The Most Dynamic Exercise And How To Maximize It’s Benefits
If you want to feel like a superhero, keep reading!
Throughout my fitness journey I’ve tried many exercises and exercise variations but there’s one move that really stands out. I’d go as far as saying that learning this exercise was one of the biggest turning points in my fitness journey. The move is called the Leopard Crawl and I learned about it through Tim Anderson’s original strength website.
I say this is the most dynamic exercise because of all the boxes it checks. As you continue reading this post, you’ll see how it can help achieve almost any fitness goal. It’s also dynamic due to it’s execution. It’s not as simple as moving up and down or side to side. There are some technical nuances to it but the benefits involved make it worth doing.
Benefits
Core Strength: The Leopard crawl is great for core strength. It teaches you how to use all your core muscles simultaneously. Your core muscles have to stabilize in order to control your movement.
Nervous System Health: The interesting thing about Leopard Crawls is that they’re physically demanding but they’re great for revitalizing your nervous system. The reason why it’s so beneficial to the nervous system is the contralateral aspect of the movement. When you Leopard Crawl, you’re using opposite limbs simultaneously. You use your right hand at the same time as your left leg and vice versa. This forces both hemispheres of your brain to work at the same time.
Back Health: One thing I noticed is that my lower back feels better after I started adding leopard crawls to my routine . I think this is because of the way the movement is set up, particularly when crawling backwards. Another reason for better back health is the development of core strength cause by Leopard Crawls. A strong, stable core is your back’s best friend.
Fat Loss: Leopard Crawls are great for fat loss due to the metabolic demands it places on your body. It forces you to engage many muscles. The longer you do the crawls, the more cardiovascular energy you have to use. Every time I’ve finished a round of Leopard Crawls, my heart rate skyrockets. If you’re bored of traditional methods of cardio, the Leopard Crawl may be for you.
Muscle Building: As I mentioned before, Leopard Crawls require you to use multiple muscles at once. You already know about the core muscle engagement but did you know that Leopard Crawls will help you build bulletproof shoulders? They’ll also fire up your chests and triceps. If you don’t have access to a gym and you want to build an impressive upper body, Leopard Crawls will help you tremendously.
Convenience: This awesome total body exercise doesn’t require any equipment. All you need is your body and some open space. You can do it at home, the park, or even the grocery store if you’re feeling bold.
How To Do Leopard Crawls
Step 1: Get down on your hands and knees.
Step 2: Raise your legs slightly above the ground. Raise your shoulders to a height that it’s above your hips. Tilt your head slightly so you’re looking up at an angle. Place your tongue on the roof of your mouth. The tongue position is important for managing your breath during the movement.
Step 3: The Leopard Crawl is a Contralateral movement so you’ll be using opposite limbs simultaneously. As you start crawling, you’ll move your left arm while moving your right leg and vice versa. You can do this forward and backwards.
Regardless of your fitness goal, you can benefit from the leopard crawl. It’s one of the rare exercises that will require a lot of energy but revitalize you after. If you’re not physically ready for the leopard crawl, you prepare yourself with the Baby Crawl. The Baby Crawl is the same as the Leopard Crawl except your knees are on the ground rather than slightly elevated. The Baby Crawl doesn’t provide the same metabolic benefits as the Leopard Crawl but it will revitalize your nervous system.
Application
Leopard Crawl can be applied numerous ways. You can do them for time or distance. You can do them as a warm up, finisher, or even in the middle of your workout. What I find when I do them in the middle of my workout is that I have renewed energy to finish and dominate the remainder of my workout. This is probably due to the neurological benefits it provides.
If you’re new to doing Leopard Crawls, the ways I recommend doing them is either for total time or for total distance. It’s best to do this as its own workout so you can see your body tolerance and be able to decide the most strategic way to incorporate them with your workouts.
When doing Leopard Crawls for total time, you can set a stop watch and do as many as you can. When you need to rest, you’ll pause the stop watch. Then you can restart the stopwatch once you start moving again. Do this until you get the total time you want. 5–10 minutes of crawls is a good range but the more time, the better!
Doing Leopard Crawls for distance is even simpler. You just keep doing them till you cover the total distance you desire.
Take It To Another Level
How do you multiply the benefits of one of the most dynamic exercises on the planet? You do it grounded. When I say grounded, I mean going to an open field and taking off your shoes so your feet are touching the ground.
Grounding has numerous health benefits, including reduced inflammation, detoxification of the body, stress relief. Imagine doing an exercise that revitalizes your nervous system while being nourished by the earth. By doing leopard crawls while grounded, you’re training and recovering at the same time.
Grounding has also been proven to improve sleep quality. Which means even more recovery! You can do this everyday if you wanted due to the recovery you get from the exercise and from grounding. Another benefit of doing leopard crawls while grounding is that you’ll be outdoors getting sunlight. Sounds Ike a win all around!
The one thing I can guarantee about combining leopard crawls with grounding is you’ll feel awesome afterwards.
