Unlock the Power of Your Core: The Bear Plank Exercise

The Benefits of Bear Planks

The muscles in your lower abdomen can be difficult to engage, even with traditional exercises like crunches and sit-ups. Bear planks, on the other hand, target these muscles perfectly. By incorporating bear planks into your workout routine, you can:

• Improve stability in your lower back
• Boost performance during fast, complex movements
• Reduce the risk of injury to your lower body

How to Do a Bear Plank

To get started with bear planks, follow these simple steps:

1. Start in bear position: On hands and knees with your toes flat against the floor.
2. Align shoulders over wrists: Keeping knees bent at 90 degrees.
3. Transfer body weight forward: Until you feel it in your chest and shoulder muscles.
4. Lift knees off the floor: Hovering an inch or two above the floor.
5. Brace abs and glutes: Hold this position for 20-60 seconds while keeping your breathing steady.
6. Return to starting position: Rest for 10 seconds and repeat 3-5 times.

Variations to Take Your Workout to the Next Level

Once you’ve mastered the basic bear plank, try these variations to challenge yourself:

• Quadruped abdominal brace: A modified version of the bear plank that’s easier on the core.
• Bear crawl: A high-intensity variation that adds movement to the exercise.
• Bear plank leg lifts: Adds an extra challenge to the basic bear plank by lifting your legs off the floor.
• Bear plank heel press: Also known as the bear plank step-through, this variation takes the added spice from the leg lift and kicks things into overdrive.
• Arm and leg reaches: A challenging variation that adds a balance element to the exercise.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

To get the most out of the bear plank exercise, avoid these common mistakes:

• Arching your back: Keep your back flat and your spine neutral.
• Looking around: Keep your neck in a natural position and avoid tilting upward or around.
• Moving your hips out of position: Keep your form consistent and avoid moving your hips up or down.
• Relaxing your core muscles: Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise.
• Forgetting to breathe: Keep your breathing deep and steady, even with your core muscles engaged.