TO ALL THE FAUNA OF THE ALTERHUMAN COMMUNITY! I invite you to partake in a fun excersize list I made!
Some backstory first, I am someone who could be classified as a chronic procrastinator, got executive dysfunction, and at times adhd paralysis/shutdown from overload of information, and as such struggled to find motivation to do the ordinary excersizes of 'do some squats, do a push up, go carry some weights' no matter the benefits as they always seemed unclear, uninspiring, boring, and confusing, and so I felt like they were beyond me, so I never did any. That was until I realised that 'hey, any movement is excersize! How about we make it fun?' so, with some experimentation, and free for interpretation, I wanted to make a game-like excersize list for therians/otherkin/alterhumans, based primarily on earthly creatures, but totally open for any and all beings!!
TW for #8 for animal harm mention, specifically of prey, as this is intended for those with prey drive, such as predators and hunting-inclined beasts. ALSO 'paws' used instead of the word 'hands', so be aware.
Any and all creature must be reintroduced to the wild gradually and with supervision after an extended period of time isolated from the same species and natural habitat, so to help in unlearning domestication and such, here is a collection of simple, non-demanding, yet fun physical activities to enjoy with no gear, equipment, or special items necessary other than some space and your paws n claws at the ready!
Feel free to increase or decrease the difficulty level as preferred, keeping it still within a comfortable range for you and encouraging. If you try take on too much all at once, you will get none of it done, so take it step by step, and do not feel upset or guilty if you struggle on one or more of these. You can pick and choose which to do, as they are in no particular order, and you may do all if you feel inspired as such. Be free to go off the script too, if you find something that works better for you, as every individual is unique and has their own needs and requirements!
Stretch towards the sun! Any being under our beloved Sol would surely enjoy the presence of the star's heat, just like a lizard or cat might, so either outside or inside, go onto your tippy-toes and stretch as far as you can, the tips of your paws pointed to the sky. Do this for no longer than 5-10 seconds, take a light rest, and repeat for a few times. I suggest repeating it for however many hours in the day have already passed. If 7am, then seven times. If noon, then 12. if 4pm, then either 4 - or 16, your pick.
Horseplay! Starting on the ground, roll onto your stomach, and then onto your back, alternating evenly, and doing so while trying to minimise the use of your limbs - like a wolf cub playing with their mother, or perhaps a chinchilla taking a dust bath. Repeat however often you want, I suggest maybe 3-8 times.
Warily drink from a watering hole. Crouching low to the ground, preferably on all fours, mime the gesture of taking a nice refreshing drink after a long and warm day, while periodically stretching up to full height, still keeping all limbs set in place, and bow back down to the water. Like a gazelle or perhaps zebra, you are allowing yourself you replenish your internal water supply while also being at the ready for anything that may come your way. Repeat 2-5 times.
Forage! Taking something small yet recognisable - a marble, pinecone, coin, or bright rock - toss it behind you into a small grassed area (ensuring there are no spikey or poisonous plants directly in your vicinity), and search for it on all fours, engaging your heightened senses like a sniffing dog or even a hedgehog! Do this for as many times as you want, until bored.
Forage 2. Find a plant nearby (flower, shrub, bush, tree) and take a sample (leaf/bud/stem) or picture, and using visual cues, identify it to an online or library-borrowed guide on your local wildlife, and if interested, go further by finding out some basic information such as which animals eat it or how it is used in the world (such as dandelions being made into coffee, nettles into tea, blackberries into jam). You can do this once or twice.
There are over 1,000,000 species of insects in the world, and many more which have not been discovered. Go outside and find just one, you do not have to know its name, but simply observe its existence. Witness it exist amongst the world that you do too, and appreciate its presence. Well, if you are an anteater, I suppose ants are much more than just pretty..
Scout out your territory! Wolves can travel around 30 miles a day, and it is essential to be constantly assessing the land for anything that may have shown up - both for opportunities of play and food, but also to be aware of any dangers. Go out into your local park or perhaps walk around your street, being mindful on observing everything that is going on, the little details, the scents present, and anything new that may have appeared from the last time you were there. It can be 5 minutes of 50, it is entirely up to you and what you feel comfortable with.
Disembowel your prey! Capturing your imaginary prey, perhaps using a pillow or stuffed animal for immersion, mime out the gesture of tearing into it and pawing out its guts, letting yourself take on the role of a predator feeding itself, such as a leopard or even a vulture. Do this twice, each time letting yourself act out with whichever hunger or urgency that may show up or potentially be felt.
Bonus one, get a pizza (either storebought and tossed into the oven from frozen or bought elsewhere) and without slicing nor tearing it into pieces, eat the whole thing with your paws. Enjoy digging in and getting messy while figuring out the best way to go through it in the manner that optimises delicious bites throughout.
Sit outdoors for 5-15 minutes and enjoy the sounds and feeling of the ever changing world. Take a few moments to watch the clouds, knowing that exact pattern is unlikely to ever be seen by anyone else again. Enjoy the fresh air, and simply be undisturbed. Alot of clarity can come out of it, and it is no surprise tortoises live that long, they must be wanting to get the most out of their presence here after all!
Prance around like a newborn lamb! Taking a wide circle in any open space/area such as a field or garden, skip either clockwise or anticlockwise - later changing direction, to your heart's content! Do it for maybe 3-5 laps, or for 2-4 minutes. Once more, remember you can do it for longer or shorter if you so want.
Perch like a bird watching over the world below. Finding a small ledge to stand upon - perhaps a garden wall, or even an item such as a book you placed on the ground - stand with one or two legs on it, and balance there for as long as you can. You can crouch or stand. Keep this up for at least a couple of minutes, and with that, you can call it a job well done!
I posted it seperate as the prior post on my blog so check that out if you want.
A smaller insight to the practical side of things.
Helps your spine and muscles reset and reach their full capacity, ensuring they are in working condition and ready for the next day with just as much vigour.
Something that helps the core/sides, aswell as giving you the ability to pretend like you're a little critter just having fun.
It is a stretching excersize, one that is inspired by knee push-ups and the downward dog and puppy pose in yoga. The back is engaged and potentially the arms, yet ofcourse, the benefit resides in how you do it, and no matter what, you are still excersizing in a fun and creative way.
This helps engage the mind in a more stimulating manner, similar to how some people ensure their smart canine friends such as belgian malinois and german shepherds stay happy and mentally engaged.
This brings awareness to the world around aswell as being a way to get closer to nature, a fun little fact and some general knowledge can go a long way!
This is just interesting and also, like above, helps get you to notice the small things in life (litterally) and may inspire greater feelings.
A walk, in any case, is good for the legs and all muscles there pretty much, and being observant like this is even more beneficial!
This is just a fun little thing I thought about and which had honestly created this whole list anyways. It can engage some instincts or emotional expression that may otherwise feel repressed or restricted, and you wouldn't know you missed it so much until you felt the thrill of the kill, even pretend, below your fangs, heheh.
This I personally do often and it just is a bit of whimsy.
Actually is meditative and can go quite a long way, encouraged by many, and helps you feel more in the moment, happier, and fulfilled. It gets rid of the constant rush you may feel in life and instead lets you focus on what truly matters - simply being alive and here.
Ah, was inspired by the lambs I have seen. Also, we need to keep that child-like joy to the world alive! Let yourself prance and gallop and frollick and skip and jump and run about! You are deserving of it!!
Good for the central point of gravity and helping your mind work on something that may be unusual for it in normal circumstances, you have alot of processes and muscles that are engaged in merely keeping you upright, just so you know.
I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS AND FELT INTERESTED!! IF YOU DID ANY OF THIS OR HAVE YOUR SAY/SUGGESTIONS/CRITICISM, FEEL FREE TO GIVE A SHOUT TO ME!! :)))) Have a good lifetime, dear friend!!
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