Spider Crawl Push-Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Engage your core and glutes to create a straight line from your head to your heels.
3. Position your feet hip-width apart to provide a stable base for the alternating leg movement.

How to do it

1. Inhale and lower your chest toward the floor while simultaneously driving your right knee out and forward toward your right elbow.
2. Exhale and push back to the starting position, extending your right leg back to the floor with control.
3. Repeat the movement on the left side, bringing your left knee toward your left elbow as you lower into the next push-up.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, taking 2 seconds to lower and 1 second to explosively push back up.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips level and avoid letting them rotate or sag as the leg moves.
• Ensure your knee travels out to the side, parallel to the floor, rather than tucked under your chest.
• Maintain a neutral neck by looking at a spot on the floor slightly in front of your hands.
• Keep your elbows tucked at a 45-degree angle relative to your torso to protect the shoulder joints.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'crunching' your oblique muscle as your knee approaches your elbow to maximize core recruitment.
• Keep the foot of the moving leg hovering off the ground throughout the entire repetition to maintain constant tension.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second isometric hold at the bottom of the movement when the knee is closest to the elbow.
• Perform the exercise with your hands on a pair of dumbbells or a medicine ball to increase the stability challenge.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the spider crawl push-up work?

The spider crawl push-up primarily targets the glutes, pectorals, and quadriceps, and also works the serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the spider crawl push-up?

The spider crawl push-up requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the spider crawl push-up good for beginners?

The spider crawl push-up is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• BurpeeIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps
• Burpee Long Jump With Push-UpAdvanced · glutes, hamstrings, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps
• Crawl SwitchIntermediate · deltoids, glutes, pectorals, and quadriceps
• Dumbbell BurpeeIntermediate · deltoids, glutes, hamstrings, pectorals, quadriceps, and triceps