Do the Worm

Being a great dancer can make you the life of a party, but busting out the worm can make you a legend. Learn this silly and memorable party move by reading the easy-to-follow steps below.

Steps

  1. Go into a basic push-up position. With your hands even with your chest, rest your body on the ground, Keep your shoulders back and your hips forward to do the worm. Make sure you've stretched your back before attempting it.[1]
  2. Curl your toes in. One of the most important parts of the move is keeping your toes curled in, so you can use them to push and create the distinctive "wave" that starts the move. You can't push up if your toes are pointed straight back. Use them to grip and push yourself up and forward once you've kicked.
  3. Bring your legs up at a 90 degree angle. Lift your feet so the bottoms of your feet are pointing straight up toward the sky. Practice donkey-kicking up and back to get your hips off the ground. This is the easiest way to get the move started, but takes some practice to get the physics of it right.
  4. Kick and push. To try the first motion, kick your legs up and back. With your hips off the ground, push up with your hands as you would to do a regular push-up. Let your feet come down first and let your hips, stomach, and chest roll back forward to the push-up position. This will send that wave-like motion through your body.
    • Get the rhythm down and practice getting more of your body off the ground with each kick.
  5. Land back on your toes. It's important to remember that the move starts from your toes. Keep them curled in and land with your toes ready to immediately push off again. Chain several of these 'kick-and-push' moves together to do the worm.
  6. Try variations. Once you've got the basic motion down, you can change the way the move starts, how many times you do it, and how high. You can also start the worm from a kneeling position by rolling forward from your knees and kicking up and back when you roll all the way forward onto your hands.
    • Try a backward worm by starting from a standing position. Put your hands on the ground and kick your legs up in the air as if you were about to do a handstand. Instead, let your body lower to the ground by rolling from the chest to the stomach and the hips. When your toes touch, push off as you normally would and push-up with your hands again. Your momentum should carry you in the opposite direction.[2]



Warnings

  • Do not do the worm:
    • In boxer shorts
    • If you have heart or lung condition
    • Immediately after eating
    • If pregnant
    • If you can not do a push-up.

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Sources and Citations

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