Georges Hébert's Wave Pattern Principle
How to conduct an efficient large group training session
This is part 9 of an ongoing series bringing the Georges Hébert’s “Natural Method” training protocols to an English-speaking audience for the first time.
In this installment, I present section 1 of Chapter 2: Conducting the Lesson.
Chapter 2 of the Guide Abrégé (the concise guide for instructors of the natural method) begins with a description of the "wave pattern principle" (principe du travail en vague) – a masterful solution to the challenge of training large groups while maintaining the essence of natural movement. At first, the system of waves and counter-waves might seem overly structured for a practice called the "Natural Method," but this apparent paradox reveals Hébert's genius.
The system is elegant and simple: trainees are divided into small groups that move across a field in succession, like waves breaking on a shore. As one group crosses the field performing their exercise (whether running, carrying, crawling, etc.), the next group prepares to follow, while previous groups walk or jog briskly back along the sides to return to the starting position. This continuous flow of movement – forward in waves, back in "counter-waves" – creates a natural rhythm of exertion and active recovery. A kind of early interval training.
The wave principle solves several key challenges inherent to training large groups:
Efficiency of Space and Time: By organizing groups in waves, dozens of trainees can work intensively in a relatively small space. The system prevents bottlenecks and keeps everyone moving continuously, maximizing the training effect within limited time.
Freedom Within Structure: While the overall pattern is organized, each trainee maintains complete freedom of movement during their wave crossing. Unlike military-style drills that force synchronization, the wave system allows each person to move at their natural rhythm and intensity.
Built-in Recovery: The counter-wave return journey (contre-vague) provides a natural interval for recovery. Rather than static rest periods that can lead to cooling down or loss of focus, trainees actively recover while walking back to the starting position. This maintains the training session's flow while preventing exhaustion.
Natural Progression: Groups are organized by ability level, allowing everyone to work at an appropriate pace. Stronger trainees can move more intensively while beginners can progress at their own speed - all within the same system and space.
Versatility: The wave principle adapts to virtually any natural movement - running, crawling, carrying, jumping, or throwing. This allows for tremendous variety while maintaining organizational coherence.
When leading the East Bay Natural Movement group, our default approach was spontaneous – warm up and then freely explore the environment. While this works beautifully with a handful of people, it becomes chaotic and ineffective with larger groups. The typical solution, seen in PE classes and military training, is to resort to stationary, synchronized calisthenics or "follow the leader" exercises. But these rigid formats strip away the freedom to find your own rhythm and intensity. It’s these mechanical, repetitive exercises that make people dread physical education. Hébert's wave principle offers a third way: enough structure to efficiently manage large groups and enough spontaneity and adaptability that make natural movement both effective and enjoyable.
While this might seem like a niche historical curiosity, the wave principle represents something far more significant. We face an unprecedented crisis of physical inactivity and movement illiteracy that shows no signs of abating. As Milton Friedman observed, when crisis strikes, the actions taken depend on the ideas lying around. The wave principle – and the Guide Abrege more broadly – remains the single best blueprint for physical education that could be implemented at scale across schools, military training, and community fitness programs.
While it may seem hard to imagine this method being adopted widely today, perhaps we're approaching a point where our dissatisfaction with the current state of physical education will exceed our resistance to trying proven solutions from the past.
And now, without further adieu… here’s Hébert:
Chapter 2 - Conducting the Lesson
1. Training on the Field
The Wave Pattern Principle
The instructor positions themselves either inside the field or preferably on a platform outside it. For large groups, they may be assisted by another instructor who handles detailed guidance and observations, or by several instructors or instructor-trainees who each direct a group. In the latter case, the head instructor directs the overall session - announcing exercises for different groups, ordering paces, changing exercise types, setting rhythms, and making general observations. The instructors or instructor-trainees actively lead their groups while maintaining cohesion with the whole.
Groups typically number four at maximum. Each group has a leader or simple conductor chosen from among its most capable members. When a single instructor leads the lesson, these group leaders assist by repeating commands, instructions, or observations about the work as needed.
The two most distant sides of the field constitute the "starting base" (base de départ) and "finishing base" (base d'arrivée). The other two sides are designated as "lateral bases" (bases latérales). The outer perimeter forms the field track (piste du plateau). The instructor's platform is always placed at the middle of one of the lateral bases but outside the field track.
Movement work on the field occurs in back-and-forth patterns. Groups advance one after another from the starting base to the finishing base (intense active work), then return successively to the starting base using one of the lateral bases (passive return work or relative rest at a slow walk).
Students in each group line up shoulder-to-shoulder on the starting base and form a "wave" (vague) when advancing toward the finishing base. On the lateral bases, each group returns in "counter-wave" (contre-vague) with members either in single file (one behind another) or in "massed formation" - members grouped loosely but at comfortable distance behind their leader or conductor.
In a wave, each member must advance straight ahead to avoid hindering or jostling their immediate neighbors.
Field work is conducted as follows:
1º The session begins with one or two laps around the field track, walking or running, with groups arranged one after another and spaced as far apart as possible to maintain independence and allow paces matching their abilities. Within each group, subjects move in single file with sufficient spacing to avoid impeding one another.
The instructor immediately regulates intervals and paces to bring groups to the starting base and begin wave pattern work smoothly without stops or jerks, as detailed below.
There is no proper training work done on the track in single file, as students cannot have complete freedom of action when so constrained. The track is only used at the session's start, with students in single file, to allow the instructor to distribute and position groups. During the session it serves only for rest walks or as a return path to the starting base. Timed runs and walks at the session's end are conducted on the field track when no special track is available outside; however, in this case, work is never done in single file but in loose "massed formation."
To close gaps or pass each other, groups on the track cut corners, cross the field, or progress parallel to neighboring groups, outside or inside. Similarly within each group, students who need to close gaps or pass can cut across or traverse the field to retake their position.
If children are mixed with adults or weaker students with stronger ones, they can progress on an inner concentric track to stay level with the group while covering less distance.
2º The real training work takes place on the field itself, from starting base to finishing base, with each student having complete freedom of action. (See diagram on following page.)
Groups come successively to line up shoulder-to-shoulder on the starting base, students always sufficiently spaced (arm's length lateral spacing). They are launched in waves across the field as soon as they arrive in line. Each student progresses freely straight ahead to the finishing base, either at maximum pace or any other pace indicated at the start or even during the wave by the instructor.
As groups finish crossing the field, they reform in single file on the track, turning right or left immediately after passing the finishing base, or any other intermediate base (closer) or supplementary base (further). They return to the starting base via one of the lateral bases at a recovery walk, slow pace. They relax as much as possible muscularly and especially neurologically, performing amplified breathing movements if needed. Exceptionally, they may return at a moderate or brisk walk, or even slow run, if their training level allows this accelerated rhythm.
The instructor must regulate wave departures, finishing base distance, or group pace such that no group has to make stationary stops or only insignificant ones while awaiting their turn to launch across the field. Group progression should be continuous, as it would be during a cross-country course.
Any group arriving at the starting line before previous groups have cleared it positions itself behind them in depth, or continues track walking, to avoid remaining stationary.
3º Walking and running exercises (except end-of-session timed courses), quadrupedal movements, bounds, collective jumps, juggling and certain distance throws, individual, mutual and collective carrying are all executed "in wave" without any difficulty.
4º For individual jumps, groups each go to a corner of the field where a basic jumping area can be set up, or to prepared jumping pits, or to a special obstacle course.
5º For climbing exercises, groups proceed, walking or running at regulated or free pace, to climbing and scaling apparatus. If equipment is insufficient for all students to exercise simultaneously, groups are positioned at different locations to avoid any interruption in work. For example, the first group is sent to ropes, the second to suspension bars, the third to wall climbing, ladders etc., the fourth to tree climbing or high places where vertigo must be overcome. They then rotate locations.
THE WAVE PATTERN PRINCIPLE
In this example, there are four groups, each comprising six subjects. The group conductor is designated as #1.
The starting base (base de départ) is on the left of the sketch, and the finishing base (base d'arrivée) on the right.
The first group, launched in wave formation (en vague) across the field, is near reaching the finishing base; the second group is positioned on the starting base and will launch across the field as soon as the first group has passed or nearly passed the finish line; the third group is on the left lateral base and will move to the starting base behind the second group; finally, the fourth group, having just completed their wave crossing of the field, returns via the left lateral base at a slow or moderate walking pace toward the starting base.
If distances and paces are well-regulated by the instructor, there is no interruption in the work, no stopping in the counter-wave (contre-vague) return walk, and no congestion at the starting or finishing bases; the overall progression remains continuous.
Each student gives their full effort freely across the field, from starting base to finishing base; they catch their breath and recover their strength along the lateral bases.
At the end of each wave, groups return toward either the right or left flank, arranged so the group conductor remains at the head. The first group in the figure above will turn right for this reason.
6º For balance exercises, groups proceed, as for climbing, to areas containing special apparatus or equipment needed for these exercises. Alternatively, beams and mobile equipment are arranged on the field itself and work is done "in wave."
7º For certain lifting and throwing exercises requiring special equipment or targets, groups proceed to prepared areas.
8º Some defense exercises are done in waves (advancing kick boxing for example). For elementary two-person wrestling, groups advance in waves then stop to wrestle at a determined base. For collective wrestling, the entire field is used. Finally for real wrestling, groups are led to special arenas.
9º Timed walks and runs are executed off the field on measured tracks, or on the track surrounding the field if no other is available.
10º The session ends with a more or less prolonged slow walk, depending on effort expended, with amplified breathing movements. Finally, skin care takes place before dressing.
11º During the session all movement, whatever its form (walking, running, quadrupedal, balance progression, carrying...) and wherever executed (on field, track or path to special equipment and back) must always be regulated in terms of pace or speed. In other words, the instructor or group leader must specify the pace (very slow, slow, moderate, brisk, very brisk) along with the mode of movement.
12º Whenever groups go to a specially prepared area, the principle of wave and counter-wave work, or alternation of effort and relative rest, is respected as much as possible. Thus each special jumping area becomes a reduced field, but the wave in this case consists of a single subject. At bars, ropes, as well as certain areas for lifting, balance work, throwing, groups work in waves composed of a number of performers matched to available equipment or apparatus.
13º During the session the instructor orders certain groups or students to stop active work and execute one or more laps of the field track at a slow walking pace if signs of fatigue appear.
VARIOUS FIELD LAYOUTS
Example of a short-length field
In this case, it's advantageous to round off the lateral bases for two reasons: first, to clear space for wave pattern work, and second, to lengthen the return path of the counter-waves, which would otherwise risk congesting these bases.
Example of a narrow field backed against a wall or fence
In this particular case, the lateral base is unique and rounded for the reasons given above. It can also be placed beyond an unusable strip of terrain.
Field laid out diagonally, suitable for certain terrain shapes
Basic field simply marked by four corner posts or angle markers
Passing outside the corners during returns or circular runs requires a slight detour (see point D).
Field with bases marked on ground and set-back corner posts to allow for rounded track
The set-back posts facilitate turns but don't exactly indicate the starting and finishing lines. They aren't essential and can be omitted if the bases are clearly visible.
Field with well-marked circular track and alignment posts on the actual starting and finishing bases
A small space adjoining the lateral bases remains free and can serve for installing climbing apparatus and balance equipment.