Is CRAWLING the latest fitness craze? The Sydney Times Herald has an article published titled “Crawling is the new plank: Improve strength and mobility by moving like a baby“. And it is true that crawling will improve strength and mobility. It may well help you become more restored and break free from a broken body. Top strength coaches and trainers are onto it. Unlike most fitness fad that comes and go, I believe crawling is here to stay and it is for a great reason. It is not a fad. Sure you will get weird looks when you crawl on the floor but who cares. It works. You will start to move with less restriction and less aches and pain. After having started crawling and learning it through Original Strength, it has helped me get out of back pain and made my lifts smoother. But the devil is in the details. Want to reach new personal best in your training? Or move with less pain? Get on the floor and crawl and experienced the difference. In fact, crawling can offer a very challenging workout. To learn more about the benefits of crawling, read Why Crawling Makes You Stronger.
HERE IS YOUR CRAWL & GET STRONGER GUIDE
Always aim for quality not quantity. The #1 mistake people make is they think it is easy they just aim to crawl quickly from one point to another without knowing exactly what is going on in the crawl. You have to be mindful if you want to get the most out of your crawling and ensure quality. The following crawling guidelines should help you ensure the quality of your crawl:
- Keep your head up all the time and look into the horizon
- Have your tongue up the roof of the mouth
- Breath with your nose only
- Crawl with opposite arm and leg off the floor
- Maintain a relative stable hips
- Stop when you are in pain or when you maintain to do any of the above
THIS IS HOW YOU MIGHT START
Baby Crawl
I generally recommend starting at baby crawl. Although it can be easiest form of crawling I do find some people actually struggle with this. They are not able to crawl with opposite limbs off the ground and have to hold their breaths to do this. As you crawl, try to spread your fingers and have your index fingers pointing forward. Having trouble coordinating the opposite limbs coming off the ground? Try crawling on the spot coordinating opposite limbs coming off the ground with perfect timing. Then start moving with backward and forward with mini strides before progressing to larger strides and maintaining neutral hip position by keeping it even.
Avoid Swaying Hips As Seen Below:
Keep Your Hips as Stable Possible. Watch Video Below:
Leopard Crawl
If you get the hang of the baby crawl and have precise control over the pelvis, you will start crawling with knees off the crawl. Again, have your index fingers pointing at the front and have your big toes tracking on the inside of the heels to avoid rolling your ankles inwards when you crawl.
Baby-to-Leopard Crawl
Having difficulties with the leopard crawl? Try this transitional Baby-to-Leopard Crawl. Crawl like a baby but have your knees off the ground after every strides. Watch video below:
Lateral Crawl
Lateral crawl is crawling side-to-side and can be done both knees down or up. Still crawling with opposite limbs off the ground.
How to Get More Out of Your Crawling?
Make sure you master your crawling and able to stop the hips from swaying from side to side and be able to breath easy with the nose and look forward. To get more out of your crawling, here are a couple of ideas below:
- Crawl for 10 to 20 metres with a foam roller on your back without dropping it.
2. Crawl with a sled
3. Crawl with sled attached to the head with a strap. (Don’t attempt this until you got some instructions.)
If you have a question about crawling here, please post it on the comment section. BTW, be sure to check out the upcoming OS Pressing RESET workshop in Perth.
