Inchworm
A beginner compound mobility exercise that works the hamstrings, needing no equipment.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Inchworm
- Stand with your feet close together. Keeping your legs straight, stretch down and put your hands on the floor directly in front of you. This will be your starting position.
- Begin by walking your hands forward slowly, alternating your left and your right. As you do so, bend only at the hip, keeping your legs straight.
- Keep going until your body is parallel to the ground in a pushup position.
- Now, keep your hands in place and slowly take short steps with your feet, moving only a few inches at a time.
- Continue walking until your feet are by hour hands, keeping your legs straight as you do so.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Inchworm
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Chair Leg Extended Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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2
Hamstring Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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3
Hamstring-SMR
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the hamstrings, using a foam roller.
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4
Leg-Up Hamstring Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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5
Runner's Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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6
Seated Floor Hamstring Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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7
Standing Hamstring and Calf Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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8
Standing Toe Touches
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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9
The Straddle
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
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10
Upper Back-Leg Grab
A beginner mobility exercise that works the hamstrings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do inchworm work?
Inchworm primarily works the hamstrings.
What equipment do I need for inchworm?
None. Inchworm is a bodyweight movement you can do anywhere you have floor space.
Inchworm: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Inchworm is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of inchworm?
Chair Leg Extended Stretch, Hamstring Stretch, Hamstring-SMR train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
How do I log inchworm in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the hamstrings on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Inchworm with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.