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Kettlebell Swings only for general fitness

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Crawling will assist in the chasing of nearly any and all fitness goals.

Over a two year period I built up from a 5 minutes forwards crawl and 2 minutes backwards crawl (shortly after a fairly serious lower back accident) to a 66 minute forwards crawl and a 65 minute backwards crawl (I hadn't forwards crawled in quite a while when I hit this PB and fought on for a 66 minute PB to prove I could crawl forwards longer than backwards, of only by a minute haha).

Props for doing something hard.

But...

What is the purpose of a bipedal adult needing to train for locomotion on all four limbs for 65-66 minutes?

That's not what we're evolved to do.

We're bipeds.
 
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Props for doing something hard.

But...

What is the purpose of a bipedal adult needing to train for locomotion on all four limbs for 65-66 minutes?

That's not what we're evolved to do.

We're bipeds.
We are not designed to sit for long periods of the day in the manner that we do or drive cars, or get food from shops .... but we do, so coming from a 'thats not what we are designed to do' standpoint won't really wash, unless we are going to dive into everything else.
An adult being able to crawl for 65+ minutes denotes someone who can walk for a huge amount of time longer....and we are meant to be up and on our feet (and moving using varying muscles in varying ways - carrying things, gathering food etc) for hours at a time.


As stated, it made everything easier. From a developmental movement standpoint practicing movements down the developmental movement pyramid makes things higher up the pyramid easier and more efficient.

Working on crawling once a more efficient way for me to build reflexive strength than almost all forms of other strength work (at that time - and I speak for me personally - based upon equipment available etc etc).


The time frame I built up to was because I wasn't just after more strength (which I got), but gpp (which I got).

I was also training for a charity event where I had to crawl long periods of time.of varying terrain.

Richard
 
If you can crawl, I don't see a lot of reasons for adults to spend a lot of time on it.

Humans are bipedal animals, not quadrupeds.
Same reason you do any other exercise you can already do, to maintain and strengthen the pattern and the muscles that are involved.
 
Same reason you do any other exercise you can already do, to maintain and strengthen the pattern and the muscles that are involved.

Do I need to strengthen the pattern if I can already crawl?

I have no plans to crawl under load, crawl for distance, or crawl for time in my life.

That's very different from bi-pedal patterns where I do have plans to walk under load, stand under load, put things over my head under load, pick things up off the ground, carry things, and walk for distance/time.
 
Here's my take on crawling and some of the questions or issues that have been brought up in this thread, which largely echoes @Ricky01:

First, it's relevant to the OP because he wants a minimal way to maintain a baseline of "everyday" strength, and presumably be able to move freely and feel good. Crawling can definitely be an effective tool to accomplish this, and is a nice complement to the swings and cardio training the OP wants to focus on.

Second, the reasons to crawl are that in my experience regular crawling leads to generally feeling good and a "tied together" quality that carries over to lots of other activities. In my case it was a key to rehabbing from two rotator cuff surgeries and promoting better shoulder mechanics, such that my overhead lifting is completely pain-free and my lockout positions are better and more stable (I now have the mobility to support bells overhead supported by my structure and alignment without a lot of muscle power, which is something I did not have for many years). Even though crawling doesn't use full shoulder flexion like the overhead lockout, it was a key to unlocking that range of motion for me.

And that's the crux of the value of crawling to me. It's not a mechanistic, "stretch this," "strengthen that," "activate this," "use this energy system," kind of activity. Sure, you fire certain muscles and use energy systems, and it has some direct effects on those things. But I look at it more as nervous system input that has many and wide-ranging effects beyond that.

And BTW, I pay little attention to the "developmental sequence" theory behind OS. I think that Tim Anderson often oversells and overemphasizes the theory behind it and the idea of emulating and recapitulating the development of movement skills in children, and the idea that we were "meant" to...whatever. I don't necessarily buy it, and largely ignore it. To me, it's completely beside the point of why I use OS. I generally like to have a scientific understanding of what I do, or at least a theory/hypothesis that I have confidence can withstand a little critical thinking. With OS, I just don't care. When Tim starts talking about the vestibular system, or babies and how we were "meant" to move, my eyes glaze over. But when he comes up with another way to rock, crawl or roll around, I pay attention.

I just look at it in terms of black box cause and effect. It feels good when I do it, and when I do it regularly, I feel and move better. Specifically, my posture is better, my shoulder mechanics are better, and I feel both looser and more tied together overall. And I think a key phrase there is "do it regularly." I don't find OS practice to create dramatic immediate effects. But with enough consistently accumulated reps, "all of a sudden" everything feels better, and whenever I stop doing it for a while "all of a sudden" I don't feel or move as well.

I probably would have remained in more of a skeptical/critical mindset toward OS if I hadn't taken a two day workshop with Tim and Geoff Neupert. It wasn't anything they said or taught about it that changed my view. It was doing lots of it all day for two days. I did it and I felt good. That was enough empirical evidence got me to keep doing it, and I've continue to feel good when I do it regularly for several years now.

Third, I would discount the idea of a rigidly proscribed "proper" form. Tim promotes a playful, just do it, attitude toward OS in general and that is one of the things I like about him and about OS. To me, the big defining principals of OS crawling are 1) Butt down, head and eyes up. 2) Contralateral movement. If you have those two things, IMO you're doing it "right."
 
And that's the crux of the value of crawling to me. It's not a mechanistic, "stretch this," "strengthen that," "activate this," "use this energy system," kind of activity. Sure, you fire certain muscles and use energy systems, and it has some direct effects on those things. But I look at it more as nervous system input that has many and wide-ranging effects beyond that.

This sounds like proprioception work to me.

Which is certainly important and beneficial.

But there are a lot of activities that can help build that -- slack line work, balance beam work, parallel bar work, calisthenics, gymnastic floor or ring work, yoga, TGUs, windmills, juggling, etc, etc.
 
And BTW, I pay little attention to the "developmental sequence" theory behind OS. I think that Tim Anderson often oversells and overemphasizes the theory behind it and the idea of emulating and recapitulating the development of movement skills in children, and the idea that we were "meant" to...whatever. I don't necessarily buy it, and largely ignore it. To me, it's completely beside the point of why I use OS. I generally like to have a scientific understanding of what I do, or at least a theory/hypothesis that I have confidence can withstand a little critical thinking. With OS, I just don't care. When Tim starts talking about the vestibular system, or babies and how we were "meant" to move, my eyes glaze over. But when he comes up with another way to rock, crawl or roll around, I pay attention.

I eye-roll at that stuff, too.

Babies also spit up and poop their diapers, too. ;)

I don't see a lot of reasons for adults to emulate babies.

Adult humans have lots of things different in their muscular-skeletal-motor systems from infants who can't even walk upright.
 
The longer I train, the weirder I begin to believe I am. I like the Stair Master. In fact, given a choice of most cardio machines, I'd take a Stair Master over just about anything else. I've never tried a Versa Trainer, but I imagine I'd like that too.
Always enjoyed the V. Climber when I had access, intervals mostly, same with the escalator type Str. Mstr.
 
Do I need to strengthen the pattern if I can already crawl?

I have no plans to crawl under load, crawl for distance, or crawl for time in my life.

That's very different from bi-pedal patterns where I do have plans to walk under load, stand under load, put things over my head under load, pick things up off the ground, carry things, and walk for distance/time.
I’m sure others can answer better than me but, based on my understanding: Crawling is frequently described as a reset and a way to develop the gait pattern, but walking is also a reset. If you walk well with no “issues” than walking might be all the reset you need.
 
And BTW, I pay little attention to the "developmental sequence" theory behind OS. I think that Tim Anderson often oversells and overemphasizes the theory behind it and the idea of emulating and recapitulating the development of movement skills in children, and the idea that we were "meant" to...whatever. I don't necessarily buy it, and largely ignore it. To me, it's completely beside the point of why I use OS. I generally like to have a scientific understanding of what I do, or at least a theory/hypothesis that I have confidence can withstand a little critical thinking. With OS, I just don't care. When Tim starts talking about the vestibular system, or babies and how we were "meant" to move, my eyes glaze over. But when he comes up with another way to rock, crawl or roll around, I pay attention.
+1 for this
 
I am currently doing Q+D 3x a week, rucking 1x a week, and sprinting 1x a week. I also train for arm lifting 3-4x a week. Feels great and progress is steady.

Mind you, this is when I'm not on a fire assignment.
 
I briefly did Russian sambo in a royal marine reservists base here in Glasgow. Govan specifically. The gym in there had a machine I’ve never seen anywhere else. Basically it was a loop of vanilla rope on 2 wheels and you were able to set resistance and essentially train rope climbing while sitting on the kind of seat you’d find on any lat pull down. This thing was evil. No other words for it. Just on the subject of versa climbers and all that jazz. I do crawling at judo coupled with forward rolls and crab walks etc during ne waza drills.
 
SWINGS! Hell yeah they'll take care of you overall. If you can, fork out for one heavy kettlebell and a lighter one and use interchangeably. Ive achieved quite heavy lifts in a variety of KB exercises but always find myself coming back to the swing.

This thread has also piqued my interest in crawling. Gonna give this a whirl. To chime in on the conversation - movement is essential and it's only until you've lost it that you realise how much difference it makes. I see people mid 30s stiff as a brick barely able to lie down from a standing position without making all kinds of grunts and groans, let alone being able to catch themselves if they were to fall. Crawling sounds great.
 
After years of trial and error, this is what I have boiled it down to for general physical fitness, return on investment and time constraints, busy working dad life at age 53.

Crawling, walking (almost daily) rucking (weekly, seasonal) Gait pattern. Walking is essential.
Quality sleep.
Original Strength resets + mobility YWTL, hip bridge, hip flexor, face pull, Cossack squat. Mistake to neglect.
Bodyweight: Pullups, dips (recent addition, not emphasized enough), pushups, inverted rows. Seems to help with aches and pains. I feel better using all modalities than only weight training.
Balancing with strength exercises, single leg deadlift, scales, split squats, bottom ups KB holds,
L-sit progressions (for all kinds of reasons)
Alternating swings and snatching paired with bodyweight options. TGUs are great but I don't have a good place to do them or I would.
Double KB front squat pair with bodyweight
Double KB Clean and Press The Giant Geoff Neupert
Passive and active hanging
grip, forearm, calf, isolation work separate from main workout
Deadbugs and hanging leg raises
Deadlift (once a week, seasonal)
Isometrics, horse stance, top position dip hold, etc. rotate throughout the year.

Even Pavel says somewhere family and job first then train.
Seems like quite a comprehensive list for something 'boiled down' for simplicities sake.
 
SWINGS! Hell yeah they'll take care of you overall.

I'm not so sure about that, at least not the way most people train them.

I don't see many people doing 30-45 minutes of Zone 2 LISS, 3x a week, using swings.

Strength training is super important, but the work of Inigo Milan also suggests we all need to be doing a lot more Zone 2 LISS than many of us are for general health and longevity.
 
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