Abs & core
Bear Plank Knee Taps
A bear plank where you tap your knees down to the floor and lift them straight back up. Your core and shoulders work the whole time, and it's easier on your wrists than a full plank.
- Works
- Core, obliques, shoulders, quads
- Equipment
- A mat
- Load
- Bodyweight
How to do it
- 1Start on your hands and knees, hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Tuck your toes.
- 2Lift your knees 1 or 2 inches off the floor, back flat.
- 3Lightly tap both knees down to the floor.
- 4Lift them straight back up to the hover. Keep tapping at a steady pace.
Cues
- Knees just kiss the floor, then lift.
- Back flat, like a table.
- Shoulders stacked over your wrists.
Common mistakes
- Dropping your weight onto your knees. Tap lightly. The work is in lifting them back up.
- Hips shooting up. Keep your hips level with your shoulders the whole set.
- Rushing. Slow, controlled taps work your core more than fast ones.
Easier
Hold the bear plank without the taps.
Harder
Pause for 1 second in the hover between taps.
Try it: 3 rounds of 30 seconds on and 15 seconds off.
What does a bear plank work?
Mostly your core, plus your shoulders and the front of your thighs holding the hover. Lifting one hand to tap a knee makes your core work harder to stop your hips from twisting.
