Dozens of people performed a bizarre "crocodile crawl" fitness routine in a park in eastern China.

Video filmed in Suzhou City in Jiangsu Province on March 30, shows a group of fitness enthusiasts donning gloves and moving on all fours, mimicking the movements of a crocodile in a line, while chanting together.

Dubbed the "crocodile crawl," this form of exercise was introduced by the group's coach, Li Wei, who founded the fitness team three years ago.

Today, the team boasts over 80 members, mostly aged above 50, who claim significant health benefits from this unique workout, including relief from lumbar and cervical spine issues and enhanced cardiorespiratory function.

Their efforts have not gone unnoticed, with the team even featuring on a China Central Television programme in September 2022.

Mr Zhu, a 55-year-old entrepreneur from Suzhou City and a fitness aficionado, founded the group after discovering the benefits of crocodile crawling in August 2021.

With an increasing membership that now stands at around 80 people, ranging from individuals in their 70s to those born in the 90s, and 80% of whom are employed, the group has become a diverse assembly of fitness enthusiasts.

Contrary to what some might assume, the "crocodile crawl" is just one of several exercises practised by the group, which also includes push-ups and various bar exercises, performed twice daily for about 50 seconds to a minute each time.

Consultations with orthopaedic surgeons have affirmed the benefits of this activity for conditions like herniated discs, a sentiment echoed by a member of the group who is a surgeon.

Medical professionals have offered their perspectives on the "crocodile crawl." Dr Chen Xin, a deputy chief physician in the Department of Spinal Surgery at Peking University Third Hospital, remarked that the exercise poses minimal risk from an orthopaedic standpoint, likening it to a dynamic push-up or plank that reduces stress on the spine and intervertebral discs, thereby aiding in core strength and joint stability. However, Chen advises against it for elderly individuals with certain shoulder and lower limb conditions.

Dr Xu Delong from Wuhan's Fourth Hospital's Department of Rehabilitation Medicine added that while beneficial for spinal recovery, the exercise's demands on physical strength and hip movement may not be suitable for everyone, particularly the elderly or those with significant weight, wrist, or hip issues.

Furthermore, Dr Xu Shunlin, a chief physician in Cardiology at Peking University Third Hospital, cautioned against it for individuals with chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular conditions, due to the potential for increased blood pressure and significant stress on the heart.

The video was provided by local media with permission.

近日，江苏苏州。张家港香山公园惊现“爬行锻炼大军”引发关注，一群人戴上手套，四肢着地，像鳄鱼一样前行，动作整齐划一，并喊起口号：“呼！哈！左手呼，右手哈！”他们将这种锻炼方式称为“鳄鱼爬”。
据该健身团教练李卫介绍，此“鳄鱼爬”健身团队成立三年了，团队共有八十多人，平均年龄超过五十岁。他们每此爬行40米左右。坚持这种锻炼，可以缓解腰椎和颈椎等问题，增强心肺功能。2022年9月份，他们团队还曾被邀请登上了中央电视台参加节目。
另据健身团的团长朱先生介绍。他今年55岁，在苏州经营企业，也是一位健身爱好者，从2021年8月开始尝试这项运动。随着参与人数增多，朱先生成立了健身团，如今已达到80人左右的规模。目前团队中年龄最大的已经71岁，最小的是90后，80%有工作。
朱先生说：“平时我们会在山上锻炼一个小时，项目很多，像俯卧撑、单杠、双杠和健腹轮都有，‘鳄鱼爬’只是其中一个小项目，并不是像网友想的那样一直爬。我们每天也就做两次，每次大概也就是50秒到1分钟，然后会休息几分钟。我们也咨询过骨科医生，他认为这个动作对腰椎间盘突出是有好处的，而且我们健身团队中也有外科医生，如果没有效果，我们也不会坚持三年。”
对于“鳄鱼爬”这个动作，北京大学第三医院脊柱外科副主任医师陈欣认为，从骨科角度看风险性并不大。“类似一个动态的俯卧撑或者平板支撑动作，跟游泳一样是平着，对脊柱、椎间盘的应力是减小的，对增强核心力量和关节稳定性是有帮助的。但有陈旧性肩关节退行性病变、肩袖损伤、下肢关节炎的老年人，还是不建议做这个动作。”
武汉市第四医院康复医学科主治医师许德龙认为，如果腰椎出现问题，适当的爬行对于腰椎的恢复是有一定好处的，但是该运动对于体力要求比较高、髋关节动作比较大，老年人、体重偏大、腕关节、髋关节有问题的人群都不太适合。
北京大学第三医院心内科主任医师徐顺霖认为，对于患有高血压、糖尿病、心脑血管动脉硬化、做过心脏支架的慢病人，做这个动作会让血压升高，胸压和腹压也会给心脏带来很大压力，所以并不建议做。