Spider Crawl
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Spider Crawl
- Begin in a prone position on the floor. Support your weight on your hands and toes, with your feet together and your body straight. Your arms should be bent to 90 degrees. This will be your starting position.
- Initiate the movement by raising one foot off of the ground. Externally rotate the leg and bring the knee toward your elbow, as far forward as possible.
- Return this leg to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Spider Crawl
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Otis-Up
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs.
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2
Pallof Press
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
-
3
Pallof Press With Rotation
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
-
4
Landmine 180's
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a barbell.
-
5
One-Arm Medicine Ball Slam
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a medicine ball.
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6
Spell Caster
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, using dumbbells.
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7
Standing Cable Lift
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
-
8
Standing Cable Wood Chop
A beginner compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
-
9
Barbell Side Bend
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a barbell.
-
10
Bosu Ball Cable Crunch With Side Bends
A beginner isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a cable machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do spider crawl work?
Spider Crawl primarily works the abs. The chest, shoulders and triceps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for spider crawl?
None. Spider Crawl is a bodyweight movement you can do anywhere you have floor space.
Spider Crawl: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Spider Crawl is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of spider crawl?
Otis-Up, Pallof Press, Pallof Press With Rotation train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my spider crawl reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; spider crawl can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Spider Crawl with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.