Bear Crawl
How to Do It
Start on hands and knees, knees lifted an inch off the floor (bear position), back flat, hips at shoulder height. Crawl forward by moving the opposite hand and foot together, keeping the knees low and the hips level — minimize side-to-side hip sway. Move slowly and controlled for the prescribed distance.
Why It Works
Demands coordinated contralateral limb movement while the core resists rotation and keeps the spine neutral and knees hovering; builds full-body stability, anti-rotation control, and shoulder/hip coordination under a low, braced position.
Hockey Transfer
Trains the coordinated cross-body limb patterning and anti-rotation trunk control that underpin efficient skating mechanics, plus the shoulder/hip stability used to stay strong and balanced in low, contested positions.
Coaching Cues
- "Knees hover low, back flat"
- "hips quiet, opposite hand and foot"
- "slow and stable"
Common Mistakes
Hips swaying side to side; knees rising too high; rushing and losing the brace
Progression / Regression
add load, crawl backward or lateral
slower, shorter distance, or knees lightly touching
Primary Muscles
Energy System
Strength/neural
Put it to work
on the ice.
This exercise is part of a fully periodized 12-week off-ice program — built by a sport scientist who coaches at the national level.
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