Martial Conditioning: Movement Drills

In the course of training for martial combat, a novice trainee often marvels at their lack of fluidity in seemingly simple movements.  Because most physically healthy people are accustomed to walking miles at a time without exhaustion, they assume that crawling, scooting, and other movements should be just as easy.

If the reader feels proficient at movement, this author challenges them to attempt the following movement drills for 50 yards each.  These drills serve an important role in martial conditioning by strengthening underutilized muscle groups and unusual movement patterns.  If you teach the martial arts, these drills are great for circuits with large classes.

1. Penguin Walk

This drill consists of walking slowly and deliberately while attempting to maximally tense every muscle in the body at once.  The muscles of the core, shoulders, and back will receive the most benefits from this exercise.  However, results will only be as impressive as the effort invested by the trainee.

This exercise is useful for pre-exhausting a trainee before sparring as well as developing the ability to breathe behind a highly tensed midsection.  The shoulders will also become more stable, as they are put under sustained tension.

2. Duck Walk

This drill consists of squatting down until butt touches ankles, then walking for distance, attempting to keep the heels in contact with the ground the whole time.  The quadriceps receive the greatest muscular development, while the glutes, hamstrings, calves, and core stabilize.  This movement teaches a trainee how to stay low, maintain balance, and tolerate leg fatigue.  The reader is advised to avoid this exercise if they have bad knees.

This exercise is useful for accelerating leg muscle gain, increasing balance, and holding a low position for time.

3. Crab Walk

This drill consists of getting on one's hands and feet with back facing the floor and walking forward and backward for distance.  This drill develops the back of the body in addition to the arms, legs, and shoulders.

This exercise strengthens the posterior chain and builds agility in an odd range of motion.

4. Spider Walk

This drill consists of dropping into the bottom of a pushup and walking forward using the hands and feet, keeping the body low to the ground.  This movement drill develops all muscles of the anterior chain.  Those with wrist problems should avoid the spider and crab walk.

By improving in the spider walk, grappling, crawling, and proprioceptive awareness all become easier.

5. Butt Walk

This consists of sitting on the ground with legs outstretched and attempting to scoot forward without the help of the upper body and without bending the legs.  This develops midsection and hip endurance.

This drill improves kick power by developing a similar movement pattern for the hips.

6. Inch Worm

This consists of lying on the ground with the ankles crossed and hands held behind the back and crawling for distance.  The whole midsection is developed.  Interestingly, the grip is developed due to the long period of time clasping wrists.

This drill is useful for core strengthening and developing skill for moving without the help of the limbs in the event they are damaged.

7. Wheel Barrow

This consists of a partner holding one's legs above the ground and walking forward, forcing hand walking to prevent face planting.  This drill develops similar muscles to the spider walk with a greater emphasis on core and upper body strength.

This drill develops upper body stability and endurance.

8. Bear Crawl

This drill consists of crawling across the ground as quickly as possible on all fours.  It develops every muscle in the body and almost every movement pattern.

The bear crawl creates ground agility, which is particularly useful for grapplers.