Bear Crawl
Also known as: bear crawls, bear crawl exercise
The knees hovering an inch off the floor is the entire exercise; raise them higher and it becomes a wobbly walk instead of a moving brace.
How to do Bear Crawl
- Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
- Lift your knees slightly off the ground, keeping your back flat and your core engaged.
- Move your right hand and left foot forward simultaneously, followed by your left hand and right foot.
- Continue crawling forward, alternating your hand and foot movements.
- Maintain a steady pace and keep your core tight throughout the exercise.
- Continue for the desired distance or time.
Bear Crawl Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
4 sets of 15-20 yards wearing a light weight vest, 2 minutes rest, moving one deliberate step at a time with a pause on each contact.
Hypertrophy
Not a size builder. Three sets of 20 yards with 90 seconds rest works well as shoulder and core preparation before pressing.
Endurance
5-6 rounds of 30-45 seconds of continuous crawling with 30 seconds rest, alternating forward and backward travel.
Common Bear Crawl Mistakes
Moving the same-side hand and foot together, which rocks the torso from side to side.
Step the right hand with the left foot and the left hand with the right foot. A cup of water on the lower back should not spill.
Letting the hips ride high so the crawl turns into a downward-dog shuffle.
Keep the knees an inch off the floor and the back flat enough to balance a broomstick from the shoulders to the hips.
Taking long strides that push the shoulders far ahead of the hands.
Take short steps of a few inches so the shoulders stay stacked over the wrists the entire time.
Easier and Harder Than Bear Crawl
Swap Bear Crawl For
Bear Crawl — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Bear Crawl?
Start on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Lift your knees slightly off the ground, keeping your back flat and your core engaged. Move your right hand and left foot forward simultaneously, followed by your left hand and right foot. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Bear Crawl work?
The Bear Crawl primarily targets the cardiovascular system. It is classified as a cardio exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Bear Crawl should I do?
For muscle growth: not a size builder. Three sets of 20 yards with 90 seconds rest works well as shoulder and core preparation before pressing. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Bear Crawl good for beginners?
Not usually. The Bear Crawl is an advanced movement that assumes existing strength and joint control. Build up through easier cardio progressions first, then add this once the basics feel comfortable.
What can I do instead of the Bear Crawl?
Try the Jump Rope, Walking On Stepmill or the Walking On Incline Treadmill. Each trains the cardiovascular system with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
Is the Bear Crawl the same as the bear crawls?
Yes. The Bear Crawl is also commonly called the bear crawls or the bear crawl exercise. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "bear crawls" and "bear crawl exercise" refer to this same movement.
