What Is Flow Training?

What is flow training? Flow training is a workout that teaches your body to move the way it was built to move. Here at Chicago Movement Gym, an Ido Portal Method movement gym in Chicago, flow training is what we do best. You crawl. You roll. You balance. You move like an animal, one move into the next, like a dance on the ground. And it is way harder than it sounds.

Where did it come from?

Flow training comes from the movement world. A teacher named Ido Portal made it famous. He calls this kind of ground work "locomotion." He showed people that the body can do way more than lift weights or jog on a treadmill. He teaches people to move in every direction. On their hands. On their feet. Low to the ground. All of it.

His ideas have blown up online. Big shows like the Huberman Lab podcast have had him on to talk about movement. Millions of people now watch flow and locomotion videos on YouTube.

Why is it good for you?

Most workouts train one thing. Biceps curls train your biceps. A treadmill trains your lungs. But flow training trains everything at once.

Here is what it can do for you:

It builds real strength. Holding your own body weight on your hands and feet is hard work.

It makes your joints happy. Your hips, shoulders, and ankles get to move the way they were made to move.

It helps your balance. You learn to control your body in odd shapes. That carries over to daily life.

It is good for your brain. You have to think while you move. Every step is a small puzzle.

A lot of people say their aches get better too. When your body learns to move well, it stops hurting as much. Dr. Khong sees this every day. He is a sports chiropractor. He has spent 13 years helping people move better at Midwest Sport and Spine.

What does a session look like?

You might start on all fours. You crawl forward. You crawl backward. You try to stay low, like a lizard. Then you link the moves together into a flow. It feels like play. But you will be sweating in five minutes.

The best part? Anyone can start. You do not need to be strong first. You do not need fancy gear. You just need some floor and a good coach.

Where can you try it in Chicago?

Right here. At Chicago Movement Gym, flow training is our favorite thing to teach. We are the only true Ido Portal Method movement gym in Chicago. Every body is welcome. Beginners too.

Drop in for a session. 434 W Ontario St #310, Chicago. Give us a call at 312-397-1179.