Having command and control over your body how you want, and when you want, is not a superpower. It’s definitely within your reach, and if you want to move more smoothly, this guide will show you how.

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KNOWLEDGE: Moving Well Isn’t Just Natural Talent | UNDERSTANDING: Body Control = Motor Control | PRACTICE: Getting Better At Controlling Your Body | FEELING: How It Feels To Be In Control | ABILITY: Unlocking Your Own Body Control

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Moving Well Isn’t Just Natural Talent 🤔

How you move matters. And moving well depends on many factors, like strength, flexibility and of course, practice. If you’ve ever seen an athlete move on the field or in the dojo, you may have thought “wow, they just have a natural talent to move so smoothly!”

But it’s not just talent. It’s a mix of repeated efforts compounded with time that gave them this ability to move effortlessly. Sure, they’re gifted, but that’s a small part of why they move so well.

Anyone can be strong. Anyone can be flexible. But not everyone can move gracefully. The thing most athletes have over others is precise body control.

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Most people think they can’t move like this because they lack the talent. However, it’s a learnable skill and only takes some regular effort.

We’ve seen thousands of clients learn it. With the right sort of practice you can substantially improve your awareness and precision—the building blocks of good body control—so you can move more smoothly, efficiently, and with more confidence in every activity you enjoy.

Alongside strength and flexibility—the most common physical attributes fitness programs focus on—we emphasize motor control as an essential element of our teaching methodology. Lots of programs and systems can help you get stronger or more flexible, but without sufficient motor control, you won’t be able to apply your strength and flexibility in the most effective ways.

Sandi York

Buffalo, NY, United States

IS

I was never able to do this before

I've lifted weights consistently for over 25 years. When I started Integral Strength, I was skeptical that I could develop the strength and flexibility required. Any flexibility I once had was gone, due to sitting at a desk well over 40 hours a week and driving. I also wasn't the best about stretching after lifting. At least, not consistently. My flexibility has greatly improved, so much so that I am close to getting my L-sit. I also achieved my first unassisted chin-up from a dead hang. In all those years of weight training, I was never able to do chins without the assist of jumping from the ground.

Body Control Is Motor Control

When you were just a baby, you probably got more food on your face than in your mouth. But over time, your ability to control your hand and insert those carrots strategically became easier. Eventually, you learned how to use a spoon, fork and knife. It took you time to gain those skills, just like it’ll take time to learn how to move your body in a controlled manner.

So, if you feel like a baby when it comes to moving well, that’s okay! We’ll help you learn and make progress as quickly as possible.

better control throughout your entire body

Better Control Means More Efficient Movement

How you move throughout the day has a compounding effect over time, so why not move in the best way possible?

Gaining control over how well you move is within your ability, and it’s worth exploring with dedicated workout sessions.

Resources for understanding motor control:

🧠 Learn movement skills faster with these 5 motor learning strategies.

👍 All of our programs and philosophy are built on our GMB Method, which is a proven path to moving well.

To begin moving better, you need a starting point. Take our self-assessment so you know where you’re at.

Good Body Control Through Regular Practice

When you see someone in the gym or at the park who moves effortlessly, this is a product of practice over time. You’ve probably heard “practice makes perfect”, but that’s partly true. We should amend that saying to “perfect practice makes perfect”.

To be clear—no one is perfect, not even professional athletes. No workout session you have will be done perfectly. However, it’s important to be mindful of your movement, practice good form without overexerting yourself to a point where your form breaks down too much.

This is a skill you can learn with patience and effort. The more you practice good, controlled form, the faster you’ll make progress with your movement.

Pay Attention: If you practice sloppy reps, you’re just training yourself to be sloppy. 😉

learning body control

Consistent Practice Means Better Movement Over Time

Good control of the body emerges from a feedback loop that includes your perception, neural signals, and body movements. These work together to help you create precise movements.

Precision means that all your energy is spent on moving your body the way you want to, and not on extra movements that increase your chances for injury.

Resources for understanding motor control:

😯 Do you ever feel clumsy? You’re not alone. We put together a resource on coordination with some drills to improve your movement.

🕺 Part of moving well and controlling your body is being balanced. Just like motor control, you can also train to have better balance.

Check out our podcast on good form here:

Gardner Burg

E

Case Study: "You'll never go back."

Of all the mobility that’s required for this program, the thing that was most challenging for me at first is getting into a comfortable deep squat. I've improved dramatically since then, without even really trying. That's part of the beauty of going in and out of a deep squat dynamically, which is what the Monkey and Frogger force you to do. It just naturally opens up those hips.

And then to sit at the bottom in a deep squat and realize that your chest is fully up and down and you’re not hunched around over your knees, it was pretty amazing.

You will feel stronger. You will improve your mobility. It feels so good that it doesn’t feel like you’re sacrificing anything to make time for training. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll never go back.

How Body Control Looks + Feels In The Real World 🌏

Our method of training is unique because what you learn with our programs translates to the real world, not just being strong in the gym or in certain positions.

be ready to move however you want, whenever you want

Be Ready For Whatever Life Throws At You

What if you had so much control of your movement that you no longer worried about that last minute hike with your friends or playing at the jungle gym with your kids?

What if you never worried about getting into an awkward position to pick something up?

Gaining more control over your body isn’t about doing fancy exercises to impress your friends. It’s about being able to what you want, any time you want to. This is called physical autonomy.

Resources for moving in the real world:

👖 If you can’t do it in jeans, can you really do it? This article isn’t about jeans. It’s about how well you’re able to move when you need to.

🙀 Have you ever thought about how you would handle a fall? Most haven’t and this article can help you learn to fall properly (and avoid injury).

🏃‍♂️ Many of our clients use our programs to supplement their main training. So we help you balance out your training with stuff to do in between your regular workouts or sport.

Michelle Ho

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Case Study - "I'm the Most Robust Physically I've Ever Been"

My first program was actually Vitamin. I had no idea just how much my vocabulary of movements would expand over 28 days. It had me pulling off moves I never imagined doing!

It makes me feel almost superhuman to be able to do these things at my age and not say that the best years are behind me. I suppose at this point in time, being able to still achieve new skills, to learn new things, it's very revitalizing for me.

In fact, I feel that now, as I'm approaching 40, I'm the most robust physically I've ever been.

See more GMB client results and case studies

Unlocking Abilities You Didn’t Realize Were In You

At first, you might see a movement that seems out of reach. And that’s fair. But much of what you see is doable with only a little practice, focus, and effort.

do what you want with your body and unlock new abilities

Moving Well Should Also Be Fun

What’s the point in moving better and surprising yourself if you’re not having fun?

Our programs are built to give you the access to move freely and explore ranges of motion you might not know yet.

And when you approach your movement practice with the willingness to learn and a growth mindset, just about anything becomes possible.

More resources for mastering body control:

☯️ We are big believers in learning how to flow with your body over time. But this takes practice, so remember to take it a day at a time and be consistent.

🎮 Most adults forget how to play. It’s easy to fall into the trap of exercising because you have to, or following a particular training program that bores you. We think playing is an essential part of staying active and youthful.

🎧 Listen to our podcast about how to incorporate play into your workouts.

It’s Time To Get Started

If you’re ready to take a focused and strategic approach to moving and feeling better, we recommend getting started with our Elements program.

Build Body Control With a Foundation in the Basics

With Elements, you’ll build a foundation of strength, flexibility, and control over 8 weeks, setting yourself up for a successful lifetime of staying fit and active.

GMB Elements Details

Elements

Practice essential movements for practical physical fitness

More Resources For Moving Better:

Improve Your Training with Complex Movements and Exercises

Complexity is a great way to add rich layers to your training, and help you discover new things about your body. But only if it's done right.

3 Ways to Build Resilience for When Things Go Wrong

Accidents happen. Does your body have the physical resilience to bounce back from injury? These strategies and exercises will help!

Ready for more? Check out our programs and reviews.