The bear walk is a multifunctional exercise for developing flexibility, strength and endurance.

Share:

The bear walk is one of these many exercises in CrossFit. It has the internationally common name “bear crawl”. With the increasing popularity of CrossFit in the world, many athletes are moving from traditional cardio training to high-repetition bodyweight training, one of which is the bear walk.

What is this exercise for? The bear walk in CrossFit is often used as a warm-up exercise (after a joint warm-up, of course), in order to work out the ligaments, muscles of the arms and legs, as well as joints (carpals, feet, knees and elbows). Often this exercise is a warm-up before walking on your hands, helping to prepare the body for large and unusual loads.

The peculiarity of this exercise is the unusual load on the athlete’s body. At first glance, the bear walk does not seem difficult and does not even look like a sports exercise. However, once you try it at least once, you will understand that everything is not so simple.

Benefits of exercise

This exercise has a lot of advantages and almost no disadvantages.

Main advantages:

• Unloads the spine, relieves compression.
• Strengthens the back muscles, shoulders, legs, core muscles.
• Increases flexibility and mobility.
• Teaches you how to move your body weight and use your feet correctly.
• Beneficial for joints, can be used to strengthen muscles and ligaments even when axial loads are prohibited.

The only downside is that classic bear crawls cannot be used to pump up muscles, since the movement is intended for completely different purposes. However, in CrossFit there is a power option for performing this movement using dumbbells. It gives a powerful load to all the muscles of the body.

Also, the exercise is often used as a warm-up, before performing push-ups upside down.

Why does it happen?

All causes of flat feet can be determined based on the form of the disease:

• congenital form (impaired formation of connective tissue);
• paralytic form (consequence of polio);
• rachitic form (due to the development of rickets);
• static form (weakness of the foot muscles, bones and ligaments).

What muscles work

When performing a bear walk, almost all the muscles of the body are used. The work also involves a large number of stabilizer muscles, which do not always work during classical exercises.

The main burden falls on:

• Shoulders.
• Hips.
• Core muscles.
• Back.
• Forearms.

When using the power option, the main load is switched to the muscles of the shoulder girdle and arms.

Stages of disease development

In medicine, pathology is divided into 3 stages of development:

Stage 0 – Initial. At this stage, failure of the ligamentous apparatus develops. There is no deformation of the foot yet, but the ligaments are stretched, which causes pain. Discomfort disturbs a person after a long walk and in the evening.

Stage 1 – Mild deformation. Feet fatigue appears, which is noted after physical activity. Often at stage 1, swelling of the feet occurs. There is also pain when palpating the foot.

Stage 2 – Combined deformation. There is flattening of the foot and disappearance of the arch. The feet become flat, pain occurs, which can even affect the knee joints. Limb mobility is limited.

Stage 3 – Severe deformation. The pain syndrome is so severe that a person has to see a doctor. Swelling of the feet and limited mobility occurs.

Execution technique

Despite its visual simplicity, this is a rather complex exercise in which it is important to take into account all the technical features. If done incorrectly, the benefit of the bear's walk will be much lower.

Technique:

• Start on all fours with your face facing the floor and your arms and legs slightly bent to minimize stress on the joint. The pelvis is pointed up, arms and legs are in line.
• Extend your opposite arm and leg forward, alternating limbs.
• Take 25-30 steps, this is the recommended norm for 1 approach.

Recommended training program for girls

In CrossFit there is no strict division of exercises into men's or women's, but a number of workouts are more recommended for girls, since they allow you to develop many muscle groups without an unwanted increase in waist size.

Such sets of exercises are developed taking into account the loads recommended for the female body, the main ones are given below:

1. Do pull-ups 20 times , squats 50 times, push-ups 30 times and sit-ups 40 times. In total, 5 approaches are completed in 1 workout; it is recommended to take a break of at least 3 minutes between them.
2. in a standing position in 1 approach squat 10 times on one leg 15 pull-ups. The total training time is half an hour; during this period it is necessary to complete the maximum possible number of approaches. At each subsequent lesson, try to increase the intensity.
3. For 1 approach, do 5 pull-ups , 10 push-ups and 15 squats. The total lesson time is 20 minutes, try to complete as many approaches as possible within the specified period.
4. Perform sit-ups and double jumps with a skipping rope. A total of 5 approaches are performed, during the first all exercises are repeated 50 times, with each subsequent one their number decreases by 10.
5. All actions are performed in 1 approach and repeated 100 times; the training includes squats, pull-ups, sit-ups and push-ups. Exercises must be performed for a while, the result is recorded, and at each subsequent lesson you must try to reduce the time spent on their implementation.

For men

By analogy with the complex of women's training, you can create a CrossFit program that will be recommended for men, since it involves a much more significant load:

1. Ejecting a barbell weighing at least 43 kg. and subsequent pull-ups . The maximum training time is 10 minutes, during which you need to complete 3 approaches, during each of which the named exercises are repeated 21, 15 and 9 times. With each new lesson, you should strive to reduce the time spent on the entire course. Before you start, you can use squats as a warm-up, which helps warm up your muscles and prepare your joints for active exercise, which minimizes the risk of injury and makes it easier to bear the load.
2. Training time should not exceed 25 minutes , during which it is necessary to repeat each exercise from the proposed complex 50 times: throwing a medicine ball 3 meters; double jump rope; jumping onto an object 60 cm high; kettlebell swings of at least 16 kg; pull-ups; walking lunges; hyperextension; burley This kind of training is quite difficult, so it is recommended for people who are in good physical shape and do not experience any problems with the cardiovascular system.
3. Perform the following actions: 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 squats. Before starting classes and after finishing them, jog 1.5 km. This scheme may seem too simple, but it effectively develops endurance and allows you to use virtually all joints and muscle groups.

Option with dumbbells

The Dumbbell bear crawl is a heavier option that is an alternative to the lizard walk with dumbbells. In this case, the load is almost completely transferred to the forelimbs. To add additional load to the legs, weights can be used.

The technique remains the same, the only difference is that instead of the floor, you will have to rest on the handle of the dumbbell, moving it along the floor during each arm movement. It is especially important to pay attention to the shoulders and upper back. When working with dumbbells, very often athletes try to compensate for the severity of the load, as a result of which they hunch their backs and lower their shoulders down (while spreading their shoulder blades). This error will not only reduce the efficiency of penetration, but can also lead to problems in the cervical spine over time.

Features of training

CrossFit is not only effective, but also a rather specific type of training, so it is necessary to take into account some of the features that are characteristic of it:

1. One of the main goals of CrossFit is to increase a person's endurance level. For this reason, you need to try to gradually increase the speed of the exercises and minimize the rest time between them. At the initial stage, this may seem like too difficult a condition, and the training will be very exhausting, but such measures are necessary to achieve results.
2. Feeling tired after exercise is a very good sign; if there is no such feeling, then this indicates that the training is taking place at too low a pace.
3. the exercises performed over the course of a day and schedule classes in such a way that the workouts are varied and do not repeat each other.
4. Classes should be structured in such a way that exercises aimed at different muscle groups are performed sequentially. Complex involvement of the whole body gives the most noticeable and fastest results.
5. During training, it is best to avoid drinking liquids, as this can affect its intensity. After completing classes, water can be taken in unlimited quantities.

How to implement it into training (recommendations)

• The option without weight can be used in any way, from warming up before the vertical press in CrossFit to regular morning exercises for the back. If you are training the driving itself, then it is recommended to do about 4-5 series, each with 30 steps.
• When working with dumbbells, start with 10 steps (5 on each hand). This is the “starting point” for further progression. After completing a series of 20-30 steps, further development should focus solely on adding weight to the dumbbells.
• If you train at home and the space does not allow you to take a large number of steps, divide them into series. For example, 5-10 steps in one direction, turn around and walk the same distance again.

And also read: How to do a plank → Exercise with a sledgehammer → Exercises with a rope - what do they give in CrossFit?

How to improve results?

After mastering the classic bear walk, you can diversify this exercise in the following ways:

• To complicate the task, you can use weights. They are attached to the wrists or ankles.
• You can also increase the load using dumbbells. In this case, the support is not on the hands, but on the dumbbells squeezed in them.

• The bear walk can be performed in various variations. For example, sideways or backwards.

Recipes for healthy eating

Recipe for salad with quail eggs

• 3.6 g Protein
• 5.7 g Fat
• 2.6 g Carbohydrates
• 64.3 kcal

30 min.

• #vegetarian dish
• #dietary
• #greenery
• #sesame
• #low calorie
• #dinner
• #vegetables
• #cucumber
• #arugula
• #salad
• #sour cream
• #spices
• #dinner
• #egg

Other recipes

Kettlebell swings

Kettlebell lifting has always been held in high esteem in Russia and the Soviet Union. It was by lifting weights that the men measured their strength. Recently, people have forgotten about kettlebells, but fans of multifunctional training have begun to actively use them.

Starting position – feet shoulder-width apart, the weight is on the floor between your legs. Having bent your legs and arched your spine in the lower back, we take the weight with both hands and lift it to the belt. Then we bend our legs slightly and push the weight up with a powerful inertial movement. At the initial level, it is enough to lift the weight until it is parallel to the floor; advanced athletes perform swings in full amplitude, when the weight at the top point is almost above the head. The movement is performed with maximum inertia, without delays above or below.

Surgery to restore the shape of the arch

If the feet cannot be corrected using conservative methods, surgery is prescribed. This may be arthroplasty or exostosectomy.

The corrected arch of the foot will need to be supported independently. First of all, it is recommended to limit all loads on the limbs, as well as purchase orthopedic insoles for shoes to wear. Other actions will be determined by the attending physician, based on each specific case.

It is worth considering that getting rid of flat feet and “bear gait” through surgery has a risk of relapses, from which no one is immune. These include:

• slow tissue healing;
• development of osteomyelitis (purulent inflammation of the bones);
• loss of sensitivity in the area of ​​the operation;
• calluses on the feet;
• bleeding.

Of course, it is better not to bring the disease to such a stage that it will be necessary to treat only by surgery. Any disease at stage 1 can be completely cured if detected in a timely manner.

What affects our gait

Our gait is influenced by many factors - the structure of the musculoskeletal system, the condition of bones and joints, ingrained habits and movement patterns, psychological problems and sensations. We acquire some of them throughout our lives, while others are inherited.

Gait is genetically inherent in a person , from birth, and tends to change during our lives. Our gait is affected by our lifestyle, the occurrence of chronic diseases, the degree of increased physical activity, possible injuries, stress, changes in mood and much more.

The main enemy of gait is stoop, as a result of which there are two types: a gait when the shoulders are lowered and a gait when the head is lowered. And they contribute to strong compression of the chest, because of this, the heart and lungs function incorrectly, and our body begins to receive much less oxygen.

Learning to walk beautifully

The muscles of each person get used to a certain position of the body, and therefore our body perceives all changes in position as incorrect and uncomfortable. You've probably noticed how models walk on the catwalk, when a girl sways her hips while moving, is comfortable and beautiful. When your leg comes from the hip, you can walk quite wide, even in stiletto heels. Many women do not work as models, but they all want to learn how to walk like this. How to learn the correct gait of a model?

First of all, you must tidy up the muscles of your body. But learning to walk on your own is simply not realistic. That is why you should contact a specialist who, taking into account all your characteristics, will draw up a special schedule for you and, of course, teach you how to walk beautifully.

Correct gait depends on the tone of the abdomen, back muscles and legs; it is impossible to consciously control this, so you must conduct special strength training every day.

Exercise 7 – push-ups on hands in L-pose

The muscles of the back, arms, chest and buttocks work.

Sit down at a distance of 60-90 cm from the wall (with your back to it), rest your hands on the floor, placing them slightly wider than your shoulders. Leaning our feet on the wall, we “walk” our feet along it until the pose resembles the English “L”. We hold the body in this position for 15 seconds and return to the starting position. To make the exercise more difficult, you can do push-ups in L position.

Other effective exercises that can be included in your workout are Burpees , considered one of the main exercises in CrossFit.

To perform it, you need to take the starting position: sit down, resting your palms on the floor (knees touching your chest). Abruptly go into a lying position, throwing your legs back, then return to the starting position and jump up. The number of repetitions depends on the physical fitness of the athlete and is selected individually - from 10 to 100.

You can complicate an already difficult exercise by performing push-ups in the second phase. You can do it with dumbbells.

Truster

This exercise came to CrossFit from weightlifting, and it is suitable for both men and women. It simultaneously develops both the upper and lower body, and also greatly increases endurance and speeds up metabolism. To perform a thruster you will need a barbell, but its weight should be light.

Starting position – standing, with a barbell on your chest. We press the barbell over our head without pausing at the top point, lower it back to our chest and perform a squat. In this case, the pelvis should be lowered as low as possible, almost to the floor.