How many reps of the inchworm should a beginner do?

Start with 2 sets of 6 walk-outs, treating each one as a slow, deliberate mobility rep rather than racing through the count. Add a couple of reps per set once the hips stop sagging at the far plank position before adding a second full set.

How do I make the inchworm easier or harder?

Bend the knees generously on the fold down and take smaller hand-walking steps to make it easier on tight hamstrings. To make it harder, slow the tempo of the whole flow, or hold a brief pause at both the fold and the plank before continuing.

What is the inchworm good for, and when is it not enough on its own?

It warms up the hamstrings and shoulders while building anti-extension core control in one smooth flowing move, which is why it shows up so often before lifting sessions. It is not enough as a standalone strength builder on its own, and it is a poor fit for wrist pain, since repeated hand-walking loads the wrists directly.

Beginner

Inchworm

The inchworm flows from a standing forward fold into a plank and back, so it warms up the hamstrings and shoulders while forcing the core to hold a strong plank at the far reach. Walking the hands out demands real anti-extension control to keep the hips from sagging. It is a low-intensity conditioning and warm-up staple that builds core stability and opens the posterior chain in one smooth move.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs, Shoulder
Type: Cardio, Functional
Browse by muscle: Upper Rectus Abdominals, Lower Rectus Abdominals, Deltoid Anterior
Browse by movement: Core Brace

How to do it

1
Stand tall, then hinge at the hips and place your hands on the floor, bending the knees as needed.
2
Walk your hands forward one at a time until you reach a straight-arm plank.
3
Hold the plank briefly with a braced core and level hips.
4
Keeping the legs as straight as your flexibility allows, walk the feet in small steps toward your hands.
5
Rise back to standing, or repeat the hand walk-out to travel forward.
6
Move at a controlled pace, keeping the trunk tight the whole way out and back.

Tips

Keep the hips from sagging as you reach the plank; the core must stay braced at the farthest point.
Bend the knees on the fold if tight hamstrings keep your hands from reaching the floor.
Add a push-up at the plank to raise the difficulty once the pattern feels smooth.

Variations

Common mistakes

The hands walk out in big, uneven steps instead of a steady one-at-a-time rhythm, so the plank arrives with the shoulders already fatigued.
The steps back in yank the feet forward quickly instead of small controlled ones, turning a mobility flow into a rushed hop.
Rounding the upper back while walking the feet in tries to fake range the hamstrings do not actually have yet.
The knees lock out hard at the top of the fold instead of staying soft, putting strain on the hamstring attachment right as it stretches.
Holding the breath through the walk-out instead of breathing steadily adds tension exactly where the drill is meant to release it.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the inchworm should a beginner do?: Start with 2 sets of 6 walk-outs, treating each one as a slow, deliberate mobility rep rather than racing through the count. Add a couple of reps per set once the hips stop sagging at the far plank position before adding a second full set.
How do I make the inchworm easier or harder?: Bend the knees generously on the fold down and take smaller hand-walking steps to make it easier on tight hamstrings. To make it harder, slow the tempo of the whole flow, or hold a brief pause at both the fold and the plank before continuing.
What is the inchworm good for, and when is it not enough on its own?: It warms up the hamstrings and shoulders while building anti-extension core control in one smooth flowing move, which is why it shows up so often before lifting sessions. It is not enough as a standalone strength builder on its own, and it is a poor fit for wrist pain, since repeated hand-walking loads the wrists directly.

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