MovNat – “Le Methode Naturelle” Evolved
MovNat
(Taken from an email from a close friend)
“I read an interesting article the other day in Men’s Health about a system of physical fitness called le Methode Naturelle. It was developed 100 years ago by a French Naval Officer named Georges Hebert. He was stationed on a Caribean island when a volcano erupted. He sprung into action, leading his men into panicked crowds of people to help them escape the deadly lava rushing though the streets. Only 700 people survived, largely because of him. Hebert was affected by all the people who died, and had a realization about the modern human animal: “The modern world, Hebert believed, was producing hollow men who focused on appearance and forgot about function, At the same time, they stopped exercising with the wildness of kids and instead insulated themselves from risk. The cost, he felt, was far more destructive than they might think.”
Throughout his travels, he observed that indigenous people from Africa, etc. were in amazing shape. He wrote “Their bodies were splendid, flexible, nimble, skilful, enduring, resistant and yet they had no other tutor in Gymnastics but their lives in Nature.”
So he created his own method of physical training, le Methode Naturelle, with the ethos, “Être fort pour être utile”–”Being strong to be useful.” His method focused on ten essential skills: walking, running, jumping, walking on all fours, climbing, balancing, throwing, lifting, defending and swimming. He created outdoor training facilities that were like modern day obstacle courses to challenge these skills. He had a rule: no competing, because he believed that when you try to beat the other guy, you are testing the other man’s weaknesses and not your own.
MovNat
The article I read was about a Frenchman today named Erwan Le Corre who is reviving and improving upon the forgotten practice in the Brazilian rainforest. He says: “I meet men all the time who can bench 400 pounds but can’t climb up through a window to pull someone from a burning building. I know guys who can run marathons but can’t sprint to anyone’s rescue unless they put their shoes on first. Lots of swimmers do laps every day but can’t dive deep enough to save a friend, or know how to carry him over rocks and out of the surf.”
I find this whole concept fascinating and powerful. On Le Corre’s website, movnat.com, he decries “zoo humans” and the modern human as out of touch with our natural wild human ability and character. Coming across this training method is beautifully timed for me, because I have felt unsatisfied with my current workout regimen. I run for many miles. Then maybe pushups and situps. Weights bore me, so I don’t lift them. And I get in no better shape. I know my body is capable of more. I want to challenge myself, I want to run barefoot, I want to swim, I want to jump and climb trees, I want to unleash the power of the human animal that is caged in this consumer and appearance driven society, I want to get into the best shape of my life, but not so I can show off a six-pack at the beach, but so I can “be strong to be useful”, knowing my abilities, fearing nothing, stength of body and mind, fortitudo.
Check out Le Corre in action: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKGF-ErsJiI
And his website: http://movnat.com/
Here is the full article, worthy read about the revival of this method: http://www.menshealth.com
MovNat
And more on Hebert himself: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georges_H%C3%A9bert
Cheers to a beautiful Saturday brothers.
- another Zoo Human, set on breaking free from his cage”
May 11th, 2009 at 8:53 am
I love this method. Pending more research on le corre’s site: http://www.movnat.com, subscription to his email newsletter, and following him on twitter, I left out yesterday afternoon to create my own course…
It’s an exciting prospect: becoming a fully functioning human. A natural human. I decided to begin my practice at a local trail in the smokies called rainbow falls. I wanted a diverse run, not just flat pavement, and i got it. This was a 2.5 mile run on an incline the entire way – over small rocks, big rocks, threading in and through the river, jumping from rock to rock some wet, some dry, climbing rock faces, over thin river bridges, and finally climbing up the rainbow falls themselves. I intend to add to the course here, and explore more as I explore the area more. Hoping to have some pictures to come soon of these lush green trees, and just born plants shooting up from the earth, fed by the mountain river.
I’ve been out of commission unable to workout (at the gym) for months now, but somehow I was able to do this workout, and felt energized, I ended up working out, running, climbing, walking, for about 3.5 hours total, and my back is feeling good this morning, i think strengthened. Thing is you’re not pushing yourself to lift unusually heavy weights, your simply putting nature, and yourself against your body.
More to come…
May 11th, 2009 at 11:46 am
Hi guys
A note to help clarify concepts and avoid confusions.
MovNat is certainly not Methode Naturelle with a different name, which would be a very easy shortcut totally lacking of objectivity.
Firstly, from a philosophical perspective, the rehabilitation of the “Zoo human” and “True Nature” philosophy, to be strong, healthy, happy and free is unique to MovNat.
This approach doesn’t belong to Methode Naturelle and Georges Hebert never spoke about such things.
It is my own approach. By the way, you don’t find ANY of Hebert’s writings on my website.
Hence a different motto “Explore your true nature” which is the alternative to not become or remain a Zoo human.
Secondly, the training method and especially the coaching system.
I have studied all Hebert’s book, trained with the few remaining (old) MN practitioners and trained original the Methode Naturelle way so I could clearly understand all areas that needed an update.
I have made it evolve and improve, thanks to movement principles, breaking down of techniques, additional training types and techniques, levels of practice and video analysis.
So unless having first studied the old Methode Naturelle system and books and trained by this former method, then learned my improved system and trained by it, there is absolutely NO way anyone can judge of the difference.
In any case, what I practice and coach is MovNat and Methode Naturelle is only an inspiring heritage.
If Methode Naturelle has almost completely disappeared, don’t you think there is a good reason? Yes, that’s because it has not evolved at all in more than 60 years.
Methode Naturelle itself, by the way, was a retooling of a former French Method created in the early 19th century by Amoros, which Hebert had copied and improved and added his own philosophy…and actually barely didn’t change the name!
Understanding Methode Naturelle truly needed to evolve and also that I had my own philosophical views, I have done the same, which was by the way, from a purely physical coaching perspective, the only way to make it fit modern times.
I hope it helps.
Erwan le Corre
May 11th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Erwan,
Wow, it’s an honor to have you here on the blog. I’ll make the appropriate corrections to the entry.
I’m sure the guys would love a taste of the workout, or some things we could do on our own to get prepped for the seminars.
And thanks again for the amazing inspiration
May 11th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Erwan,
Excellent to hear from you and obtain further insight on MovNat. I wrote the original email posted on Tison’s blog – the article I read certainly did a good job of blurring the line between methode naturelle and MovNat. After reading your post, I have been scouring the net, and discovering the originality and distinctions of your method and training. In my internet travels, I came across an interview you gave on another blog called Conditioning Research: http://conditioningresearch.blogspot.com/2009/01/erwan-le-corre.html
Many parts of the interview struck me, but particularly your discussion on MovNat as something beyond a from of exercise. You describe it as: “Not a guideline, certainly not a set of morals, but both an experiential and conceptual knowledge: an array of solutions and alternatives people can learn and apply to an extent that is entirely up to them.” This struck me as similar – if you’ll allow me this loose analogy – in the religious context to Zen Bhuddism. Zen is not a series of dogmatic rules to fight and die over, but simply principles that guide and teach, and may assist individuals in becoming better people.
In that vein, I appreciate where you draw a disctinction between the method naturelle motto, “to be strong to be useful” and your own “Explore your true nature.” The interview says:
“Methode Naturelle was not only a physical but a moral education based on altruism, hence the motto “to be strong to be useful”. But I personally have a problem with morals or ethics when it comes to deciding what is good or what is not good for me, what is done and what’s not, what I should do or what society expects me to do or would like to impose to me as some form of duty.
After all, a tool is useful, a cog in the machine is useful right? I accept no institutional duty. Free will is the most precious thing in my eyes. If I choose to be helpful to others, which I in fact often do because I tend to like others, it is because I decide so and not because I have to. The problem is, many people often think of altruism as sacrificing oneself or one’s resources unconditionally for others, even for those that are total strangers to you or even if it’s going to be seriously detrimental to yourself. I prefer to impose no moral code in MovNat and leave it up to each individual to decide for themselves what is best when it comes to investing their energy or risking their physical integrity for others, because each situation is different. MovNat training will greatly increase your preparedness so that, in time of need, you have the ability to respond efficiently to practical challenges.”
This emphasis on free will underlines what I perceive to be how MovNat transcending the physical, and moves into the spiritual and emotional nature of human beings. Reconnecting with our natural humanity has to transcend the physical; it requires harnessing the power of the human spirit rooted in absolute freedom.
I echo Tison’s thanks for engaging us in this forum and sharing your insight. I am looking forward to reading more about your work, and working toward realizing my own personal fitness and spiritual goals through Natural Movement.
Cheers,
Bryan
May 21st, 2009 at 4:17 am
I dissociate the NMCS, Natural Movement Training System that anyone can learn and use whatever are their personal orientation of values in life, and then the True Nature philosophy which indeed goes beyond the purely physical aspect.
It is up to people to see to what extent they want to learn and improve their lives.
Cheers,
Erwan