Here’s the fourth installment in our Anti-Sitting Strategy series.
This exercise is a real get-down type of exercise. You have to get down on the floor and crawl around. Great exercise for core muscle control, shoulder stabilization and neck strength. Here’s how…
Get on your hands and knees. Starting position is on all fours, hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Keep your spine in a neutral position, a small dip in your lower back and keep your head and neck in line with the spine – don’t let your head drop down or look up too much. Keep your neck long.
Start by moving one hand forward at the same time as you move your opposite knee forward. Then bring your other hand and opposite knee forward as you start to crawl. Sounds easy, but some people have a great deal of trouble synchronizing the opposite hand/knee movement at the same time, and then switching to the other arm/leg.
Practice crawling up and down a hallway to get the hang of it. It helps if your hallway has carpet – easier on your knees!
Once you have the basic crawling motion down pat, place a small ball ( tennis or golf ball) in the small of your back. Keep it balanced there while you crawl forward. Try more challenge by crawling backwards. Don’t let that ball roll off your back.
A few minutes of crawling two or three times a day is all it takes. Dogs and kids love to crawl around with you. Cats, not so much.
Dr. David Olson
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