ECO-FITNESS: Outdoor Movement for Longevity & Nature Connection

A nature-based movement experience to improve functional fitness, calm the nervous system, and deepen your connection to nature.

A Unique Fitness Experience: First Session Free

Join a vibrant and inclusive community of move-curious explorers. Sessions are creative and fun, designed to to deliver rich 'movement nutrients' mixing functional fitness & nature connection.

• Outdoor sessions in the beautiful Carlton Gardens.
• Build practical fitness & deep nature connection.
• Explore forest-bathing, earthing, & other nature therapies.
• Learn Rope & Animal Flow , Fighting Monkey (FM) techniqe (FM has nothing to do with fighting!!!) & the basics of parcours & gymnastics all scalled to your ability.
• Session are fun, explorative & inspiring - you will leave feeling restored & empowered.

You will develop your skills in balance, fall and roll techniques (essential as we age), explore ground movement patterns (Animal Flow), enhance hand-eye coordination (object-manipulation skills), enhance cognative capacity, refine your perceptual awareness (Attuning / Presencing), and deepen your appreciation of nature.

The precise location for each session is shared after registration.

About your instructor Damien

Damien's inovative work earned him recognition on the TEDx platform, where he shared his vision for movement that reconnects with nature.

With 20 years as a competitive elite gymnast and over a decade leading immersive outdoor programs across Australia and internationally, Damien is currently completing his PhD focused on outdoor movement and nature connection. His research explores how movement practices in natural settings can enhance physical health, mental wellbeing, and ecological awareness, creating pathways for sustainable human-nature relationships.

"My motivation is to:

• help people develop their movement capabilities so that, as they age, their bodies will continue to be agents of exploration and wonder; and
• demonstrate, through outdoor movement, nature's restorative capacity.

"There is a big difference between an experience of nature and meaningfully connecting with nature. Experienced movement guides should ensure both.” Damien

About Damien continued:

As the founder of The Wilding Project (Australia), and co-founder of Wild Living (Canada), Damien's innovative approach to outdoor fitness blends functional movement with deep nature connection practices.

Movement Practices & Activities you will enjoy at an EcoFitness Session

First, everything is an invitation. YOU choose your edge.

Sessions are informed by La Méthode Naturelle, Animal Flow, Fitghting Monkey, wild parcours, functional fitness, basic gymnastics and more. Also expect the best of what we currently know about nature-connection practices: forest bathing, grounding (earthing), soft fascination and more

Sessions are tailored to the group's experience level and the natural environment, ensuring a safe, fun, and enriching experience that builds both physical capacity and deeper nature connection.

Movement Practices continued:

Expect an evolving blend of:

Natural Movement Skills:

• Walking & running with a prefernce for barefoot techniques)
• Ground movement patterns: crawling, rolling, transitions from ground to stand
• Climbing & basic vaulting techniques
• Balancing activities
• Jumping & landing safely

Mobility & Body Awareness:

• Joint mobility sequences
• Ground-based movement flows
• Gentle inversions & hanging
• Quadrupedal movement patterns
• Animal movement mimicry

Nature Connection Practices:

• Sensory awareness exercises
• Forest bathing techniques
• Plant identification
• Barefoot walking (earthing)
• Mindful observation activities
• Sit spot practices

Practical Fitness:

• Carrying & lifting natural objects
• Partner movement games
• Obstacle navigation
• Throwing & catching skills
• Fall & recovery techniques

Play & Creativity:

• Movement improvisation
• Nature-inspired movement challenges
• Collaborative group games
• Playful exploration of natural spaces
• Creative problem-solving activities