TOP 3 SKILLS FOR COMPLETE BEGINNERS

There is power in learning something new.

You stretch yourself outside your comfort zone and get the physical benefits as a byproduct.

Sometimes I use the muscle up as an example. It takes practicing the technique, timing and coordination. You level up your power and athleticism and you'll probably look jacked once you can do them.

But you may be sitting there saying, "Josh, I can barely do a couple pull-ups, I'm nowhere close to a muscle up."

Fair enough! To you, I'd recommend these beginner level movement skills.

This involves balance and strength. But because the knees rest on the elbows, the strength demands are low IF you can find a nice balance point. This can be the base for learning a headstand, handstand, and handstand pushup!

If you find it challenging, start by setting your head on something soft. With more points of contact, the movement becomes much easier. Practice on a soft surface and be careful! If it's easy for you, try to lift one knee at a time from your elbow, then both at the same time.

LOW BRIDGE

This challenges active mobility through the hips, spine, and shoulders but it's much less demanding than a full bridge (wheel) pose. I love this variation because by shifting our knees forward, even someone with a stiff upper back can access this position.

For the full expression, we lift the chest upwards and press the hands into the ground behind us. But when first learning, feel free to keep the head on the ground and get your body comfortable here.

SHOULDER ROLL STAND

This requires a high level of core strength, balance, and mobility from the spine. From a kneeling position, extend one arm and place the same side ear to the ground. Move the knees away from the ground and balance from the toes, now lift the opposite leg to the sky. This is the basic position, with one foot helping for balance.

For the full expression, we lift remaining foot from the ground and start to straighten the hips. The more you straighten the hips the more challenging this is! Only practice the "no feet version" on a soft surface. The better you get at the shoulder stand, the easier rolls feel, because they require so much less strength.

If you want to see a video of these 3 movements plus 2 more, check it out on our Instagram here :)

In Raw Ep. 2, I talk about the secret to long term consistent training being getting lost in the process of having fun working towards goals. These "beginner skills" can be attainable for everyone. But only if you put in enough practice.

I often catch myself thinking that if I can't do something on the first few tries, I just can't do it. You ever experience that? While in reality, that's what practice is for! To get better at something and obtain it in the future.

Big shoutout to HVMN for sponsoring Raw Ep. 2. I've been amazed at the boost of energy I've experienced from their product Ketone-IQ. I'm able to focus more on creative tasks and push myself a bit harder in my workouts. I'm now taking a shot before I sit down to write and before I do a movement session. You can get 30% your subscription by clicking here.