Strengthen Your Core with Fun Quadrupedal Movement

I’m excited to share a transformative tip that can significantly and rapidly enhance your core strength and stability. Unlike traditional exercises like crunches or sit-ups, this method taps into the primal, functional movements our bodies are designed for—quadrupedal movement. Often referred to as natural or animal movement, this practice not only strengthens your core but also improves overall mobility and functional fitness. According to GMB Fitness, quadrupedal movements engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making them highly effective for building a strong, stable core.

Getting Started with Quadrupedal Movement

To begin, get down on your hands and knees. From this position, focus on lifting your knees just slightly off the floor. Push into the floor, protract your shoulder blades, and tense your core. This position, often referred to as the “static beast,” is fundamental in quadrupedal movement. As Al Kavadlo explains, the static beast position is an excellent starting point for engaging your core muscles while also stabilizing your entire body. Holding this position builds the foundational strength necessary for more advanced movements.

Static Beast

The static beast position is a fantastic starting point and an integral part of primal movement practices. Even holding this position can be quite challenging, effectively engaging your core and stabilizer muscles. As highlighted by Breaking Muscle, this position not only strengthens the core but also improves shoulder stability and overall body control. However, this is just the beginning—there are many ways to intensify and expand upon this movement.

Contralateral Lifts

Next, progress to contralateral lifts, which involve lifting your left hand and right foot off the floor simultaneously, then switching to lift your right hand and left foot. This movement increases the intensity and further engages your core by challenging your balance and coordination. According to Nerd Fitness, contralateral movements are crucial for developing functional core strength, as they mimic natural movement patterns and require the core to stabilize the body in multiple planes.

Partial Transitions

Once you’re comfortable with contralateral lifts, begin practicing partial transitions. Rotate your body slightly, moving through the transverse plane. Adding rotational movement to your exercises not only engages your core but also enhances your body’s ability to stabilize during dynamic activities. As discussed in GMB Fitness, this type of movement is essential for improving functional fitness and core strength, as it challenges the body to maintain stability while transitioning between different positions. A great drill at this stage is to perform partial transitions for 30 to 45 seconds at a time, completing four or five rounds. This serves as an excellent mini-workout that can be easily integrated into your daily routine.

Advancing Your Practice

After mastering partial transitions, progress to full transitions, moving from the beast position to the crab position. The crab position, a supine quadrupedal stance where you’re facing upwards on your hands and feet, is particularly effective for strengthening the posterior chain and enhancing shoulder mobility. According to Mark Sisson, this transition not only challenges your core but also improves your body’s overall flexibility and stability, making it a powerful addition to your quadrupedal movement practice.

Traveling Movements

Begin incorporating traveling movements in these positions. Whether in crab or beast, initiate each step with a contralateral lift, ensuring you’re firmly anchoring your hands and feet with each step. This not only enhances core strength but also improves overall stability and functional movement. GMB Fitness emphasizes the importance of these dynamic movements for building a strong, adaptable core that can support your body in various real-world scenarios.

Exploring Other Movements

Once you’re comfortable, experiment with additional animal movements like lizard crawls and bear crawls. Lizard crawls are similar to staggered push-ups combined with forward or backward movement, providing a deep core and shoulder workout. Bear crawling is another effective exercise that challenges your core, shoulders, and hips. According to Al Kavadlo, the beauty of quadrupedal movement lies in its versatility—there’s no wrong way to move, as long as it feels natural, engages your core, and doesn’t cause pain. These movements help train your entire kinetic chain, promoting holistic body strength and functionality.

The Benefits

Quadrupedal movement is highly functional, offering benefits that extend beyond the workout itself. This type of movement enhances your ability to perform daily activities and plays a key role in injury prevention. As Breaking Muscle notes, the holistic nature of quadrupedal movement trains your body to work as an integrated unit, improving coordination, balance, and core strength. Even dedicating just 10 minutes a day to these movements can significantly boost your core stability and overall functional fitness.

Further Learning

If you’re looking for more detailed instructions on quadrupedal movements, be sure to check out my article on beginner movements, “Primal Movement for Beginners.” Additionally, resources like Animal Flow and GMB Fitness offer comprehensive guides and programs that can help you master these movements and further enhance your core strength.

Incorporating just 10 minutes a day of these movements, consistently for seven days a week, will have a profound and rapid effect on your core strength. I highly recommend giving it a try.