Our primate ancestors spent a lot of time hanging out in trees and swinging through the branches (what fun). There is actually an official term for this type of movement, in which the suspended body swings from one hold to another using only the arms (and momentum rather than muscle strength). It’s called brachiation. You may not have heard this term before because very few animals are capable of brachiating. In fact the only animals that do are the lesser apes, spider monkeys, orangutans and… humans.
Yes, we should all be capable of brachiating – just think back to when you were a kid playing on monkey bars. But the truth is that as “zoo humans” we spend less time swinging through trees (sadly) and more time sitting in front of our computers. In this seated posture our shoulder blades are rotated forward and downwards and our chests contracted…you are probably sitting like this right now and have just sat up to correct it! With time this seated position can lead to various shoulder problems and pain. So what do we do to counter-act it?
Start hanging!
It’s as simple as that. Hanging from our arms immediately opens up the chest, rotates the shoulders backwards and helps improve flexibility and strength in the shoulder joint. It’s basically what our bodies are designed to do!
Here’s how you start:
1. Find a tree
2. Hang from it
Ah… it’s blissfully simple. However for those who might think this is too difficult or too easy here are some options for progression, from total beginners to fully wild.
1. Find a low branch or tree trunk (or if you’re inside, a chair or wall, but they won’t give you the same natural thrill as bark). Hold on with your hands (or lean on your palms). Keep your back straight and drop the weight of your head forward so that your shoulders rotate backwards and you are “hanging” between your hips and hands, while keeping your weight on your feet (and your knees slightly bent). It’s a bit like the “downward-dog” movement in yoga. Let gravity do the work! If you can find a higher branch or door frame then try hanging from this. You can still keep your feet on the ground while pushing your hips forward to help your shoulders rotate back. These moves feel amazing and are the perfect antidote to hunching over a computer, so if you spend most time at a desk get up and do this a few times a day. Your shoulders will thank you!
3. If you are confident hanging, try swinging your body back and forth. This may hurt your hands to start with on a rough branch but they will toughen up!
And swing!
4. Next step is to try hanging with one hand only. Try your left and right hand and gradually increase the length of time you hold on for.
5. Finally, if you are strong enough – get brachiating! Travel by swinging your suspended body and changing your hand-grips. This is probably easiest to try on man-made monkey bars to start with. Try swinging left-to-right and right-to-left and changing the distance you swing. Once mastered find some trees and get playing. You’ll be brachiating like a gibbon before you know it.
Where can I get these “monkey bars”?
Often thought an adult size climbing frame would be brilliant… do such things exist?
KLC
Kerry – good question! Yes they exist in the world but where you can buy them or get them built I’m not sure. I know there is an adult outdoor “gym” at the base of Primrose Hill (on the side nearest Regent’s Park) which has monkey bars – this is where the Wildfitness teams sometimes goes to hang! And there must be more round London and the UK if anyone else knows? Or I suggest you sneak and use the kiddie’s frames when they’re not there!
Great post I really enjoy brachiating not enough people do it on a regular basis.
But we’ve evolved… that means we’ve changed and our shoulders aren’t what they used to be. Which means that hanging – though a good exercise in moderation to those capable of it, isn’t a naural movement anymore and is a good way to damage the joint.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your comment, which I’ve spoken to Lee Saxby our Technical Director and our Wild Coaches about. Our view is that the human shoulder girdle anatomy is still like that of primates and healthy humans with healthy shoulders should have no problem with brachiating. It will only lead to injury if you do the movement incorrectly (for example if you don’t use gravity and elasticity but try to muscle the movements) or if there is some pre-existing physiological condition.
We suggest you use hanging as a micro drill for a more progressive movement like swinging from bar to bar (or tree to tree) or climbing. Obviously if you just hang all day and do nothing else and don’t brachiate the shoulder joint then that wouldn’t be any good for you.
Most children given half the chance love swinging from their arms and climbing. Brachiating is a pre-curser to climbing which is definitely a natural movement.