Exercises in Quadruped

Once you are able to find your neutral spine in quadruped, there are TONS of exercises you can do in quadruped.  Below I am going to post some very simple starter exercises that can be done in quadruped (in order of increasing difficulty)

Exercises in quadruped work on your balance, your core strength (abdominals, obliques, pelvic floor), your buttocks, your thighs.  

Expand for Exercise Pictures and Instructions

Quadruped Extension:
-Begin on your hands and knees; Hands should be shoulder width apart, wrists aligned under shoulders, and your knees aligned under your hips.
*Make sure you find your neutral spine before beginning (see the video on how to find neutral spine if you need help)
- Slowly extend your leg behind you and hold it for 5 breaths
*Make sure your leg is in line with the hip, not too far up and not out sideways
*Make sure you maintain your neutral spine as you do this, you don’t want too much of a hip shift so that you don’t cause back pain
 -Repeat with the opposite leg. Do 10-15 repetitions with each leg.

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Quadruped Extension (with alternating arms):
-Begin on your hands and knees; Hands should be shoulder width apart, wrists aligned under shoulders, and your knees aligned under your hips.
*Make sure you find your neutral spine before beginning (see the video on how to find neutral spine if you need help)
- Slowly extend your right leg behind you, your left arm in front of you, and hold it for 5 breaths
*Make sure your leg is in line with the hip, not too far up and not out sideways
*Make sure you maintain your neutral spine as you do this, you don’t want too much of a hip shift so that you don’t cause back pain
*Make sure your arm is nice and straight, aligned with your shoulder
 -Repeat with the opposite leg and arm (Left leg, right arm). Do 10-15 repetitions with each side.

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Quadruped Crossover:
-Begin on your hands and knees; Hands should be shoulder width apart, wrists aligned under shoulders, and your knees aligned under your hips.
*Make sure you find your neutral spine before beginning (see the video on how to find neutral spine if you need help)
- Slowly extend your leg out to the side and hold for 5 seconds, then bring the leg across to the other side and hold for 5 seconds
*Make sure you maintain your neutral spine as you do this, you don’t want too much of a hip shift so that you don’t cause back pain
*You can place your toes on the floor for more stability, and as you become more balanced and stronger, you can try to keep your toes above the floor as you extend your leg to the side and across.
-Repeat with the opposite leg.  Do 10-15 repetitions with each side.