From Jayden Daniels’ unprecedented rookie season to a shocking Super Bowl final, the 2024 NFL season had no shortage of talking points. But if there’s one moment that will be remembered for years to come, it’s Saquon Barkley literally hurdling over Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones.
Advertisement
That gravity-defying reverse hurdle wasn’t just a freak play; it was a reminder of why Barkley is considered the greatest Running Back of this generation. In many ways, the Super Bowl winner’s freakish skill play also reminded his peers and fans that he is the gold standard for athleticism in the league.
Since then, many have wondered how Barkley managed to pull off that move. Because the level of explosiveness, agility, and control required to execute it was simply inhuman. Well, it looks like we finally have an answer, and no, it’s not human at all—it’s animal-inspired.
The 2024 Offensive Player of the Year recently appeared on First We Feast, where he took part in the wildly popular ‘Hot Ones’ segment. During his conversation with the host, Sean Evans, the Eagles RB was asked to share what special workout regime he follows to maintain his insane explosiveness. In reply, Barkley revealed that he does something called the Animal Flow workout.
“It’s called animal work,” he said. “You’ll do poses like an animal—walk like a gorilla and stuff. It looks crazy from the outside, but there’s a theory behind it that makes sense.”
What Barkley’s referring to is a type of quadrupedal movement training (QMT) that mimics the way animals move. Think bear crawls, ape walks, crab reaches, and scorpion kicks—all done with your hands and feet on the ground, using just your body weight.
Developed by movement coach Mike Fitch, Animal Flow blends strength, mobility, coordination, and endurance into a single functional training system. It’s used by elite athletes, dancers, martial artists, and now, apparently, by one of the most athletic humans in football.
That said, how does mimicking an animal benefit a person? The answer is quite simple. When one works out at the gym, most movements and exercises target isolated muscles. For example, most gym-goers have specific days to train each body part—leg day, chest day, arms day, etc.
But the Animal Flow technique challenges the body to move in all planes—forward, backward, laterally, and rotationally, unlike a simple bicep curl, which only targets a single muscle. As per research, Barkley’s Animal Flow workout helps build integrated strength through controlled, fluid, and full-body movements, as each exercise is made up of six components:
Wrist Mobilizations — to prep joints for the weight-bearing work on hands.
Activations — static holds like the crab or beast to build body awareness and core stability.
Form-Specific Stretches — stretches that improve flexibility and control.
Traveling Forms — moves like the bear crawl or ape walk that boost agility and coordination.
Switches & Transitions — connecting movements to build rhythm and reaction time.
Flows — sequences that combine all the above into a continuous, choreographed series.
For Barkley, the benefits are clear: explosive agility, multi-directional movement, and injury-resistant strength—all things needed to make hurdling over fellow athletes seem like a cakewalk.
So, the next time you catch a Saquon Barkley highlight, remember: behind every beastly run is some serious beast crawling.
