How many reps of the inchworm to beast should you do when you are new to the exercise?

Start with 2 sets of 5 to 6 full reps, treating the walk-out and walk-back as two deliberate halves rather than rushing between them. Add a two- to three-second hold in the beast hover before adding more reps.

How do I make the inchworm to beast easier or harder?

If the hamstrings are the limiter, bend the knees more during the hinge and walk-out so the stretch is gentler. To make it harder, add a short hold in a full plank before tucking into the beast, or slow the entire walk to a near-static pace.

What is the inchworm to beast good for and when is it a poor choice?

It links a standing hinge to a loaded core-and-shoulder hold, making it a solid movement-prep drill or a flowing conditioning piece that bridges standing and ground work. It is a poor choice for anyone with a wrist that cannot bear weight yet, or an acute hamstring strain that the deep hinge would aggravate.

Intermediate

Inchworm to Beast

This drill strings a standing hip hinge to the beast position, giving you a hamstring stretch on the way down and a loaded core and shoulder hold at the bottom. Pulling into the knee hover instead of a flat plank keeps the quads and trunk fully engaged. It works beautifully as a movement-prep transition or a flowing conditioning exercise that links standing and ground positions.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Abs, Shoulder
Type: Functional
Browse by muscle: Abdominal External Oblique, Deltoid Anterior, Rectus Femoris
Browse by movement: Core Brace

How to do it

1
Stand tall, then hinge forward and place your hands on the floor, bending the knees as needed.
2
Walk the hands out step by step until you reach a strong plank position.
3
Tuck the knees under and lift them an inch to settle into a braced beast hold.
4
Pause in the hover, keeping the back flat and the hips level.
5
Walk the hands back toward the feet and rise to standing.
6
Repeat for the prescribed reps, moving with control at each stage.

Tips

Keep the core braced as you walk out so the low back does not sag into the plank.
Only lift the knees as high as you can hold without the hips shooting up.
Walk the hands, do not jump them, to keep the shoulders safe and the movement smooth.

Variations

Common mistakes

The knees lock out hard during the initial hinge, yanking the hamstrings instead of letting a soft bend share the load.
The hands stop a foot short of the feet on the way back up, so the back rounds to finish the stand instead of walking all the way in.
The feet stay glued together at push-up width through the walk-out instead of hip-width, which cramps the beast hold that follows.
Rising to standing by yanking the head and shoulders up first drags the low back into the finish instead of unrolling the spine last.
The wrists stay narrow and fingers closed during the walk, loading the joint unevenly instead of spreading the load across a wide hand.

Frequently asked

How many reps of the inchworm to beast should you do when you are new to the exercise?: Start with 2 sets of 5 to 6 full reps, treating the walk-out and walk-back as two deliberate halves rather than rushing between them. Add a two- to three-second hold in the beast hover before adding more reps.
How do I make the inchworm to beast easier or harder?: If the hamstrings are the limiter, bend the knees more during the hinge and walk-out so the stretch is gentler. To make it harder, add a short hold in a full plank before tucking into the beast, or slow the entire walk to a near-static pace.
What is the inchworm to beast good for and when is it a poor choice?: It links a standing hinge to a loaded core-and-shoulder hold, making it a solid movement-prep drill or a flowing conditioning piece that bridges standing and ground work. It is a poor choice for anyone with a wrist that cannot bear weight yet, or an acute hamstring strain that the deep hinge would aggravate.

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