by Ali Eaves

So well keep preaching until bear crawls are as commonplace as pushups, because they have just as many benefits as the staple exercise, if not more.

Here are four reasons to start doing bear crawls, according to Mens Health Fitness Director BJ Gaddour, C.S.C.S.:

<ul><li> Bear crawls strengthen your core. </li><li> Bear crawls tax both your thighs and upper body, making them an excellent <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19548082/best-fat-burning-exercises/">fat-burning exercise</a> . </li><li> Bear crawls improve your rib and pelvic positioning and your breathing mechanics. </li><li> Bear crawls boost your shoulder stability. </li></ul>

And if you try the variation in the video above, in which Gaddour wraps a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00T4JFQYS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=mh-apd-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B00T4JFQYS&amp;linkId=cbcf047a24e23c36e1aaa89ef039c000" id="f4daf0fa-9c7b-3756-ab11-9b30858bcf5a"> miniband </a> around his legs just below his knees, bear crawls will challenge your glutes and hip flexors, too. Are there any major body parts we havent covered yet?

Crawl forward and backward while pushing out against the band to activate your glutes, or crawl side to side to really light them up, Gaddour says.

Do this as a warmup movement, plug it into a circuit, or try doing as many crawls as you can in 10 minutes, resting only as needed, Gaddour says.

5 Reasons You Need to Start Doing Bear Crawls

Mens Health has been heralding the benefits of bear crawls <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19538969/bear-crawl/" id="7f3f9525-e979-34e7-a419-3a93ae4fd4b2"> since 2014 </a> . But its still not an exercise youll see performed often in the average gym.

But Mens Health Fitness Director B.J. Gaddour dreamt up 38 ways to make the exercise even more effective and fun.

Watch the video above to see how to intensify the bear crawl with weight plates, resistance bands, burpees, donkey kicks, and more.

Related: <a href="https://www.shopetc.com/menshealth?custom_collection=22" id="75b529b3-07f8-3afd-adfe-d9261db99979"> The Anarchy WorkoutsOne Guy Lost 18 Pounds of Fat in 6 Weeks! </a>

For a fat-frying finisher, pick one variation and crawl for 5 to 10 minutes, resting only when needed. Or switch up the variation at each minute mark.

Its hard to improve upon the <a href="https://www.menshealth.com/fitness/a19538969/bear-crawl/" id="34b8a127-0b3e-3672-aa42-92a262e75dcd"> bear crawl </a> . It strengthens your core like few other exercises.

38 Insanely Fun Ways to Carve a 6 Pack

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by Ali Eaves

Articles written by the author

5 Reasons You Need to Start Doing Bear Crawls

38 Insanely Fun Ways to Carve a 6 Pack