‘Crawling’: The next big fitness and core workout trend?
Who knows – you might just be able to crawl your way to tighter abs and a firmer butt.
If you think you’ve heard it all when it comes to fitness trends, you might want to reconsider that. Crawling – yes, actual crawling – is picking up pace to be a popular core workout in the U.S. among grown adults, who swear by this and incorporate it to their daily workout routine.
What is a Crawl?
This might seem obvious, but crawling is exactly what you think it is. You might associate the action with babies or toddlers, but crawling as a physical exercise might not be such a new phenomenon. In fact, it has actually long been used as a physical therapy tool, before now being adopted into fitness and strengthening regiments in gyms. Crawling is said to metaphorically press the ‘reset’ button on your central nervous system, activate all your core muscles, and revisit the mobility patterns you learned as a baby.
In case you forgot how to crawl and want to get in on the trend, experts recommend you follow these 3 simple steps:
- Get on your hands and knees, placing your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
- Keep your back flat and straight, as you lift your knees about 2 inches off the floor.
- Finally, start crawling by moving your opposite hand and foot just 2 to 3 inches forward, while keeping your knees off the ground, head up and your back straight. Repeat with your other hand and foot.
It might sound deceptively easy, but as you age, your body apparently resists these ‘primal’ movements you organically learnt as a child. Fitness centres and crawling enthusiasts insist that the movement will help your body regain the strength, mobility and stability you had in your youth. Other benefits touted include an improvement in balance and even memory!
Just a Fad?
More research is needed to scientifically back the claims that crawling ‘resets’ your central nervous system which experts are sceptical about. However, physical therapists and sports science experts concede that it does make for a great form of exercise. The reason: the crawling position actually activates your abdominal, back and other core muscles that you have to contract in order to propel yourself forward.
Either way – what do you have to lose? Given the fact that you virtually need no equipment or dollars invested to get in on the trend, crawling might just be worth trying it out! A word of caution, however: you might want to give this a miss if you have bad knees. Or bad wrists.
Sarah Khan
Photo: Getty Images
