Bear Walk

A dynamic bodyweight movement where the body is held in an inverted V position while walking forward, building core strength and shoulder stability.

Instructions

  1. Rest your weight on your palms and the balls of your feet, not dissimilar to normal pushup position.
  2. Move by stepping with your right palm and left foot, then your left palm and right foot. Basically, walk like a lumbering bear.
  3. Move as fast as you can while maintaining the bear position.
  4. Continue for the prescribed distance or time duration.

Tips

  • Maintain a flat back and high hip position throughout the movement.
  • The contralateral (opposite side) movement pattern increases coordination demands.
  • Keep your core tight to prevent your hips from dropping.
  • You can measure reps/sets in either distance (i.e. 40 yards) or time (i.e. 45 seconds).
  • This is an excellent full-body strength and conditioning exercise.

Recommended starting values

Sensible novice starting points for each goal, for a lifter aged 25–40. Scale down for smaller frames or older lifters. Treat the first set of any session as a discovery set.

Goal Sets Distance
Gain strength 3 300 m
Build muscle 3 700 m
Build endurance 3 1.3 km