Unlock Total-Body Fitness with the Bear Crawl: A Full-Body Exercise You Can Do Anywhere
Forget the plank, the bear crawl is taking center stage! Certified fitness coach and nutrition specialist Alexia Clark passionately advocates for this often overlooked exercise. To her 2.6 million Instagram followers, Clark explains, “Bear crawls are one of the most underrated exercises out there—and it’s time to change that. Whether you’re building strength, improving mobility and core strength, or getting your heart rate up, this move checks ALL the boxes.”
Clark recently posted a workout showcasing eight variations of the bear crawl, encouraging everyone to give them a try.
Ready to Give a Bear Crawl a Try? Here’s How:
Here are eight equally exciting bear crawl variations to try:
- Forward reverse bear crawl
- Lateral bear crawl
- Low bear crawl
- Reach bear crawl
- Single-leg bear crawl
- Bear crawl pull through
- Bear crawl walk out
- Bear crawl jack
The Incredible Benefits of the Bear Crawl
The bear crawl unlocks a world of benefits beyond the obvious core strengthening. This dynamic exercise engages and strengthens major muscle groups. It not only taxes your core but also targets your glutes (butt muscles), quads, and hamstrings (thigh muscles). It challenges your chest, upper back, and shoulder muscles too.
As a demanding move, it elevates heart rate, boosting cardio fitness. It’s great for mobility, offering a low-impact way to slenderish and strengthen the muscles surrounding key joints.
More great news? It’s accessible to most fitness levels and can be done virtually anywhere.perc -incorporate into your routine as a warm-up, or use it as a stand-alone exercise. Because it demands opposite arm and leg coordination, it challenges functional movement patterns, coordination, and mental focus.
Ready to experience the difference?
Give these variations a shot and feel the burn! Think of it
as a productive ” exercise snack” to break up your day or add it into a beginner’s bodyweight routine.
How do you perform a bear crawl correctly?
## Unlocking Total-Body Fitness: An Interview with Fitness Expert Alexia Clark
**Interviewer:** Alexia, your social media is buzzing about the bear crawl. Why all the hype?
**Alexia Clark:** Thanks for having me! The bear crawl deserves way more attention. It’s this fantastic full-body exercise that works wonders for your strength, coordination, and even your core stability. [[1](https://www.shape.com/bear-crawl-exercise-6950929)]People are used to planks, but the bear crawl takes things to the next level.
**Interviewer:** What makes the bear crawl so effective?
**Alexia Clark:** Imagine a moving high plank. You’re holding your whole body weight, only touching the ground with your palms and toes. That engages your entire core – it’s not just your abs, but also the muscles in your back and sides that work together to keep you stable. It’s a real game-changer for building functional strength.
**Interviewer:** And it can be done anywhere?
**Alexia Clark:** Absolutely! You don’t need any fancy equipment. Just clear some space, get down on all fours, and start crawling! It’s perfect for home workouts or adding some variety to your gym routine.
**Interviewer:** Any advice for beginners?
**Alexia Clark:** Start slow and focus on proper form. Keep your back flat, engage your core, and crawl at a controlled pace. As you get stronger, you can increase the distance or add variations like side shuffles or reversing direction.
**Interviewer:** What’s your final message for people looking to level up their fitness?
**Alexia Clark:** Don’t underestimate the power of the bear crawl! It’s a move that can truly unlock total-body fitness, no matter your level. Give it a try and feel the difference.
