Bear Crawl

A slightly wider grip and stopping around lower chest is often more shoulder-friendly.

Think “elbows up, bar close”—the bar should glide up your torso.

If you feel shoulder pinching, reduce the range, lighten the load, or swap to dumbbell upright rows, cable upright rows, or lateral raises.

Keep your core tight and ribs down so the motion stays strict and controlled.

Control the lowering phase (2–3 seconds down) to keep tension where you want it.

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Use an open space with a flat, non-slip surface (turf, rubber floor, or mat). Clear at least 10–20 feet in front of you. You can perform this bodyweight only, or add a mini-band around the wrists/ankles for progression once technique is solid.

Move forward by stepping the right hand and left foot at the same time, then the left hand and right foot, alternating in a smooth crawl pattern. Keep steps short and controlled. Maintain a strong brace so your torso doesn’t sway, and keep your knees hovering close to the floor throughout. Breathe steadily and move with control—quality and posture matter more than speed. To reverse, perform the same pattern moving backward.

Conditioning: 4–8 rounds of 10–20 meters (or 15–30 seconds), rest 45–90 seconds

Core + shoulder stability: 3–5 sets of 10–15 meters with strict form, rest 60–90 seconds

Beginner: 3–4 rounds of 5–10 meters (or 10–20 seconds), rest as needed
You can also program it in circuits as a low-impact conditioning drill.

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Move forward by stepping the right hand and left foot at the same time, then the left hand and right foot, alternating in a smooth crawl pattern. Keep steps short and controlled. Maintain a strong brace so your torso doesn’t sway, and keep your knees hovering close to the floor throughout. Breathe steadily and move with control—quality and posture matter more than speed. To reverse, perform the same pattern moving backward.

Conditioning: 4–8 rounds of 10–20 meters (or 15–30 seconds), rest 45–90 seconds

Core + shoulder stability: 3–5 sets of 10–15 meters with strict form, rest 60–90 seconds

Beginner: 3–4 rounds of 5–10 meters (or 10–20 seconds), rest as needed
You can also program it in circuits as a low-impact conditioning drill.

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Setup

Starting Position

Execution

Tips on doing this exercise

Common Mistakes

Recommended Ranges

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