How to do a Table Top Bear Crawl
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Table Top Bear Crawl
Instructions for Proper Form
Table Top Bear Crawl is a full-body, bodyweight exercise. This compound movement engages your core, shoulders, and legs as you crawl forward and backward while keeping your knees off the ground. It’s excellent for building core stability and shoulder endurance. The bear crawl increases cardiovascular activity and can be a more dynamic alternative to planks or static holds.
- Kneel on the ground with your knees about shoulder-width apart and your toes curled under your feet.
- Position your hands on the floor, right under your shoulders.
- Maintain proper posture by keeping your back straight, chest up, and eyes looking down at the floor.
- Raise your knees an inch or two off the ground by lifting your butt into the air.
- Keep your back straight as you shift your weight to one hand and the opposite foot.
- Reach forward slightly with your non-load-bearing hand, and take a small step with your opposite foot.
- Take another step forward on your hands and feet by shifting your weight to the other hand and foot.
- Repeat until the end of the set.
Sets & Reps Calculator
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Alternatives & Variations to Table Top Bear Crawl
1. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 28 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
2. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 28 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
3. Dead Bug
92.4 mSCORESWAPPED 24 TIMESDead Bugs are a bodyweight core exercise that requires you to lay on your back, and alternate extending your arms and legs out away from your body. The position you’re in on the ground keeps your core engaged, while extending your arms and legs away from you forces you to further recruit your core to continue to stabilize yourself.
4. Scissor Kick
94.2 mSCORESWAPPED 24 TIMESScissor Kicks are a bodyweight, core exercise that involve raising your feet off the ground, and kicking your legs up and down. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already working your core. By continually alternating which leg is raised, you’re constantly forced to keep your core engaged for stability as well as to keep each leg raised.
5. Leg Pull-In
94.9 mSCORESWAPPED 23 TIMESLeg Pull in is a bodyweight exercise that targets your core. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already engaging your core. Additionally your core helps to pull your legs in towards your chest.
6. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 23 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
7. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 21 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
8. Oblique Crunch
86.7 mSCORESWAPPED 19 TIMESOblique Crunch is a variation on the more standard Crunch. Similar to Crunches, this is a bodyweight core exercise. By reaching across your torso, you can help isolate your obliques. This is a great exercise for anyone looking to specifically target their obliques.
9. Reverse Crunch
87.7 mSCORESWAPPED 17 TIMESReverse Crunch is a variation on the more standard crunch, although it may appear closer to something like a Leg Raise. Rather than engaging your core to bring your chest towards your pelvis, you instead elevate your legs, and bring your pelvis in towards your chest.