Inchworm
The inchworm walks your hands out from a standing forward fold into a plank and back, threading a hamstring stretch and a moving plank into one rep. It earns its warm-up slot because it wakes the posterior chain, shoulders, and trunk in a single unbroken sequence. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 × 3–6 slow reps | 90 s – 2 min |
| Muscle | 3–4 × 8–10 reps | 60–90 s |
| Endurance | 3 × 12–15 reps | 45–60 s |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner — the pace is self-selected and the knees can bend as generously as needed.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Hinge at the hips and place the palms on the floor, bending the knees only as much as tight hamstrings demand.
- Walk the hands out one at a time until the shoulders stack directly over the wrists.
- Own the plank for one beat — no sagging hips, no piked ones.
- Walk the hands back toward the feet, pushing the hips high as they travel.
- Stand completely tall between reps; every inchworm starts and finishes upright.
Breathing: Exhale as the hands walk out, inhale on the walk back; never hold air at the plank.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
Common questions
Does the inchworm build abs or just stretch?
Both, honestly. The walkout is a moving plank, so the trunk works against extension the whole way out and back, while the fold-and-return stretches hamstrings and calves. It will not replace direct ab training, but as a warm-up or circuit piece it does two jobs at once.
Can I do inchworms with tight hamstrings?
Yes — bend the knees as much as needed to get palms on the floor, and let the stretch develop over weeks. Tight hamstrings are a reason to do inchworms, not to avoid them; the repeated fold is a gentle, loaded stretch that most people tolerate well.
How many inchworms belong in a warm-up?
Five to eight slow reps is plenty. You want raised temperature and rehearsed positions, not fatigue before the main session. If inchworms are the workout itself — in a circuit, say — treat 10–15 reps per round as the working range instead.
Related exercises
Harder: Inchworm to Shoulder Taps
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