March 14, 2025

When referring to the behavior and role of the media during the despised Emergency, Lal Krishna Advani had famously said: “You were asked to bend, but you crawled.” It obviously associated “crawling” with meekness and complete submission to authority.

But now there is a breed in town who will ask you to both bend and crawl and you will be happy doing both and you will be paying them top money for that.

The latest buzz in the fitness industry is crawling and gym instructors worldwide are asking clients to fall on all fours to seek redemption from everything from obesity to faulty posture.

The first time we crawled, there was a huge smile on the face of our mothers. Later that smile turned into worry lines as we crawled to the nearest table to pull things down. Some of us kept crawling for long before having the spark to stand, while others left crawling soon.

But there must be something good in lying in a prone position and make space on all fours. It stretches all muscles and joints in the body. It builds strength and stamina. It improves hand-eye coordination. Fitness expert and Coach Tim Anderson wrote in breakingmuscle.com that “Perhaps the greatest benefit to crawling is that it builds a foundation of reflexive strength, the original strength you were born to develop.”

There you have it. Go with the buzz and keep crawling. Remember, there are many variations of the move. So consult with a fitness instructor to find out what suits you best. If you do not want to spend money for doing a “childish” thing, then go back in time and remember how you used to do it as a child.

Ready? Happy crawling!!!