselves into numerous parts and then those parts are practiced on their own for repetition as well until a level of competence is obtained.

Beyond competence is proficiency, grace or even mastery and this comes from repeating the skills (or parts of the skills) on their own to truly appreciate the details and intricacies within each unique pattern.

Picking a skill and performing it for reps and sets with adequate recovery time in between is generally how this is done.

Once a skill is understood and can be performed on it's own, you can look to move onto step 2.

Step 2 - Integration 

Integration is the combining of skills together.

Combinations can be made in "closed" or "open" system flows.

In a closed system flow, a practitioner can decide on a particular set order that the skills will be performed in.

For example; Cross-Step, Cossack Insertion, Lizard (in that order).

In an open system flow, a practitioner can mix those same three skills but in any order (this is where the mathematical possibilities really start to reveal themselves, even with a limited number of skills in your movement vocabulary). 

For example, with those same three skills, you could perform them in multiple different orders:

- Cross-Step, Lizard, Cossack Insertion,

- Cossack Insertion, Cross-Step, Lizard,

- Lizard, Cossack Insertion, Cross-Step....

....and so on.

Again, reps and sets of the chosen combinations can work to practice integrations.

Step 3 - Improvisation 

Improvisation of Locomotion is when a practitioner has no pre-meditated choreography of the skills or the order they will be performed in.

Whilst it might be easy to assume this step should be reserved for more experienced practitioners, granting the body permission to improvise should be adopted (in my opinion) by practitioners of all levels.

Tremendous value lies in physical exploration without the boundaries of sequential order (or even form at times) and I've been surprised on many occasions at new entries, exits or skill variations I have discovered during permitted improvisation sessions.

I have also witnessed many new patterns created by students and fellow practitioners during their improvised sessions that I would not have myself discovered (nor had I seen them anywhere before).

Whilst the polished pieces within the improvisations will be there for more advanced movers, there is also a satisfying quality in the 'not so' rehearsed bits that come from simply moving.

The easiest way to do this is to set the timer on (60-90 seconds is ideal), play some music you can move to and then simply just move.

With practice, one starts to find a certain level of intuition within the movement patterns and how the body can express itself across any given surface. 

A form of "flow-state" can be achieved in these finer moments and the practice can switch from something driven by the orchestrated mind to a more relaxed acceptance of momentum within the body.

The video above is an example of one of my improvisation sessions. 

Putting it All Together

A well balanced practice should contain all three steps (again in my opinion). 

For example, a locomotion flow movement session could be set up as follows:-

A - Warm Up (Wrists/Shoulders/Spine/Squat

B - Isolation Sets (Pick 2-3 skills and practice 5 reps each side for 3 sets)

C - Integration (Practice combining those 2-3 skills for 5 reps each side of 3 sets)

D - Improvisation (Practice the 2-3 skills along with anything else you feel like for 60-90 seconds for 3 sets).

Rest for 90 seconds between sets to recover.

Looking to Learn Locomotion Flow? 

My online learning course, Locomotion Flow 2.0 adopts this learning system to teach you how to isolate, integrate and improvise locomotion movement skills into flowing sequences and combinations.

You can find more information on the course here.

Happy Moving! 

Aaron