Primal screams in savage workout
Tries ZUU, a workout so intense it was originally for frontline troops.
Stephen Heard
It’s one of the most challenging workouts around; one purposed for frontline troops. But how does acting like a frog, bear and iguana hold up as a legitimate workout? I signed up with Auckland’s Body Torque to discover more about the world of ZUU.
The basics
Created by Australian fitness guru Nathan Helberg, ZUU is a form of high intensity interval training that uses movements from the animal kingdom. But you’d be mistaken for thinking ZUU is just another fitness fad. The workout initially found its footing in the world of elite athletes, tactical police and the armed forces — where weights and machines aren’t generally accessible. Rather, ZUU uses seven primal and natural human movements for a full body workout: push, pull, bend, twist, squat, lunge, locomotion. The animal theme comes from the likeness of the movements to particular creatures: bear crawl, frog squat, donkey kick.
The class is in three sections, each made up of three different high intensity activities. Little did I know that we will repeat these until the body screams bloody murder.
Giving it a bash
We begin in a basic squat position to prepare our legs and glutes. Putting emphasis on the community vibe, a round of high fives follow and we pair up. I am matched with Body Torque co-founder and ZUU trainer Alex Flint to get a full grasp of the workout. A whiteboard reveals the rundown of the class in three sections, each made up of three different high-intensity activities. Little did I know that we will repeat these until the body screams bloody murder. We start low to the ground with a ‘‘rock press’’— like an upside down shoulder press. ‘‘Straddles’’ follow. Then ‘‘xplodes’’— a savage jumping squat where you touch the floor between leaps. After 10 reps of each, the routine’s repeated twice and then three times over. Before the next set we enjoy a minute of high fives and a much-needed gasp of oxygen. The burn settles in. From here we progress through multiple reps of regular press ups, ‘‘body drops’'— not dissimilar to burpees, the hip flexing