GOATA Video Program and Progression - From Child Rockers to Standing
- Erik Melgaard
- Sep 8
- 9 min read
Updated: Oct 16
The purpose of this post is to provide guidance for developing a GOATA practice and progressing through the GOATA videos found for free and ad free on my Odysee Page here or for free with ads (that don't support me) on my YouTube page here.
The follow along videos can be found in the order described in the playlist here on Odysee (for free and ad free), or here on YouTube (for free with ads that don't pay me anything).
I have also collected the videos that detail proper technique into their own playlist as well if you want to brush up on technique and or are developing a personal practice separate from the follow along videos. Here on Odysee, and here on YouTube.
Reading and following the program are beneficial to any exercise/training journey (that's why I wrote the program and recorded the videos) however if you aren't sure if it's for you I recommend jumping in to some of the videos and FEELING how your body responds to GOATA exercises before READING a big long program about it.
If you feel stuck at any point, please reach out (to more or a local GOATA coach) for guidance on getting unstuck.
Things to keep in mind
Frequency
This program was written assuming these exercises could be completed once per day. Doing these exercises more frequently will speed up progress.
I recommend returning to child rockers and hip exercise often throughout the day.
Some great times for these exercises are
After a commute or a long car ride (or a short one)
Breaking up periods of sitting
Setting a timer or otherwise doing some exercise during work instead of continuously sitting in one position at a desk. It could also be good to practice the exercises during commercial breaks when watching TV.
Slower replacement can also be done if necessary by adding fewer days of 101 Flow per week
Doing a flow in the morning as a “warm-up” for your day and another in the evening as a “cool-down” and to help unwind is another great option.
Progress from one step in the program to the next only when the current step becomes easy, can be done without regressing the exercises, and with good recovery from day to day. These exercises should leave you feeling invigorated rather than exhausted.
It may take you a month or longer to complete each step. They can also be completed in as short as a day, if you perform the exercises for that step and don’t find them challenging. There’s no need to rush this process.
Progress can be still made by following similar progressions and doing the exercises fewer days per week. You can also use the shorter videos without ever progressing to the longer flows, or swap shorter videos on days that you need rest when you are on a step that is using longer videos. This process will take longer but it is still worth doing.
This document is focused on progress towards GOATA movement and doesn’t account for other training goals. It is also only detailing one possible path through the videos. The main point is to spend time doing these exercises frequently and eventually incorporate the positions and patterns found in GOATA training in to the rest of your training and the movement patterns of life. By taking the time to do specific GOATA training the patterns will happen elsewhere in training and life without conscious effort. This is the goal.
It can also be beneficial to your GOATA journey to incorporate the positions and patterns of GOATA in to other exercises and training. Great exercises for this are cable presses and pulls, and a variety of lunges and split squats.
Shorter flows also make for great warmups and cooldowns to any other exercise program, which will allow you to integrate GOATA work with anything else you are currently doing.
There are ways to modify and advance just about any of the GOATA positions and exercises to meet any level of fitness, these are covered in detail in separate videos.
Weight can be added to Groundwork 102 or the standing exercises
This can be useful if you are able unable to progress to a longer session to build the strength required to endure a longer session
This can also be a good way to progress if you don’t have the time to commit to longer training sessions.
Support can be added to many of the standing positions and they can also be regressed if you need a short break and don’t want to select a shorter or less advanced video
Your hands can be put back down on the ground in 102. The rear foot/leg can be rested on the ground in the bow hip exercise. A drop in can become a lunge or a bow hip exercise. Squat to hinge can become access hinge or bolt/resting squat or child rockers. These are all ways to stick with the video and adjust the flow to meet your capabilities on any given day. Some days are better than others.
Like adding weight this can be useful if you are stuck in between progressions giving you the option to move on to a longer video, but modify some of the positions in the longer flow until you have the endurance to follow along without support or modification.
I suggest being able to perform an entire video/flow without support before moving on to a longer or more advanced flow.
Like the modifications to exercises within a flow there is also the option to swap in a GOATA+ video from time to time to provide a different stimuli and possibly speed up the progression.
For example if your hips are struggling for space the GOATA+ Hip Stretch (with or without Strap) may help to create the space quicker than just Groundwork
The shoulder work may not speed up the space and strength creation in your hips, legs, and feet though it is a great way to stick with GOATA postures and provide some exercise for your upper body
Like the shoulder work adding cables or bands to the standing work will provide a way to exercise your upper body while still within the GOATA postures. Unlike the shoulder work on the ground this will continue and some of it will accelerate the strengthening of you hips, legs, and feet as well as the upper body.
The GOATA Stretch video is a great option as a warm up or on days you feel you need more of the stretches and less of the isometrics. Stretching is not the only thing that is needed despite how "good" it can feel. Strength is necessary as well to make lasting changes.
Over time you will learn the exercises and what your body responds well to and will be able to perform the exercises without the guidance from the videos. That is good. You will still follow a similar progression as detailed here though you will be performing the exercises without video guidance. I would still recommend checking in with the videos from time to time to make sure your form is good and that you aren’t missing any exercises. It can be easy to stick with the exercises that we are good at instead of the ones that feel harder to us, and the challenging exercises are often where the progress is to be made.
GOATA Groundwork
This program is written assuming GOATA exercises are done daily. The progressions will work for other frequencies though you may need to slow down the rate of progression. I recommend doing some form of training involving the GOATA positions and patterns every day, especially the child rockers and bow hip exercise, especially in the beginning and until GOATA patterns and positions have been incorporated in to the rest of your training.
Start with 1 minute of child rockers
Work up to at least 3-5 days per week.
You may be able to do child rockers 5 days in a week your first week.
You can also do child rockers 1 day in the week. Then the next week 2 days.
You can also add days faster or slower as your body and ability to build habits allows
Add time as tolerated
More than 2 continuous minutes in this position is generally not necessary
You may be able to do 2 minutes of child rockers your first day or you may have to add a little bit of time every day or every week or even less frequently. Challenge yourself but don’t push through any pain.
Continue by adding 1 minute of the bow hip stretch/exercise (30 seconds each side)
Work up to at least 3-5 days per week
Add time as tolerated using progressions similar to those above
More than 2 continuous minutes in this position is generally not necessary
Once 2 minutes in each position can be achieved with relative ease begin progressing through GOATA Flow videos
The videos are not necessary if you do the exercises on your own, though they are there for support and inspiration.
At this point you will be able to follow along with the GOATA Stretch video.
GOATA 101
Start with 5 minutes of GOATA 101
This can replace the daily time spent in child rockers and bow hip exercise
You may replace all of the days at once or at a slower interval
For example do a 5 minute 101 Flow every other day the first week with just child rockers and bow hip exercise on the other days then the next week 101 Flow every day
Slower replacement can also be done if necessary by adding fewer days of 101 Flow per week
Once 5 minutes of GOATA 101 is being done every day then begin to progress to 10 minutes of GOATA 101 in a similar manner to how GOATA 101 replaced the child rockers and bow hip exercise
Once the 10 minute 101 Flow is being done every day then begin to progress to the 15 minute 101 Flow in a similar manner
Keep in mind that if you cannot keep up with the videos as demonstrated there are adjustments that can be made which will allow you to continue spending time in the GOATA postures without overly fatiguing yourself (this will require self honesty regarding how much adjustment is needed)
Once 15 minutes of GOATA 101 can be done daily, begin to swap 101 Flows with 101+102
Step 1: 10 minutes 101+102
Step 2: 10 minute 101+102 and 5 minute 101
Step 3: 10 minute 101+102 and 10 minute 101 (your choice of adding up to 10 minutes of 101: 5+5 or 10; examples: 5m 101, 10m101+102, 5m 101 OR 10m 101+102, 10m 101 OR 10m 101, 10m 101+102)
Step 4: 10 minute 101+102 and 15 minute 101 (your choice of 15 minutes 5+10 or 15 see above, other combinations possible)
Step 5: 20 minute 101+102
Step 6: 20 minute 101+102 and 5 minute 101
Step 7: 20 minute 101+102 and 10 minute 101
Step 8: 20 minute 101+102 and 15 minute 101
Step 9: 30 minute 101+102
Where multiple videos are used you may choose to complete them in the same session back-to-back or split them up throughout the day. It is very beneficial to perform GOATA exercises multiple times per day. I personally find GOATA 101 to be helpful for winding down at the end of the day. 102 and the Pivot Point Progressions are great ways to start the day or warm up for a training session.
Progress through to standing using 102 and Standing Flows in a similar fashion
There are many progressions possible through the standing flows. They will all depend on personal ability and dedication.
Some may require more work in 102 while others may need to spend still more time in 101
Maintain a Groundwork practice and begin to introduce the102 Flows, Pivot Point Progressions, and Standing flows as needed and tolerated.
Begin to pick the knees up off the mat/floor in Toe Tuck Child Rockers and Half Kneeling Lunge in all groundwork flows to begin preparing and strengthening the foot for the standing work
Knees can be picked up in other exercises as well (if possible) though the two mentioned will be the most valuable for this progression
102 flows will target the lower back with fewer breaks than the 101+102 flows
Pivot Point Progressions introduce the standing work and progress back and forth between the groundwork and standing
Increasing the length of time doing the Pivot Point Progressions by swapping time from the Groundwork to the Pivot Point Progressions will be the most straightforward path through the standing work
For example assuming 30 minutes of GOATA Practice per session
Step 1: 30 minutes of Groundwork
Step 2: 25 minutes of Groundwork + 5 minutes of Pivot Point Progression
Step 2: 20 minutes of Groundwork + 10 minutes of Pivot Point Progression
And so on in this manner
Standing Flows will be to the Pivot Point Progressions as the 102 Flows were to the groundwork. The majority of the Flow will be standing with few breaks for the low back, hips, and feet.
At this point in the journey I would highly recommend including GOATA principles in to other exercises done in the gym, if you haven’t done so already. This is especially important for squats and lunges but the principles can also be applied to cable exercises such as presses, pulls, and chops.
For more information or detailed planning please reach out to a local GOATA coach or contact me directly at: ErikJMelgaard@gmail.com. I hope you find this program helpful.
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