Animals have a lot of interesting ways of moving. They can be fun to copy. But it is also very hard, and some people might not be able to do it. Of course, animals crawl differently than humans do because we are different species, but it is still good exercise for us if we can manage to do it.
A bear crawl is a movement that is often included in workouts. It challenges your muscles and helps you with coordination. It also makes the heart rate go faster for good health, and it may help you in all of your sports.
But this activity is not for everyone. But if you are healthy and have some experience with fitness, then you can try it.
Benefits
The bear crawl is a move where you use your whole body. As you make a move, you will use muscles in your shoulders, chest, back, and legs. The bear crawl can help to build strength and endurance in these muscles if done regularly. It also helps to increase or maintain an elevated heart rate. If done with other exercises or during a longer workout session, it may also improve your cardiovascular fitness.
In addition, the bear crawl is an exercise that could be a part of a comprehensive agility workout. Therefore, it can be called SARQ training. SARQ stands for speed, agility, reactivity, and quickness.
This kind of exercise is often used only be done by professional athletes or other elite sports participants. But in recent years, gyms across the country have started to offer these classes, and they are drawing people of all different fitness levels.
Encourages Engagement
Some people like to exercise by running on a treadmill or doing exercises on an elliptical or bike. But some people get bored after a while and quit doing their exercise. They quit because they are not interested in it anymore.
But SARQ-type programs make you more creative with the equipment. You can move more in the gym space, and you will also be more engaged with other people. For example, teams might compete against each other to do exercises like bear crawls, pull-ups, rope drills, and others that use your full body.
Studies show that this type of workout gets people to exercise. Most people who have tried this will say that they like it because time went by quickly, and they could do different things.
Better Workout Efficiency
A study was done to see why people do not exercise or stop exercising found that the most common reason is that people do not have time. This study was done by other studies and also many people who know this already. But we don’t need a study to know it’s true because it is an obvious thing. When you have a job, your family, and social life too much work for you, you won’t have time to exercise.
Compound exercises are those that work in more than one muscle group. The bear crawl is a good example because it works your abdominal, chest, shoulders, and lower body simultaneously.
As a result, you don’t have to do individual exercises to target each part of your body. You can also do the bear crawl with other exercises like jumping jacks and push-ups. This way, you can complete 5-minute mini-workouts throughout the day.
Improves Athletic and Daily Performance
Athletes in many sports and at different levels can benefit from agility training. This includes the bear crawl, a common exercise in sports like football, soccer, and volleyball. Studies have also shown that agility drills can be modified to fit an athlete’s needs, depending on where they are in their training schedule.
But you do not need to be a sportsperson to gain benefits. Pete McCall, a fitness expert, says that SARQ exercises (strength, agility, and resistance quality) help people at all levels with coordination and awareness of their body.
Studies show that people who do agility training in their old age may have less risk of falling. It can be hard for older people to do bear crawls, but they can still benefit from doing other exercises.
May Boost Cognitive Functioning
In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, researchers suggested that agility training exercises should be incorporated into military physical training programs to improve war-fighter performance. They compared 41 individuals who underwent either agility training or traditional training protocols for six weeks.
At the end of the trial, researchers evaluated several measures of physical and cognitive functioning. They found that not only was agility training good for physical fitness, but it also helped with visual vigilance, listening skills, and working memory.
In boot camp, people work hard, but they don’t do this in combat. But being more fit can help people do other things like driving or chasing children. And it might also make negotiating in the boardroom easier.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Before you do this or any exercise, you should be healthy. If you are new to exercise or have been injured, talk to your doctor. You can also work with a personal trainer who can give you tips and advice.
To do this exercise, you need a large space to move around in. Outdoor spaces are best. But indoor spaces like gyms and tennis courts also work well.
- Take your right hand and left leg and move them forward simultaneously, as if you are crawling.
- Put your weight on the new hand and leg.
- Then take your left hand and right leg, crawl a little more with them, put your weight on them, then switch hands again. Keep doing this until you get to the net.
When you first try this move, do every step slowly and carefully. Move forward 5-7 steps, then take a short break and try it again. Slowly increase the distance that you move.
Common Mistakes
Hips Too High
When you start crawling, your hips can move up. However, when they do this, the muscles in your stomach and upper body will get tired. To help with this problem, you might lift your hips. But the problem is that when you do this, it makes it easier for the exercise to be less effective.
Move your body forward by keeping the back flat. For example, imagine that you are balancing a bowl of water on your small of your back. Do not raise your hips when you move. If this does not work for you, try the modification to hold a tabletop position with your knees off the ground.
Sagging Back
The bear crawl is a good exercise, but not if you let your back sag or droop. Before you start moving, make sure that your hips and shoulders are in one straight line. Make sure that the head does not sag forward or droop too much. Then maintain this solid position as you move. You can also do the exercise in front of a mirror to see what it looks like better.
It is hard to keep your balance while walking forward. So first, try standing on one leg with the other foot up on a desk or holding onto something stationary, such as a wall or table, to make it easier. Then, as you get stronger, gradually add steps by stepping forward and taking a few steps back.
