How far should you spiderman crawl when you are new to the exercise?

Three or four trips of 8 to 10 metres, or three rounds of 30 seconds, at about one step per second. As a warm-up before squatting or pressing, a single 10-metre trip is plenty. Progress by slowing down and getting the knee higher and wider rather than by adding distance, and only extend the trip once the hips stay quiet the whole way.

How do I make the spiderman crawl easier or harder?

Easier: put the hands on a bench or low step so the hips have more room and the shoulders carry less, take the knee only as far as the ribs, or shorten the trip. Harder: bend the elbows to drop the chest toward lizard height, pause two seconds with the knee beside the elbow, add a push-up at each step, crawl uphill, or wear a light vest.

What is the spiderman crawl good for, and when should I use something else?

It builds shoulder and core endurance while opening the hips dynamically, which makes it a strong warm-up before squats or presses and a moderate conditioning piece on its own. Use something else if you want a hard pressing stimulus, since the arms stay straight: the alligator or lizard crawl loads the chest and triceps far more. Skip it if the wrists dislike a long spell in extension.

Intermediate

Spiderman Crawl

The spiderman crawl pairs a high plank travel with a wide, open hip drive, so it trains the shoulders and core while dynamically loading the hip flexors and adductors. Bringing the knee outside toward the elbow opens the hips and demands rotary control from the trunk. It sits a notch easier than the low crawls because the arms stay straighter, which makes it a versatile warm-up flow or a moderate conditioning piece.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs, Shoulder
Type: Cardio, Functional
Browse by muscle: Deltoid Anterior, Abdominal External Oblique

How to do it

1
Begin in a strong push-up plank with hands under the shoulders.
2
Reach the left hand forward while sweeping the right knee up toward the right elbow.
3
Plant and switch, reaching the right hand forward as the left knee drives up wide.
4
Keep the hips low and the back flat as you travel forward.
5
Move opposite arm and leg in a smooth, connected rhythm.
6
Crawl for the set distance, breathing steadily throughout.

Tips

Drive the knee wide and high to open the hip fully each step.
Keep the shoulders stacked over the hands so the arms are not overreaching.
Resist letting the hips twist toward the floor; the core should stay quiet.
Slow down if the hips start bouncing, and keep the motion deliberate.

Variations

Common mistakes

The elbows start folding as the set goes on and the crawl sinks toward a lizard; keep the arms long, since the straight-arm version is what lets you travel any real distance.
Once the hips run out of range the knee cannot get near the elbow, so the pelvis rotates to close the gap; take the knee as far as it goes with the hips square and let the range come.
The hand lands exactly where the knee wants to arrive, and the knee clips the fingers on the next step; place the hand a little ahead of the spot the knee is heading for.
The back foot is dragged along the floor instead of stepping, so the trailing leg contributes nothing and the arms end up carrying the whole crawl.
Thick, grippy soles catch as the foot swivels on each step and the knee takes the twist; do these barefoot or in flat shoes that let the foot pivot.

Frequently asked

How far should you spiderman crawl when you are new to the exercise?: Three or four trips of 8 to 10 metres, or three rounds of 30 seconds, at about one step per second. As a warm-up before squatting or pressing, a single 10-metre trip is plenty. Progress by slowing down and getting the knee higher and wider rather than by adding distance, and only extend the trip once the hips stay quiet the whole way.
How do I make the spiderman crawl easier or harder?: Easier: put the hands on a bench or low step so the hips have more room and the shoulders carry less, take the knee only as far as the ribs, or shorten the trip. Harder: bend the elbows to drop the chest toward lizard height, pause two seconds with the knee beside the elbow, add a push-up at each step, crawl uphill, or wear a light vest.
What is the spiderman crawl good for, and when should I use something else?: It builds shoulder and core endurance while opening the hips dynamically, which makes it a strong warm-up before squats or presses and a moderate conditioning piece on its own. Use something else if you want a hard pressing stimulus, since the arms stay straight: the alligator or lizard crawl loads the chest and triceps far more. Skip it if the wrists dislike a long spell in extension.

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