Bear Crawl

Core, ShouldersBodyweight

The bear crawl is an excellent bodyweight exercise that builds dynamic core stability, shoulder strength, and total-body coordination.

How to do it

1Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Keep your back flat and eyes on the floor.

2Press through your hands and feet to hover your knees just an inch or two off the floor. Keep a straight line from head to tailbone.

3Move your right hand and left foot forward simultaneously, maintaining a steady core.

4Step forward with your left hand and right foot, crawling forward in a rhythmic pattern.

5Move smoothly without swaying your hips from side to side or arching your lower back.

6Crawl for the prescribed distance or time, then reverse the movement back if desired.

Common mistakes

Arching or rounding your back: Keep your spine neutral by bracing your core tightly.

Pike-ing your hips up: Keep your knees hovering close to the floor without letting your butt rise.

Swaying side to side: Keep your hips square and resist rotational movement.

Holding your breath: Keep a free, steady breath cycle throughout the drill.

Breathing

Breathe naturally in rhythm with your steps—for example, inhale across two strides and exhale across two strides.

Make it harder or easier

To scale down: Take smaller strides, keep your knees lower, or take short rests between reps.

To scale up: Increase your speed, cover longer distances, or perform backward crawls.

Variation: Crawl laterally or in circles to challenge your core from different angles.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.