Exercise guide
Spider Crawl
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Back
- Lower arms
- Lower legs
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Upper legs
- Waist
The Spider Crawl is a dynamic, full-body movement that builds core stability, hip mobility, and upper body endurance by mimicking a low-profile crawling motion. It specifically targets the obliques through lateral trunk flexion while challenging the shoulders and chest to support the body's weight.
Reviewed by the Crucible team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Equipment
Setup
- Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart.
- Engage your core and glutes to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Lower your center of gravity slightly by softening your elbows, preparing to move in a low-profile stance.
How to do it
- Simultaneously move your right hand forward while bringing your left knee toward the outside of your left elbow.
- Exhale as you crunch your knee toward your elbow, keeping your hips as low to the ground as possible.
- Step forward with your left hand and bring your right knee toward your right elbow in a fluid, alternating crawling motion.
- Maintain a slow and controlled tempo, focusing on stability rather than speed.
Form checklist
- Keep your hips low and parallel to the floor throughout the entire movement.
- Ensure your knee tracks outside of your arm, not underneath your chest.
- Maintain a neutral spine by looking at the floor slightly ahead of your hands.
- Avoid letting your lower back arch or your hips pike upward as you fatigue.
Pro tips
- Visualize crawling under a very low ceiling to force your body to stay low and maximize quad and shoulder tension.
- Focus on the 'side-crunch' sensation in your obliques every time your knee reaches toward your elbow.
Make it harder
- Perform a 'Spider Push-up' by lowering your chest to the floor every time you bring a knee forward.
- Wear a weighted vest to increase the resistance on the shoulders, chest, and core.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the spider crawl work?
- The spider crawl primarily targets the abs, deltoids, obliques, and pectorals, and also works the biceps, forearms, serratus anterior, and triceps as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the spider crawl?
- The spider crawl requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the spider crawl good for beginners?
- The spider crawl is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.
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