Crab Reach Underswitch Exploration

This ground-based flow integrates mobility and strength, enhancing body coordination and spatial awareness.

animal flow / ground movement · Animal Flow (Mike Fitch) · This movement meets the need for improved full-body coordination and confidence in navigating varied ground positions, addressing a felt sense of stiffness or hesitancy in transitional movements. · 3-5 rounds per side, 30-60 seconds per round, focusing on fluid transitions.

Why it works

The Crab Reach Underswitch targets the nervous system by challenging proprioception and motor control through complex, multi-joint movements. This enhances somatosensory feedback and refines movement patterns, contributing to better coordination and agility. Tissue-wise, the helical and spiraling motions engage the fascial lines that connect the contralateral limbs and trunk, particularly the superficial front and back arm lines, and the spiral lines. This articulation through the shoulders, spine, and hips helps to restore fascial elasticity, improve intersegmental mobility, and build strength in the muscles responsible for rotational stability and dynamic limb control.

How to practice

Start in a crab position (seated with knees bent, feet flat, hands behind you with fingers pointing towards your hips). Lift your hips slightly off the ground, engaging your glutes.
Initiate a Crab Reach: Lift your right hand and reach it across your body, simultaneously extending your left leg straight. Focus on rotating through your thoracic spine and opening your chest towards the ceiling. Inhale as you reach.
Return to the crab position, exhaling gently.
From the crab position, prepare for the Underswitch: Lift your right hand and left foot slightly off the ground.
Thread your left leg under your body and through the space created by lifting your right hand, rotating your torso to transition towards a quadrupedal position, or a modified ape. Maintain a controlled movement. Exhale as you underswitch.
Continue the flow by transitioning back to the crab position or by reversing the underswitch to return to the starting crab position.
Repeat on the opposite side, initiating with a left-hand reach.
Start in a crab position (seated with knees bent, feet flat, hands behind you with fingers pointing towards your hips). Lift your hips slightly off the ground, engaging your glutes.
Initiate a Crab Reach: Lift your right hand and reach it across your body, simultaneously extending your left leg straight. Focus on rotating through your thoracic spine and opening your chest towards the ceiling. Inhale as you reach.
Return to the crab position, exhaling gently.
From the crab position, prepare for the Underswitch: Lift your right hand and left foot slightly off the ground.
Thread your left leg under your body and through the space created by lifting your right hand, rotating your torso to transition towards a quadrupedal position, or a modified ape. Maintain a controlled movement. Exhale as you underswitch.
Continue the flow by transitioning back to the crab position or by reversing the underswitch to return to the starting crab position.
Repeat on the opposite side, initiating with a left-hand reach.