How to do an Inchworm
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Inchworm
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Inchworm is a compound, bodyweight exercise that targets your shoulders, chest, arms, and core. The movement involves bending at the waist, walking your hands out into a plank position, performing a push-up, and then walking your feet back towards your hands. This exercise helps improve upper body strength, core stability, and flexibility, making it an effective dynamic warm-up or conditioning movement.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Lower your hands so that your palms are just in front of your toes and begin to walk your hands forward until you’ve created a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
- Tiptoe your toes back up towards your hands before standing back upright to the starting position.
Alternative Exercises to Inchworm
1. Hip Hinge
13.7 mSCORESWAPPED 5,380 TIMESHip Hinge is a fundamental movement pattern that primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. This is a compound exercise that emphasizes proper form and mechanics which are critical for many other strength training exercises like Deadlifts and Good Mornings. This movement helps improve hip mobility and stability, and is a vital component for building a strong and resilient posterior chain.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
2. Leg Swing
12.7 mSCORESWAPPED 2,955 TIMESLeg Swing is an effective dynamic stretch that primarily targets the hip flexors and hamstrings. This compound exercise involves swinging your leg forward and backward, or side to side, maintaining controlled movement as you progress through the range. It’s an excellent warm-up exercise to improve mobility, flexibility, and coordination, making it easier to prepare for more intense lower body workouts.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
3. PVC Good Morning
2.2 mSCORESWAPPED 862 TIMESPVC Good Morning is a bodyweight variation on the more standard Good Morning. Like other Good Morning variations, this compound exercise primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. The use of a PVC pipe helps to ensure proper form by giving you a lightweight guide. This variation is excellent for beginners learning the movement, and for warming up more advanced lifters without adding significant weight.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
- PVC Pipe
4. Airplane
12.8 mSCORESWAPPED 675 TIMESAirplane is a bodyweight balance exercise that primarily targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. By standing on one leg and extending your arms and opposite leg out, this exercise adds significant instability, helping to improve balance and muscle coordination. This is a great exercise for enhancing proprioception and functional strength, especially in stabilizing muscles.
- Intermediate
- Hamstrings
5. Walking Front Kicks
2.4 mSCORESWAPPED 657 TIMESWalking Front Kicks are a dynamic, compound exercise that primarily targets the hip flexors, quads, and hamstrings. By incorporating a walking motion, you also engage your core for stability and improve your balance and coordination. This exercise is excellent for enhancing flexibility and warming up the lower body muscles, making it a great addition to any warm-up routine or dynamic stretching session.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
6. Walkout
14.7 mSCORESWAPPED 440 TIMESWalkouts are a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets your core, shoulders, and hamstrings. The exercise involves standing with your feet hip-width apart, bending over to touch the ground, walking your hands forward until you're in a push-up position, and then walking back to the standing position. This is a great exercise for improving strength, stability, and range of motion in your core and upper body.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
7. Bear Crawl
6.1 mSCORESWAPPED 365 TIMESBear Crawl is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the core, shoulders, and legs. By moving on all fours, you engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously while also enhancing coordination and stability. This exercise adds an element of cardio, making it a great way to build endurance and functional strength, with practical benefits for overall body control and movement.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
8. Lunge to Hamstring Stretch
5.2 mSCORESWAPPED 284 TIMESLunge to Hamstring Stretch is a dynamic movement that combines a standard Lunge with a Hamstring Stretch. This compound exercise primarily targets the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings. By transitioning from a forward lunge into a hamstring stretch, you enhance flexibility while also promoting strength and stability. It's an excellent addition to warm-up routines to improve mobility and prepare your lower body for more intense exercises.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
9. Seated Forward Bend
12.2 mSCORESWAPPED 230 TIMESSeated Forward Bend is a flexibility and mobility exercise that primarily targets the hamstrings and lower back. By sitting with your legs extended and bending forward to reach your toes, you effectively stretch the posterior chain. This exercise helps improve your range of motion and can aid in relieving tension in the lower back. It's a great addition to your cooldown routine to enhance flexibility.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings
10. Downward Dog
8.4 mSCORESWAPPED 226 TIMESDownward Dog is a yoga pose that serves as a functional and versatile stretch. It is primarily beneficial for improving flexibility in your hamstrings, calves, and shoulders while also strengthening your arms and core. By extending your hands and feet and forming an inverted V-shape, you create an effective full-body stretch that can enhance overall mobility and reduce tension, making it a great addition to warm-ups or cool-downs in strength-training routines.
- Beginner
- Hamstrings