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Crawling: The ultimate full body exercise
Crawling is a great full body cardio exercise that can be done almost anywhere even if you do not have a lot of space. Crawling not only improves your coordination, but also improves your cardiovascular conditioning. Stock Photo
The world of fitness is amazing and the exercises therein are diverse. While many of us would associate crawling with babies and would never expect to find it incorporated into their workout regimen, you are in for a surprise. As the activity strengthens the muscles of babies hence graduating to dependence of some sort, gradually, they can also help any adult strengthen their muscles.
Baby crawl
Robert Ddamulira of Robbie Fitness says one of the crawl exercises is actually the baby crawl. “It is ideal for beginners as it is a great way to improve one’s coordination and introduce them to contralateral movements – opposite arm and opposite leg working together,” he explains.
For one to indulge in this exercise, they need to start on their knees and hands with the knees under the hips and the hands beneath the shoulders.
While it might seem obvious, it might not be owing to the fact that one is past the crawling stage. To start crawling, Ddamulira says, put your right hand and left knee forward followed by the left hand and right knee.
“Take small steps to allow the opposite arm and leg to work well together. It also helps to reduce overloading your shoulders,” he advises
Bear crawl
Elly Barangi, a fitness trainer, says crawling exercises are great movement drills that toughen the body and increase strength and mobility throughout the body.
He shares that after one has mastered the baby crawl, they can move on to the traditional bear crawl, “It is similar to the baby crawl but this one is done with straighter limbs with their bottoms in the air,” he says. The movements do not differ from the baby crawl except your bottom being up hence less bent limbs.
Table top crawl
Another crawl exercise is the table top crawl which Ddamulira says requires more core strength and stability than the two before. It also calls for a greater amount of shoulder strength and hip mobility more so as one crawls backwards. “To do this, your knees are under your hips unlike the bear crawl, while the hands are under the shoulders.
Then flex the feet to lift them to the balls of your feet. Crawl as is in the baby crawl, keep your knees close to the ground with a flat back and ensure you brace your core to prevent the hips from wiggling a lot. The knees are bent, therefore one feels their quads working harder as they crawl.
Animal crawl exercises are yet another innovative way to train the body through movement.
Barangi says there are several weak points in strength in our bodies, especially regarding mobility but can be trained. For example, abdominal muscles which you can expect to burn like never before.
Seal crawl
Seal crawl is an exercise where one bounces like a swing and moves their body by pushing themselves forward with their arms. “Keep constant tension in the lower body, as it will increase the strength and mobility of the lower body hence prevent lower back problems. Besides that, the triceps are doing most of the work with the hand push. Basically, one is doing a push-up motion,” Barangi explains.
One can also push their body backwards using their arms in what is referred to as the pike crawl. In this crawl, the anterior deltoids (front delts) and triceps are doing most of the work in the push. As the crawl is done repetitively, he urges one to get the best pike stretch possible. That way, the flexibility in the lower back, hamstring and calves is improved.
Gorilla crawl is yet another drill worth trying out as it has lots of variation that will work one’s core and legs. “It is more challenging than most because it requires one to engage in more hip mobility.
While doing this, Ddamulira says, “Stand with your feet wider than your shoulder width. Bend over and stretch your hands out on the ground before you. Then shift your weight forward to the hands on the ground and jump your feet forward outside the hands.
After jumping, the feet will close to the outside of your hands and you will once again reach out with your hands and place them in front of you on the ground and jump with your feet outside the hands.”
