Bear Crawl
- shoulders
- back
- core
- legs
- buttocks
- arms
- hips
The Bear Crawl is a simple yet effective exercise that can be performed by exercise novices and offers numerous benefits. It is a bodyweight exercise that requires no special equipment, making it an excellent choice for busy individuals who may not have access to a gym or fitness equipment. The Bear Crawl primarily targets the muscles of the upper body, core, and lower body, providing a full-body workout.
During the Bear Crawl, you start in a quadruped position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. From this position, you lift your knees a few inches off the ground and begin to move forward, alternating your hands and feet in a crawling motion.
One of the major benefits of the Bear Crawl is its versatility. It can be modified and adjusted to suit different fitness levels and goals. For beginners, starting with shorter distances and slower movements can be more manageable, while advanced individuals can increase the speed and distance to intensify the workout.
The Bear Crawl engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making it a highly efficient exercise. The muscles of the shoulders, arms, and chest are activated as you support your body weight and move forward. Additionally, the core muscles, including the abdominals and lower back, work to stabilize your body throughout the movement.
Furthermore, the Bear Crawl targets the muscles of the lower body, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. As you crawl forward, these muscles help propel your body and provide stability.
Another advantage of the Bear Crawl is its ability to improve coordination and motor skills. The alternating movement of the hands and feet requires coordination and synchronization, enhancing your overall body control and proprioception.
The Bear Crawl can be performed in various settings and does not require a large amount of space. You can do it in your living room, office, or even outdoors. It is a functional exercise that mimics natural human movement patterns, making it beneficial for daily activities and improving overall mobility.
Bear Crawl: How to Video Demonstration
Bear Crawl - Instructions & Steps
- Get on all fours with your palms on the ground and your butt slightly above your backline.
- Push off and walk with your right hand and left foot forward first, then repeat with the left hand and right foot.
- Engage your core as you move
Benefits of Bear Crawl
The Bear Crawl exercise offers a range of benefits that can be enjoyed by individuals of all fitness levels. This bodyweight exercise is suitable for anyone looking to improve their overall strength, endurance, and mobility. Whether you're a busy professional or a fitness enthusiast, the Bear Crawl can be incorporated into your routine without the need for any special equipment. Let's explore the non-athlete benefits of this exercise:
Full-body workout
The Bear Crawl engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, providing a comprehensive workout for the upper body, core, and lower body. It helps strengthen and tone the muscles in your arms, shoulders, chest, abdominals, back, quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes.
Improved core strength and stability
As you crawl forward in the Bear Crawl position, your core muscles work hard to stabilize your body and maintain proper form. This exercise targets the deep abdominal muscles, obliques, and lower back, helping to develop a strong and stable core.
Increased cardiovascular endurance
The Bear Crawl is a dynamic exercise that requires constant movement and engages your cardiovascular system. By performing this exercise, you can improve your heart and lung health, as well as enhance your overall endurance.
Enhanced coordination and motor skills
The Bear Crawl involves coordinating the movement of your hands and feet in an alternating pattern. This helps improve your coordination and motor skills, enhancing your ability to perform daily activities with precision and efficiency.
Improved functional fitness
Since the Bear Crawl mimics natural human movement patterns, it enhances your functional fitness. This exercise helps improve your ability to crawl, climb, and move in various positions, making it beneficial for activities in daily life.
Increased calorie burn
The Bear Crawl is a dynamic, full-body exercise that requires significant energy expenditure. By incorporating it into your workout routine, you can increase your calorie burn, supporting weight loss and maintenance.
Enhanced mobility and flexibility
Performing the Bear Crawl requires a good range of motion in your joints, promoting mobility and flexibility. Regular practice of this exercise can help improve joint health and overall flexibility.
More About Bear Crawl
Bear crawl is a compound exercise that involves using your entire body to move in a crawling position on your hands and feet.
To perform a bear crawl, start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Lift your knees a few inches off the ground, keeping them bent at a 90-degree angle. Move forward by taking small steps with your right hand and left foot simultaneously, followed by your left hand and right foot.
- Shoulders and Arms: Bear crawl engages your shoulders and arms as you support your body weight and move forward on your hands.
- Core Muscles: Your core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis, are actively engaged to stabilize your spine and pelvis during the crawling movement.
- Leg Muscles: The muscles in your legs, such as quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, play a significant role in propelling your body forward and maintaining the crawling position.
- Glutes: Your gluteal muscles are involved in the hip extension during each step, providing power and stability.
- Back Muscles: The muscles in your upper and lower back are activated to maintain proper posture and prevent sagging during the bear crawl.
- Scapular Stabilizers: The muscles between your shoulder blades, such as the rhomboids and trapezius, work to stabilize and control your shoulder movement.
- Hip Flexors: The hip flexor muscles are engaged to lift and move your knees off the ground with each step.
- Quadruped Muscles: The quadruped position (on all fours) also engages muscles in your hands and feet, including your wrists, fingers, and toes.
Bear crawl is an effective compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups in your upper body, core, and lower body.
It not only helps to improve strength and stability but also enhances coordination and mobility. Bear crawls are often included in functional training and bodyweight workouts to simulate natural movement patterns and promote full-body strength.
As with any exercise, it's essential to maintain proper form and avoid overarching your lower back during the bear crawl. Additionally, you can modify the intensity by adjusting the speed and distance of the crawl to suit your fitness level.
