Enter the Animal

Did you know that out of the major predators in the animal kingdom, humans are the weakest? Funny, isn’t it? Why are humans the weakest of all animals? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I do know this. The animals are obviously doing something right to have that immense strength. So why don’t we train like animals do? What is it that animals do to train exactly? Well, they walk, they run, they hunt, and they kill. That’s what. What are we going to do? We’re going to perform movements that some of the pound-for-pound strongest animals do on a daily basis. Prepare yourself for the most intense workout session you will ever have in your life, my friends.

To describe animal training with a word will be senseless, because there is no word in the languages of man to describe the ferociousness, the intensity, the sheer PAIN of animal training. I will list the moves, and tell you how to do them. After that, you are on your own.


Novices should ATTEMPT to perform each animal walk for 1 minute rounds with 1 minute rest. Intermediates should do 2 minutes with 1 minute rest. Advanced athletes will do 3 minutes with 1 minute rest, and elite athletes will walk for 4 minutes, with 30 seconds rest. These ARE ABSOLUTELY NOT for the faint at heart. This is some serious hardcore shit we’re getting into here, so get ready. Here we go folks.

Alligator Walks

Chest as close to floor as possible. Elbows high. Move forward moving your left arm and left leg simultaneously, then follow with your right arm and right leg, just like an alligator walks.

Alligator Walks Step 1
Alligator Walks Step 2
Alligator Walks Step 3

Bear Crawls

Bend over like a bear and walk the same way as with the alligator walks. Left leg and left arm, right leg and right arm.

Bear Crawls Walks Step 1
Bear Crawls Walks Step 2
Bear Crawls Walks Step 3

Crab Walks

This one is one of my favorites. You get down on all fours except backwards so it looks like you’re almost like a chair, stomach facing upwards, then you move left leg and left arm, and then right leg and right arm. Walk forward, backwards, and sideways. Hard to explain in words, easier with a picture.

Crab Walks Step 1
Crab Walks Step 2
Crab Walks Step 3

Cricket Walks

Squat down with your arms between your legs grabbing your ankles. Start walking. Walk forward, backwards, and side-to-side.

Cricket Walks Step 1
Cricket Walks Step 2
Cricket Walks Step 3

Duck Walks

I love these because they are great for conditioning the legs for boxing. Put your hands behind your head like you’re getting arrested, squat down, and start walking like a duck.

Duck Walks Step 1
Duck Walks Step 2
Duck Walks Step 3

Frog Jump

Get down with your hands on your ankles on the outsides of your legs. Jump forward staying as low to the ground as possible. Your goal is to jump as far as you can.

Frog Jumps Step 1

Inchworm

A tremendous abdominal exercise and general body strengthener. No way to describe how to do it in words. Look at the picture.

Inchworm Step 1
Inchworm Step 2

After you finish extending your body out, walk back up to the starting position with your legs only, not moving your upper body, and repeat the process by walking out again with your arms. This is a favorite of mine.

Kangaroo Hop

Assume a half squat position and jump like there’s no tomorrow. The goal is to jump as high and as far as you can. When you land, land in the half squat position and repeat.

Kangaroo Step 1

Monkey walk

Walk around on your feet with only one hand. Alternate hands only when the walking hand gets fatigued.

Monkey Walk Step 1

Seal Crawl

Lay down on the floor on your stomach and lift your feet off the ground. Pull yourself around the floor with only your hands.

Seal Crawl Step 1

These are the best animal walks out there in my opinion. There are dozens more; just walk like any animal you think is strong. These are the ones that will condition you the best. With the exception of the seal crawl, all of these animal walks should be done on a track with the timing that was given in the opening paragraphs. Well, guys, that’s all there is to it. Be careful when starting these. And remember, once you start, you’ll never be able to stop. And also remember, don’t worry about looking like an idiot. You’ll be able to take care of any problems that assholes try to give you because you’ll be an ANIMAL!

Sources: Underground Guide to Warrior Fitness by Ross Enamait




15 Responses to “Think You’re in Shape? Train Like an Animal! Literally!”

  1. Maurice Says:

    Presently I’m doing circuit workouts in my park, using the equipments available like sit-up boards, chin-up bars, dipping bars, jumping ladder, monkey ramps, logs for shoulders and also doing burpees. It helps me aerobically and strengthens me, but I would like to do animal workouts like what u taught and see whether it will improve me further. By the way, the circuit workouts I mentioned above are done 10reps X 2/3sets with 10mins interval. Thank u.

  2. wayne Says:

    awesome-this is the best strength training for your body it works every part of the body-when you do this type of workout,you will know the different-your muscle will feel sore all over-I have try it and wow does it hurt,it really strenghten you.great stuff,thank you very much for putting it on this site,have be looking for something like this for awhile there are more type of animal movement workout you can do-hope you show more of the animal movement-because they do work-keep up the good work

  3. London Tours Says:

    What a workout… I only made it through half of your suggestions and am shattered and I thought I exercised regularly… anyway, will follow the routine and work my way up! Thanks for the information.

  4. Motley Health and Fitness Says:

    Bodyweight exercises are so often overlooked. A word of warning for the cricket walks and duck walks though – ensure your knees are well warmed up and stretched, as too many of these can cause excess strain on the knee joints. Like bunny hops, they are generally best avoided now.

  5. London Sightseeing Tours Says:

    Just wanted to follow up on my earlier comment to say that I have been doing this for a month now and its really impressive what it has done with a decent diet. You really get into it! Thanks again.

  6. mike @ Coach outlet Online Says:

    This looks pretty cool, and it makes sense. One of the things I ve been doing recenlty is everlast boxing classes at 24 hour. What really kills is when we do the push ups, and drills over the punching. Man, when you need to use your whole body, and support your weight with your arms, that kills!

  7. VIKNESH Says:

    This is great workout , i have incorporated some of these workouts for quite some time , literally time saving workouts great for muscle building and fat loss. feel more energetic and fitter

  8. Home Gym Guides Says:

    Those are some pretty sick work outs. I didn’t believe you telling us how hard it was… When I got to the Kangaroo one OMG, I thought my damn legs were going to collapse =p. I’m only at novice now because I haven’t worked out for quite some time, but these are some pretty fun things you can do to keep your body working. Thanks for showing us these man, like em a lot!

  9. Gamer freak Says:

    Wow I never really stopped to think about how much exercise animals do everyday, very interesting. I bet if we were to do all that every day we would be as strong as a bear, however I don’t think my boyfriend would like me being stronger then he is.

  10. James Says:

    Will these get me ripped?

  11. fat burning exercises Says:

    Great exercises. Gonna have to try these out. Thanks

  12. Fake it till you make it. « foodfoodbodybody Says:

    [...] of lunges, monkey walks, caterpillar walks, etc to warm [...]

  13. Flat abs Says:

    You’ve shown us some great exercises there! I will certainly add these to my multi-joint exercises which by the way has massively helped me to shred fat…previously i was just jogging and doing single joint muscles and it lost me weight, but i couldnt lose my last 10 pounds. Since doing high intensity stuff and multi-joint exercises it’s been really easy to shred.

  14. Loren Sheets Says:

    I use a training system that incorporates all of this style of training. We call these types of moves integration moves because they incorporate all the joints of the body in coordinated movements, as opposed to isolated strength training. We do them on the ground, also on balance beams. We jump fences, climb walls, do stairs, do handstands on boxes or stumps, lunge walk, duck walk, bear crawl, inchworm, crab walk, forwards, backwards, sideways, over, under, always changing the demands on the body, just like an animal would need to do in nature. The result is an extremely high level of efficiency in the muscular system to be able to move in any direction with strength and power. Running becomes effortless and injury-free. Check out the runwithpower.com blog for a ton more information on this style of training.

  15. Topper Says:

    Beginners should be doing 1 minute rounds with 1 minute rest, sure, but how many 1-and-1 should they be shooting for? 5? 10?

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