Want the power, agility, flexibility and co-ordination of a Super-Hero? Then try the amazing Spider-man crawl!
Now whilst it may not give you the ability to climb walls; it will work your entire body, helping you move more efficiently and improve your neuromuscular connection and give you a superhuman physique.
Whilst it may look a little complicated, the actual movement is very simple and something we all did as children. Crawling.
The Benefits of Crawling Exercises
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Establishes neural connections and pathways allowing for more efficient communication between left and right hemispheres of the brain. This helps the body move better.
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Unites sensory systems – Vestibular (balance system), Proprioceptive (sense of self), Hand eye coordination.
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Builds your reflexive strength – Your body’s ability to anticipate movement before/and as it happens and react accordingly
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Strengthens your core – The more solid your centre, the better the forces that you generate, or forces that you encounter, can be transferred. If your centre is not solid, those forces could end up going into areas you don’t want them to go and this could lead to injury.
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Crawling is the foundation of your gait pattern. It is the contra-lateral movement (coordinated opposite limb movement) that our walking pattern is built upon. Crawling teaches our shoulders and our hips how to work together in a coordinated fashion.
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Crawling also reflexively stimulates the muscles throughout your arms, legs, and torso.
How to perform:
- Get into a push up position on the floor. Hands wider than shoulders and bent at elbows.
Bring your right knee up to hip level and move your right elbow down.
Extend your left hand forward until arm is almost straight and move left leg down until extended. Try to stay as low to the ground as possible, squeezing your glutes and trying to keep your core engaged. This is your start position. - Push forward from your right foot until leg is straight, extending your right arm and moving torso forward. Keep your left hand in the same position as your elbow comes to hip level and left knee rises to meet. As you move forward rise upwards slightly and descend low to the ground as hands and feet have switched position.
- Repeat with sides switched (e.g… push off with left foot) and then reverse the movement to return to start position.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rR30v80_yUg
There are lots of variations to crawls, the Spider-man being my personal favourite, and lots of ways to make the crawls harder (as shown in the video above)You can stay lower to the ground to keep constant tension on your muscles. You can add an explosive element like explosive push-ups to train your power (combination of both speed and strength). Your physical strength will improve, your mobility will improve, your mental focus will improve, your response to stress will improve. When you are moving better and feeling better, it is easier to be in a good mood; so give crawling a go.
Enjoy,
Nick
