How far or how long should you do the backward beast crawl when you are new to the exercise?

Cover 8 to 10 yards, or crawl backward for 15 to 20 seconds, for 3 rounds, usually shorter than the forward version since the lack of visual feedback slows most people down. Extend the distance only once you can keep the hips level the entire way without peeking behind you.

How do you make the backward beast crawl easier or harder?

Make it easier by touching the knees down lightly between each step instead of holding the full hover the whole time. Make it harder by pairing it with the forward crawl in a there-and-back set, or by adding light ankle weights to challenge hip control further.

What is the backward beast crawl good for?

It flips the muscular demand onto the pressing shoulders and challenges spatial awareness since you cannot see where you are going, pairing well with the forward crawl for a complete conditioning set. It is a poor choice in a cluttered or unfamiliar space, since moving backward blind is exactly when people crawl into something.

Intermediate

Backward Beast Crawl

Crawling backward flips the demand onto the pressing muscles and challenges spatial awareness, since you cannot see where you are going. The knee hover keeps the quads and core switched on the entire time. It pairs well with the forward crawl for a there-and-back conditioning set that hammers shoulder stability.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs, Shoulder
Type: Functional
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Anterior, Abdominal External Oblique, Rectus Femoris
Browse by movement: Core Brace

How to do it

1
Start in a beast hold: hands under shoulders, knees hovering an inch off the floor, back flat.
2
Push the right hand and left foot backward together a short step.
3
Follow with the left hand and right foot, keeping the movement small and controlled.
4
Maintain a level pelvis and braced trunk so the hips do not pop upward.
5
Continue traveling backward for the set distance or time, breathing steadily.
6
Lower the knees under control to finish.

Tips

Actively push the floor away through the palms to keep the shoulder blades wide and stable.
Glance under your torso rather than lifting your head, which protects the neck and keeps the spine long.
Keep steps short; overreaching backward is where most people lose the level hip position.

Variations

Common mistakes

The hips rise noticeably higher than in the forward crawl, since moving backward without visual feedback tempts most people to pike up for a false sense of control.
Once a foot reaches back and finds nothing solid, the whole body freezes and the braced, level position collapses for a moment.
Twisting the torso slightly to sneak a look behind you turns a straight-line crawl into a crooked, rotated one.
The trailing hand or foot drags instead of lifting cleanly, catching on the floor and throwing off the whole rhythm.

Frequently asked

How far or how long should you do the backward beast crawl when you are new to the exercise?: Cover 8 to 10 yards, or crawl backward for 15 to 20 seconds, for 3 rounds, usually shorter than the forward version since the lack of visual feedback slows most people down. Extend the distance only once you can keep the hips level the entire way without peeking behind you.
How do you make the backward beast crawl easier or harder?: Make it easier by touching the knees down lightly between each step instead of holding the full hover the whole time. Make it harder by pairing it with the forward crawl in a there-and-back set, or by adding light ankle weights to challenge hip control further.
What is the backward beast crawl good for?: It flips the muscular demand onto the pressing shoulders and challenges spatial awareness since you cannot see where you are going, pairing well with the forward crawl for a complete conditioning set. It is a poor choice in a cluttered or unfamiliar space, since moving backward blind is exactly when people crawl into something.

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