Crawling under your chair is the latest fitness craze to take the internet by storm and it’s completely bizarre. So, of course, we had to try it.
Where It Started
Back in 2012, 50-something-year-old owner of a climbing gym, known on the interwebs as The Chair Climbing Man, posted this video of what he called the “chair traverse”. Traverse is a climbing term for moving from one point to another across a course. People were impressed and it got a few thousand views.
Fast forward to 2016 and the Amazing Chair Climbing Man resurfaced in a Throwback Thursday post that went viral. Soon crazy people from Cape Town to California were crawling under their chairs, posting about it on social media and challenging their friends. Don’t you just love the internet?
How It Works
The rules are simple. You start by sitting on a regular chair, facing forward, feet on the ground. From here, you have to crawl under the chair and make your way all the way around it, back to the start again, without touching the ground – and without the chair falling on you! You may use any method you choose, but you may not have any outside help.
But Is It A Workout?
We weren’t entirely sure it deserved being called a core workout – until deputy editor Wanita Nicol was challenged by a friend to try it.
And the verdict? “It’s a hectic workout! It challenges your arms, back and shoulders (hanging onto the chair), legs (wrapping around the chair and clinging) and holding yourself up off the floor, while trying to maintain downward pressure on the chair, is one helluva core workout!”
#WorkoutWednesday Challenge: Can You Do The Chair Traverse?
Watch this video of Wanita trying to crawl under her chair. Think you have a better strategy? Tag us in your attempts on Instagram @WomensHealthMagSA and let us know how it went. Our fave videos will be regrammed. Tips: Find a sturdy chair – chairs with armrests work better – and put a soft mat underneath you!
