AnimalBW
Bear crawl at a diagonal heading, combining forward propulsion with lateral drift. Original Strength calls this 'slaloming' — a way to add novelty and multi-planar loading to standard crawling.
Demo: Original Strength
Sets
3
Reps
20-30 ft
Rest
45s
Contraindications
Avoid with wrist pain; watch footing to prevent tripping on direction changes.Setup
Start in the bear crawl position, oriented at roughly a 45-degree angle to the intended path.
Execution
- 1Step contralateral hand and foot forward along the diagonal line
- 2Let the head and eyes lead the direction change, scanning where you're heading
- 3Keep the hips level and avoid excessive rotation of the torso
- 4Weave between imaginary or real markers (cones, objects) to reinforce the diagonal pattern
- 5Alternate diagonal directions to cover both sides evenly
Key cues
- Let your eyes and head lead the direction
- Keep the crawl low, butt below head
- Weave with intention, not randomly
- Stay contralateral even while changing direction
Common faults
- Losing the contralateral pattern while navigating direction changes
- Head down, disconnected from steering the movement
- Overly wide or erratic diagonal cuts
- Hips rising too high, turning it into a pike-walk
Tweaks
- Set up cones for a slalom crawling course
- Add backward diagonal crawling for more variety
- Increase speed once pattern quality is consistent
Regressions
Progressions
Muscles
Primary: Core, Hip Rotators, Shoulders
Secondary: Quadriceps, Forearms
Notes
Tim Anderson describes this 'slalom crawling' as a way to add novelty, brain engagement, and multi-directional strength to crawling practice.
Sources
- Crawl Yourself to Strength and Health - Original Strength
- How (and why) to crawl for 10 minutes straight
Attribution: Original Strength / Tim Anderson