# Bear Squat - Canonical: https://fitwill.app/exercise/9712/bear-squat/ - Media ID: 9712 - Primary muscle: Glutes - Body part: Full Body - Equipment: Exercise Mat - Video: https://fitwill.app/videos/9712/bear-squat.mp4 ## Description The Bear Squat is a body weight mobility and strength drill that starts from a quadruped position with the knees hovering just off the floor, then drives the hips up and back toward an inverted-V position before returning to the hover. Think of it as a blend between a bear crawl hold and a downward dog: the shoulders and core work hard in the low position, while the hips, hamstrings, and calves take over as you lift the hips high. Because you move between these two shapes under control, it trains coordination across the whole body at once. This movement is especially useful as a warm-up before lower body or full body training, since it takes the hips, spine, shoulders, and ankles through a large range without any load. It is also a staple in mobility routines and rehab-style programs for people who sit a lot, because it teaches the pelvis and spine to move independently while the shoulders stay strong and stable. Beginners can use it to build the bearing and hip hinge awareness needed for squats and deadlifts, and more advanced lifters use it between heavy sets to keep the hips loose. The setup matters more than it looks. Hands sit directly under the shoulders with arms straight, knees sit under the hips, and the knees hover a few centimeters off the mat so the quads and core are already engaged before you move. If the knees drop too low or the hands creep too far forward, the transition to the high hips position becomes a sloppy rock instead of a deliberate hinge, and you lose the shoulder stability the exercise is meant to build. To execute it well, press the floor away with the palms, brace the midsection, and push the hips up and back while the arms and legs lengthen. The end position looks like an upside-down V: arms extended overhead in line with the spine, legs as straight as your flexibility allows, heels reaching toward the floor. Then reverse smoothly, lowering the hips forward and down until the knees return to their hovering position. The whole path should feel like one continuous arc rather than two separate poses. A few practical points keep it safe and effective. Move at a pace you can control, keep weight spread across the whole palm rather than dumping into the wrists, and let the head hang relaxed in the top position instead of craning the neck up. If your hamstrings or calves are too tight to straighten the legs fully, keep a generous knee bend at the top and let the range improve gradually. Done for sets of eight to fifteen repetitions, the Bear Squat delivers a surprising amount of work for an exercise that needs nothing but a mat. ## Instructions 1. Place an exercise mat on the floor and set up on all fours with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. 2. Tuck your toes under and lift your knees a few centimeters off the mat so your weight is supported on your palms and the balls of your feet. 3. Spread your fingers, press the floor away to keep your arms straight, and brace your midsection as if preparing for a light push-up hold. 4. Exhale and push your hips up and back, letting the head relax between the arms as your body folds into an inverted-V shape. 5. At the top, reach the hips as high as comfortable, straighten the legs toward your available range, and let the heels drift toward the floor. 6. Pause briefly in the high-hip position, keeping weight spread across the whole palm and the shoulders actively pressing away from the floor. 7. Inhale and reverse the arc, drawing the hips forward and down until the knees return to their hovering position under the hips. 8. Keep the knees from touching down between repetitions; hold the hover for a moment to reset your brace before the next rep. 9. Repeat for smooth, continuous repetitions, and lower the knees to the mat to rest when the hover position becomes hard to hold. 10. Breathe steadily throughout: exhale as the hips rise, inhale as the hips return forward and down. ## Tips & Tricks - The most common mistake is letting the knees sink toward the mat between reps, which switches off the quads and core; hold the hover only a few centimeters high and reset it deliberately every rep. - If your wrists ache, spread your fingers wide and grip the mat slightly, distributing pressure across the palm and fingertips instead of parking all your weight on the heel of the hand. - Tight hamstrings often turn the top position into a short, bouncy hip lift. Keep the knees softly bent at the top and prioritize pushing the hips up and back rather than forcing the legs straight. - Avoid shrugging into your ears as the hips rise; actively press the floor away so the shoulders stay engaged and the arms finish in line with the spine. - Let the head hang heavy at the top of the movement. Lifting the chin to look forward kinks the neck and usually shortens the arc at the hips. - The movement should feel like one smooth arc, not two poses jammed together. If you pause halfway, slow the tempo down until the transition feels continuous. - Rocking weight forward onto the toes in the low position is a sign the hips are not being loaded; keep the weight even between hands and feet so the hips do the traveling. - Start with a smaller range and grow it. A controlled three-quarter arc beats a full arc where the lower back rounds or the shoulders collapse at the top. - If the floor is hard on the knees during the hover, use a thicker mat rather than resting the kneecaps down, which defeats the purpose of the hold. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What muscles does the Bear Squat work? It is a full body movement: the glutes and hamstrings drive the hips up, the shoulders and arms support and press the body, and the core and quads keep you stable in the hovering bear position. Calves also work as the heels reach toward the floor at the top. ### Is the Bear Squat good for beginners? Yes, it is an excellent beginner drill because it needs no equipment and teaches hip hinging, bracing, and shoulder stability at the same time. Beginners can bend the knees more at the top and keep the arc smaller until flexibility improves. ### Why do my knees have to hover instead of resting on the mat? The hover keeps the quads and deep core engaged and turns the transition into a controlled hinge rather than a loose rocking motion. If holding the hover is too hard, start with short sets and let the hold time build up gradually. ### How is the Bear Squat different from a downward dog? Downward dog is a static stretch hold from a straight-leg start, while the Bear Squat is a repeated transition between a hovering quadruped and the high-hip position. The hovering start adds core and quad work and makes it a strength and mobility drill rather than a pure stretch. ### Where should I feel the Bear Squat the most? Most people feel it in the shoulders and the back of the thighs at the top, and in the quads and core during the hover. If you only feel your wrists, redistribute your weight across the whole palm and check that you are pressing the floor away. ### Can I use the Bear Squat as a warm-up? It is one of the best warm-up drills for lower body and full body days because it mobilizes the hips, hamstrings, ankles, and shoulders under light load. Two or three sets of eight to ten controlled reps before squats or deadlifts works well. ### What should I do if my hamstrings are too tight to straighten my legs at the top? Keep a generous bend in the knees and focus on pushing the hips up and back rather than forcing the legs straight. The range will improve naturally as flexibility develops, and a bent-knee version still trains the full movement pattern. ### How many reps and sets of the Bear Squat should I do? For mobility and warm-up purposes, two or three sets of eight to fifteen slow reps is a good target. For a standalone core and conditioning finisher, you can go longer, as long as the hovering position and smooth arc stay intact. ### Is the Bear Squat safe for the wrists and lower back? It is generally gentle because it is unloaded, but wrist discomfort is common if all the weight sits on the heel of the hand, so spread the fingers and press evenly through the palm. Keep the movement controlled and avoid letting the lower back round sharply at the top of the arc.