- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternCore
- Repsheld for time
- Joint loadWrist
Kneel on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
First cueKeep the back flat.
How to do the Bear Hold
Set up. Kneel on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Brace and lift your knees a little off the floor.
- Hold with a flat back for the target time.
- Lower the knees to finish.
Form cues
- Keep the back flat.
- Push the floor away.
- Breathe steadily.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the hips high.
- Holding the breath.
Muscles worked
Main target: Abs. The rectus abdominis runs down the front of the trunk. It curls the trunk forward and, more often in training, stops the spine arching under a load.
On the way: Front delts and Quads.
Its other side: Lower back, in the trunk pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Bear Hold, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Extension Superset partner: it trains the other side of the trunk pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Woodchop Same core session: it trains the obliques.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Bear Hold first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Bear Hold 3 × 30 to 60 s
- Back Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Cable Woodchop 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise 3 × 6 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Gym or cable swap
Cable Crunch
Cable
Less load on the wrist
Hanging Leg Raise
The Bear Hold loads the wrist by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Plank.
Other variations of the Plank: Side Plank, Hollow Hold, Plank Shoulder Tap and Mountain Climber.
Do before it: Dead Bug (bracing) and Plank (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Bear Hold is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Bear Hold?
Set up: Kneel on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Steps: 1. Brace and lift your knees a little off the floor. 2. Hold with a flat back for the target time. 3. Lower the knees to finish. Form cues: Keep the back flat. Push the floor away. Breathe steadily. Common mistakes: Lifting the hips high. Holding the breath.
What muscles does the Bear Hold work?
It trains the abs as its main target and works the front delts and quads on the way.
What can I do instead of the Bear Hold?
In a gym: Cable Crunch. With less load on the wrist: Hanging Leg Raise. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Bear Hold with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Extension and Cable Woodchop.