Crawling
Crawling is likely the first fundamental movement you developed as a baby. Yet as adults, it’s probably the most neglected, perhaps because it seems too “basic” to require practice as a grown-up. But it certainly isn’t.
For babies, crawling is an excellent on-boarding stage for the motor skill development to come, as it engages the whole body, and necessitates coordination between arms and legs. This function still serves adults well. Crawling requires contralateral movement (e.g., moving your right arm and left leg forward at the same time) – which is harder to do at first than you’d think! It encourages mindfulness about your body position, strengthens all your limbs and especially your core, enhances your limberness and agility, and, when performed over a significant distance, provides a great conditioning exercise too. Because of its whole-body benefits, Aaron Baulch, a MovNat instructor here in Tulsa, aptly calls crawling “body armor.”
Crawling is also eminently functional.
Crawling can be performed with different combinations of hands, knees, feet, and even your backside in contact with the ground, depending on how low you want to get, how quickly you need to move, and whether you need to do things like carry equipment as you crawl.
Ways to Practice, Challenge, and Level Up This Physical Skill
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Crawl with hands, knees, and feet in contact with the ground (“Knee Hand Crawl“)
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Crawl with hands and feet in contact with the ground, but your knees elevated (“Foot/Hand Crawl“)
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Crawl with your forearms and legs in contact with the ground (“Push-Pull Crawl“)
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Crawl with your back on the ground, using your feet and shoulders (“Shoulder Crawl“)
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Crawl with your back on the ground while holding something on your belly/chest
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Practice crawling under very low obstacles
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Crawl uphill and downhill
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Crawl over long distances
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Vary the surfaces on which you crawl
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