Inchworm

How to perform

1. 1Fold forward, walk your hands out to a plank, then walk them back.
2. 2Keep your legs as straight as your hamstrings allow.

Technique in detail

Stand tall, then hinge and fold forward to place your hands on the floor, bending the knees as much as you need to get there. Walk your hands forward one at a time until you reach a strong plank position with your hips level and your glutes squeezed. Pause there for a beat, then walk your hands back toward your feet and stand up to finish the rep. Keep the hips from swaying side to side as the hands travel — the anti-rotation demand in the walk out is most of the value.

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips sag during the hand walk. Brace before the hands start moving, not once you notice the sag.
• Forcing straight legs on the fold and rounding the lower back instead. Bend the knees freely; this is not a hamstring stretch.
• Walking the hands out past a position you can hold. Stop at the furthest point where the plank is still solid.

Equipment

• No equipment