The Practice Of Natural Movement is a book that I was excited to purchase. I own the hardback and digital versions. In a nutshell, I consider it a must-read for anyone interested in health, fitness, and movement.
I have both a level 1 and level 2 certification through the MovNat system and this book is like gold as a reference. That also means I have an affiliation with MovNat, even though this is an unsolicited review. The Practice Of Natural Movement is all the notes I wish I had taken during my courses.
The Practice Of Natural Movement By Ewan Le Corre
The book is well written and is a fantastic reference even for people who are into more traditional strength training. It is broken down into several sections so you can easily find the information you want without reading the whole book.
Part 1: Manifesto
The first section of the book breaks down the 12 principles of MovNat. Each principle is well explained from both a practical standpoint as well as how it fits in the MovNat system.
This section is important since so much of our fitness focus comes from a gym perspective. The movements we practice in a gym don’t always translate to real life well. Practical movements need to be evaluated differently than a barbell squat at a powerlifting meet.
Part 1 effectively explains the key concepts that make up the movements within MovNat and natural movement.
Part 2: Movement Efficiency Principles
Are you moving efficiently? Understanding the 6 principles in part 2 will help you break down movements to evaluate where you are having issues and how you can fix them.
I grasped these concepts prior to reading this book. However, this section really helped to find the language I needed to articulate the concepts to someone else.
Part 3: Practice Efficiency Principles
Part 3 covers concepts in building a movement practice for yourself or someone else. I have a lot of experience in building programs, but I found this a surprisingly informative section. Even after two certification courses through MovNat, I found a lot of great new information.
Again, because so much of our fitness training is gym based there is a ton we overlook. There are ways to scale movements and workouts we overlook. This section helps you see workouts in a new light and find variety in novel ways.
Part 4: Techniques
I feel like part 4 is what everyone was waiting for. It’s the encyclopedia of movements. While Erwan admitted there are many movements not in the book, otherwise, it would have been 800 pages, this section is very comprehensive.
Each movement is broken down with multiple pictures and effective description. Then common inefficiencies and their cause/solutions are highlighted. This is very helpful for yourself or when working with others. It’s not uncommon to realize something is off but not know how to address it. These little tips can really shortcut that process.
This section of the book is worth the purchase price alone. It is the most convenient way I’ve found to reference movements and their instruction quickly. Since I have the digital copy with the Kindle app on my phone, I can take this library with me virtually anywhere.
The Verdict
As I said at the beginning, this is a must-read book. It will likely always be on my shelf. It’s obvious that a great deal of care and attention went into this book. If you’re interested in being healthier, stronger, and more capable it’s more than worth the purchase price.
If you’re interested in the MovNat system, The Practice Of Natural Movement is a fantastic way to dip your toe in the water to see if you want to spend the extra money on a workshop or a certification.
Even if you have a strong background in exercise and fitness you’re likely to pick up a lot of new information and perspective that you can apply to yourself and others.