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All abs & core exercisesAbs & Core · Calisthenic

Bear Crawl

Quadruped crawl with knees hovering. Builds core stability and coordination.

BeginnerBodyweight4 × 20–30 m
Bear Crawl demonstration thumbnail — Bear Crawl | Proper Form Tutorial for Core & Full-Body Strength
CoreBodyweight

Bear Crawl

Demo · FIT.nl

Verified Bear Crawl demonstration by FIT.nl. Click to play.

How to do the Bear Crawl

  1. 1Knees 1 inch off floor
  2. 2Opposite arm and leg
  3. 3Flat back

Benefits of the Bear Crawl

  • Builds strength and size in the core through a full, controlled range of motion
  • Also trains shoulders, quads as supporting movers
  • Needs no equipment — trainable at home, outdoors or while traveling
  • Low skill demand — safe to learn early and useful for high-rep volume

Sources

Exercise information is provided for general educational purposes. Choose movements appropriate for your ability level and stop if you experience pain, dizziness, unusual shortness of breath or other concerning symptoms. Seek appropriate medical or fitness guidance when needed.

  1. 1Behm et al. (2016) — Acute effects of stretching on range of motion and performanceApplied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
  2. 2McGill (2010) — Core training: evidence translating to better performance and injury preventionStrength and Conditioning Journal
  3. 3Schoenfeld, Ogborn & Krieger (2017) — Dose-response of resistance training volume on hypertrophyJournal of Sports Sciences
  4. 4ACSM position stand (2009) — Progression models in resistance training for healthy adultsMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
  5. 5Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd editionU.S. Department of Health and Human Services