[Read More: The 15 Best Upper Ab Exercises for a Stronger Core]

1. Find a pull-up bar and hang freely from it with a shoulder-width grip.
2. With straight legs, contract your core and flex your abs to raise your legs up and forward until they’re at least parallel to the ground.
3. Hold for a beat at the top and then reverse the motion.

Who Should Do the Inchworm

The inchworm is a versatile movement in its own right. You can plug it into the start of your warm-up routine and it’ll benefit the forthcoming workout no matter what you’re training for. If you fall into one of the following categories, consider giving the inchworm a go:

CrossFitters

CrossFit workouts contain a wide array of different exercises and movement patterns. As such, your warm-up should be both dynamic and specific to the task at hand. You need a mobile posterior chain, activated core, and flexible shoulders for almost every CrossFit or functional fitness training session. 

Strength Athletes

Strength training may entail lifting heavy weights, but you shouldn’t just stroll into the gym and head right to the squat rack. A good warm-up can prime you for optimal performance with the barbell, and that starts by raising your core temperature and mobilizing your joints.

Try the inchworm out for a few sets before a bodyweight deadlift workout and you should find things move a bit smoother and the relevant musculature is more engaged than if you had simply spent 10 minutes on the treadmill. 

If You Work Out at Home

One of the biggest drawbacks of home workouts is that you’re limited in your exercise selection by the equipment you have on-hand. You’ll usually need to get creative with your calisthenics training and employ bodyweight moves like the inchworm instead.

[Read More: The 15 Best Home Gyms]

The inchworm works your core, shoulders, and posterior chain — all of which can sometimes be difficult to target with typical home fitness equipment like dumbbells or resistance bands. 

Inchworm Sets and Reps

As the inchworm is a bodyweight-only movement, you can’t really approach it with the same set-and-rep scheme as you would for weighted exercises. However, there are a few different ways you can utilize it to your advantage: 

• To Warm Up: Try 3 rounds of 5 inchworms back-to-back.
• As a Cool-Down: Do 3 rounds of 3 inchworms with a slow tempo, really taking your time to stretch out the relevant muscles. 

Benefits of the Inchworm

The inchworm has a surprising amount of utility. You can use it to warm-up, to get a quick stretch in while you’re traveling, or as part of your accessory or cool-down routine. 

Full-Body Flexibility

The inchworm is rare in its ability to mobilize both your upper and lower body simultaneously. Bending over to touch the floor and walk your hands out will lengthen your hamstrings and lumbar spine, while moving into the straight-arm plank will stretch out your shoulders. 

[Read More: The 16 Best Pre-Workout Supplements]

This makes the inchworm a fantastic warm-up drill ahead of a full-body workout where you’re using multiple joints at once. 

It Has a Simple Technique

You can’t underestimate the value of a bodyweight mobility drill that has an intuitive, straightforward technique. The inchworm can be learned in just a few minutes, making it a great plug-and-play option. When you’re in a hurry, you need movements that you can pick up and utilize right away instead of spending multiple sessions mastering the technique in the first place. 

Versatility

As your fitness goals evolve and change, your workouts should progress as well. This usually means adjusting your accessory routine or dynamic warm-up exercises, but you don’t have to remove the inchworm along the way.

Because of its wide-ranging applicability and ease of access, you can use the inchworm for just about any fitness goal in the right context. It works as a standalone movement to mobilize your joints or as a primer before more specific training like powerlifting or gymnastics. 

Muscles Worked by the Inchworm

The inchworm works just about every muscle in your body to some degree. Here are the major muscle groups that are most relevant when you perform the exercise: 

Core 

As you walk your hands out in the inchworm, your core bears more and more load until you’re in the straight-armed plank position. This taxes your abdominals isometrically. Your abs work on some level to stabilize your trunk for the entire duration of the inchworm. 

Shoulders

As you descend into the inchworm, your arms gradually move upward until they’re in line with your torso. This motion is called shoulder flexion, and will tax the tissues around your shoulder blade, forcing them to relax and open up. This makes the inchworm a great way to improve your overhead mobility before a pressing workout or if you feel tight or restricted in your thoracic region. 

Hamstrings 

The inchworm exercise involves lengthening the muscles in your posterior chain. Principally, your hamstrings, which run from your shin bone across your knee and hip and attach onto your pelvis. 

[Read More: The 13 Best Quad Exercises for Serious Strength and Size]

Tight hamstrings can inhibit all kinds of movement in certain situations. The inchworm serves as a low-intensity way of opening up your posterior chain ahead of a workout that requires you to use those muscles through their full range of motion. 

Common Inchworm Mistakes

The inchworm may be less complex than, say, a snatch or overhead squat, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still mistakes you can make along the way. Steer clear of these common errors: 

Bending Your Legs 

The inchworm works as a posterior chain lengthener, but only if you can maintain a straight leg throughout the first portion of the movement. You’ll have to bend your knees a bit to walk your feet up towards your hands in the second half, but in the first phase of the movement try to keep your knees as straight as possible. 

Rushing Your Movement

This movement is equal parts dynamic warm-up drill and active stretch — the worst thing you can do is rush through the inchworm and execute it with poor form. You won’t be at any risk of injury by doing so, but you should really take your time and feel your body stretching out as you move through the drill if you want to reap the maximum benefits from it. 

More Training Content

FAQs

Does the inchworm have you all knotted up? No worries. Here are some common questions about the exercise and their answers. 

Featured Image: Dusan Petkovic / Shutterstock