10 Best Spider Crawl Push Up Alternatives for Home Workouts
Choose exercises that preserve hip extension and core anti-rotation without the crawling pattern. Effective options include single-leg glute bridge, reverse lunge, incline push-up, plank shoulder taps, and mountain climbers. Cue: squeeze the glute at the top of each bridge and keep hips level; brace your core on planks to protect the spine and maintain hip-drive mechanics.
Original Exercise: Spider Crawl Push Up
How to Perform Spider Crawl Push Up
- Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your feet together.
- Bring your right knee towards your right elbow, keeping it off the ground.
- As you bring your right knee back, simultaneously lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows.
- Push back up to the starting position and repeat with your left knee towards your left elbow.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Spider Crawl Push Up Alternatives
1. Drop Push Up
78.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your chest towards the ground, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Once your chest is just above the ground, quickly drop your knees to the ground.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position by extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Close-Grip Push-Up Off Of A Dumbbell
77% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on the floor and place your hands on an upright dumbbell. Supporting your weight on your toes and hands, keep your torso rigid and your elbows in with your arms straight. This will be your starting position.
- Lower your body, allowing the elbows to flex while you inhale. Keep your body straight, not allowing your hips to rise or sag.
- Press yourself back up to the starting position by extending the elbows. Breathe out as you perform this step.
- After a pause at the contracted position, repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
3. Drop Push
77% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Position low boxes or other platforms 2-3 feet apart.
- Move to a pushup position between them, supporting yourself by placing your hands on the boxes.
- With good posture, drop from the platforms by pressing up and moving your hands to shoulder width, cushioning your landing by absorbing the impact through the arm.
4. Body-up
76.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by placing your hands on a raised surface, such as a bench or parallel bars, with your palms facing down and fingers pointing forward.
- Extend your legs out in front of you, keeping your heels on the ground and your body straight.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides, until your upper arms are parallel to the ground.
- Pause for a moment, then push through your palms to straighten your arms and lift your body back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Archer Push Up
75.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Extend one arm straight out to the side, parallel to the ground.
- Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
- Push back up to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side, extending the opposite arm out to the side.
6. Clap Push Up
75.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping your core engaged.
- Push through your palms explosively to propel your body off the ground.
- While in mid-air, clap your hands together before landing back in the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Chest Tap Push-up (male)
74.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line.
- Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- As you lower yourself, tap your chest with your right hand.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement, this time tapping your chest with your left hand.
8. Clock Push-up
73.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
- Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- As you lower, rotate your body to the left, extending your left arm straight out to the side.
- Push back up to the starting position, while rotating your body to the center.
- Repeat the push-up, this time rotating your body to the right and extending your right arm out to the side.
9. Diamond Push-up
72.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start in a high plank position with your hands close together, forming a diamond shape with your thumbs and index fingers.
- Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe, engaging your core and glutes.
- Lower your chest towards the diamond shape formed by your hands, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push yourself back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Exercise Ball Dip
72.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the stability ball with your feet flat on the ground and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.
- Place your hands on the ball beside your hips, fingers pointing forward.
- Engage your triceps and push through your hands to lift your body off the ball, straightening your arms.
- Lower your body back down by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Spider Crawl Push Up Alternative
You might substitute Spider Crawl Push Up for shoulder, wrist, or hip mobility limits, coordination issues, or programming needs. The spider crawl combines loaded horizontal pressing with hip extension and trunk rotation; deficits in any link reduce glute activation and raise injury risk. Choose unilateral hip-extension moves like single-leg glute bridges or Bulgarian split squats to isolate the glute and minimize shoulder load. If wrists or shoulders flare, use incline push-ups or neutral-grip plank variations. Cue: pack your shoulders and hinge at the hips to emphasize posterior-chain recruitment and maintain consistent glute activation.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Match the substitute to the dominant movement pattern and joint tolerance you need. If you want hip extension and glute hypertrophy, pick single-leg glute bridges or Nordic-style hip raises and cue full hip extension with a controlled eccentric. For horizontal pressing without crawling, choose incline push-ups and maintain scapular stability by pulling shoulders down and back. Consider unilateral vs bilateral work, ability to progress load (weighted vest or tempo), and core demand. Assess biomechanics: hip-hinge choices boost glute max activation, while knee-dominant lunges shift load to quads — pick based on which muscle you need to prioritize.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Spider Crawl Push Up work?
The move targets the gluteus maximus and glute medius through hip extension and hip abduction, while also engaging quads in the upper-leg. It imposes a horizontal-press demand on chest, shoulders, and triceps and requires strong core and oblique activation for anti-rotation; cue to keep hips level during each step.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Spider Crawl Push Up?
For pure glute emphasis, the single-leg glute bridge is the top bodyweight substitute; it isolates hip extension without loading the shoulders. Cue: drive through the heel, squeeze the glute hard at the top, and keep the pelvis level to maximize glute activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Spider Crawl Push Up?
Yes. Use progressive overload with alternatives: increase reps, add tempo (slow eccentrics), or progress to weighted split squats and single-leg Romanian deadlifts. Cue: control the eccentric and achieve full hip extension on each rep to maximize time under tension and posterior-chain recruitment.
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