Troy Hurst holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Carroll University. He is a physical therapist specializing in both athletic and vestibular rehabilitation with an emphasis on performance running.
Watching a baby crawl in its pre-walking stages can be such a soothing experience. The little ones go wherever they want, using all their limbs. And if you’ve ever been a parent, you must have crawled with your minions at least once.
It may seem strange, but bear crawls are a big hit in the fitness world these days. As counter-intuitive as this may sound, including crawling movements in your workouts is a proven way to level up your training (1). Returning to your baby roots will raise your heart rate and make you sweat like never before. It works as a form of cardiovascular exercise like the dreaded treadmill runs.
This article covers all you need to know about adult crawling. From the benefits of crawling for adults to bear crawl variations, we intend to make you a pro crawler once you finish this reading. Let’s dive in!
Adult crawling is a truly excellent functional core workout. Your arm, leg, and core muscles are involved in the movement, which helps develop full-body stability. You can act on impulse and play with your kids as this exercise enhances your strength (2).
When you initiate a crawl, it triggers muscles in the hips to stabilize and accommodate the upper-body movements. Regularly practicing movement and stability in a position you don’t often get into can improve your mobility and strength in ways you wouldn’t experience with other forms of training. In addition, this may lead to improved hip flexibility and lumbar spine mobility (3).
It should be noted that the core isn’t actually a muscle. It’s a group of muscles that work together to support your spine and initiate many functional movements. The muscle groups of the core are composed of the abdominal muscles (including the obliques), the lumbar musculature, the hips, glutes, and pelvic floor.
With crawling exercises, all these muscle groups are active, in addition to the anterior shoulders, pectorals, and arms. In contralateral patterns, such as those that are involved in crawling, the entire body works together (4). When your hand touches the floor and your shoulder muscles activate, your opposite hip must also engage. Most core exercises ensure energy moves smoothly and in sync across the body’s midline.
A study in the Journal of Clinical Medicine showed that crawling patterns enhance core activation, which supports fluid, unrestricted movement (5). The crawl exercise puts pressure through the joints of your arms, hands, and shoulders. It triggers a proprioceptive input that tells your body where it is in terms of time and space compared to the surrounding objects.
Strong proprioceptive awareness improves coordination and helps prevent clumsiness. People with poor core stability will have a notable “wagging” in their hips when they crawl. This signals some underlying issues that should be attended to.
As previously mentioned, the primal movement of crawling engages several muscle groups. Here’s how it enhances flexibility and movement in general:
When you move closer to the ground, you may notice an improvement in your balance and stability. However, it’s important to keep it simple in the early stages of crawl therapy for adults. You can stretch the duration of crawls when you feel you have more stamina.
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The benefits of crawling for adults may surprise some, particularly those who want to develop their functional strength. It makes them capable of conducting some movements that have become difficult with age. Examples of these movements include:
You may not witness instant crawling exercise benefits when adding them to your fitness routine. However, you may be well-prepared to perform real-life actions when faced with a particular situation.
Read more: 14 Leg Mobility Exercises That’ll Improve Your Performance
Crawling is a body weight exercise that trains multiple muscles across your body. The best part is it’s one of those no-equipment workouts you can always rely on.
Below, we explain different crawl exercises, followed by their techniques and benefits. Use this list to identify which variation suits your fitness objectives and current fitness level.
The bear crawl is a full-body exercise that works the shoulders, chest, back, glutes, hamstrings, and core. As the name suggests, it mimics a bear’s movement when it walks on all fours. This exercise enhances core strength and improves shoulder stability (7). A few bear crawl variations may also contribute to improved cardiovascular endurance.
How to Perform:
A leopard crawl is a low-profile crawl exercise that’s all about slow, stealthy movements. This helps to build core stability and improve your coordination (8). It can enhance your motor coordination, which can lead to improved movement efficiency.
How to Perform:
The crab walk targets all major muscle groups for balanced development. These include your glutes, triceps, and core. It’s a versatile exercise that can be used for warming up and even strength training. It aims to make people more stable and mobile (9).
How to Perform:
The side crawl is focused on lateral movement patterns, which are often neglected in traditional exercises. It can challenge your body to achieve a stronger, more defined physique.
How to Perform:
Crawling is an exercise that can be diversified into different patterns. These are often designed to target specific areas. You can consider the following variations when designing crawl therapy for adults:
Each crawl variation serves a different fitness goal. You should closely monitor your physique, stamina, and fitness goals in order to create a functional training routine for yourself.
There’s no doubt that crawling gives you a full-body workout while being low-impact.
Despite its benefits, jumping into a crawling workout without taking precautions isn’t a smart move. As with any form of exercise, injury risk will increase without proper preparation. This section covers everything you need to know to warm up, maintain the right form, and avoid mistakes.
A proper warm-up before an exercise can improve joint mobility and prepare your body. Researchers who reviewed multiple studies discovered that 79% of the participants showed better performance after doing warmups (10). The tips here are:
Start with dynamic stretches such as arm circles, hip openers, and cat-cow poses to loosen the key muscles. Follow this with core activation exercises such as bird-dog movements and light planks that engage your core. The stability they provide to your spine provides better support during workouts.
You can start by gradually easing into the routine with slower crawl exercises. This helps your body to adjust and reduce the risk of injuries.
Research supports the importance of a proper warm-up, with a study published in Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation showing dynamic stretches and progressive movements to have the ability to enhance performance and decrease injury risk (11).
Ensure even weight distribution between your feet and hands to avoid excess or unbalanced joint stress.
You should be mindful of the following mistakes when using crawling for exercise:
The safe performance of a crawling workout requires extra care and supervision. It may take some time initially, but you’ll eventually get the hang of it if you’re consistent. You should also combine it with an exercise regimen such as body weight exercises for better outcomes.
This beginner-friendly routine is designed to introduce you to the basics of crawling. It aims to build confidence and endurance. You can opt for advanced moves once you master these.
Start with easy, controlled movements to become familiar with the mechanics of crawling for exercise:
Bear Crawl (3 sets of 20 seconds):
Crab Walk (3 sets of 15 seconds):
Rest (30 seconds):
Once you’ve perfected the initial crawls, you can perform advanced movement drills such as:
Leopard Crawl (3 sets of 20 seconds):
Side Crawl (2 sets of 10 steps per side):
Rest and Recover (40 seconds):
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Integrate crawling into a circuit for a full-body workout:
Bear Crawl to Push-Up (3 sets of 8 push-ups):
Crab Walk to Hip Bridge (3 sets of 10 hip bridges):
Leopard Crawl to Plank Hold (3 sets of 15 seconds each):
Cool Down (5 minutes):
Read more: Beginner Mobility Training Program: 12 Exercises That’ll Improve How You Move Every Day
Adding obstacles and multi-directional challenges can make crawling exercises more progressive. A couple of ways to do this include:
Place a mini resistance band around your thighs when performing the crawl workouts. Avoid sudden jerks or snapping, and remove the bands if you feel they are unbearable for your body.
During stability exercises, you can place a workout barrel under your torso. You can also wear a weighted vest if one is readily available. Move forward with each step, starting from the lightest weight.
Crawling primarily targets the shoulders, chest, core, hip flexors, quads, glutes, and hamstrings. These exercises build stability, flexibility, and balance across the body. Start with 5-10 minutes of crawling exercises, gradually increasing as your core stability, strength, and endurance improve. Yes. It engages multiple muscle groups and improves the connection between your brain and body.Frequently Asked Questions
What are the primary muscles that are targeted by crawling?
How long should I practice crawling exercises?
Can crawling improve balance and coordination?
Crawling exercises are an excellent addition to any fitness routine. In addition to making your workouts more fun, they also activate some rarely-used muscles. You may find a crawling routine to be enjoyable as it differs from other exercise patterns and reminds you of your roots.
Whether you’re someone who is still mastering the basics or a pro crawler who has tried multiple variations – the benefits will keep coming your way. Its different types add more spice to the routine, and you can try out different crawl methods to beat the boredom!
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