5 Rounds for time:
50 Double Unders
200m Run
20(15) Calorie assault bike or row
Rest 3 minutes between rounds
Post times to comments and BTWB
During warm-ups I am a fan of using the good ole’ bear crawl. I feel like my usage of the bear crawl is sometimes met with moans or groans. . . and this feeling that I am torturing Verve members in attendance. So I want to take a moment and share some info about the bear crawl in hopes that I can convince you that I make you bear crawl because I care.
The following info can be found by clicking here, taking you to an article titled “Why Bear Crawls Are All the Rage Right Now”. Seriously, that’s the title of the article.
Bear Crawls Build Strength
Think of the Bear Crawl as a moving Plank. It works your core muscles just like the Plank, but since you’re moving, it engages more muscles and forces your core to work harder to keep you stable. “The Bear Crawl strengthens your core and works your entire body, especially your shoulders, arms and glutes,” DeCillis says.
Bear Crawls Increase Mobility
DeCillis adds that the Bear Crawl improves hip mobility. When you crawl, your hips go from fully flexed to fully extended, taking the joint through its entire range of motion. This makes it a perfect warm-up drill—plus it gets your heart pumping and wakes up your central nervous system.
Bear Crawls Improve Conditioning
The Bear Crawl is a full-body movement, so it’s a no-brainer to use as a conditioning tool. It increases your muscular endurance and improves your overall conditioning base.
Bear Crawls are Versatile
“I often use the Bear Crawl especially with youth athletes and people who are not yet ready to be loaded with resistance exercises,” DeCillis says. Once you have sufficient strength, you can try more challenging variations, like moving laterally or backward. To further increase the challenge, perform the move wearing a weight vest or crawl as fast as possible over a set distance.
So, what’s the moral of the story here? Bear crawls are used for fitness, not torture. . . even if it feels the other way around.
