Forget Planks: Why the Wall Bear Hold Is the Core Move You Didn’t Know I Needed

Planks have been the cornerstone of my core workouts for as long as I can remember—and for good reason. This popular exercise is a great way to develop a strong, stable midsection while avoiding the lower back strain that often accompanies things like sit-ups and crunches.

But while planks are effective, they’re not perfect.

As your strength improves, you’ll soon find yourself holding them for longer and longer—and that can be pretty boring. In addition, long sets of planks are very time inefficient. After all, it’s only the last few seconds that present much of a challenge, and it can take several minutes to reach that point.

Yes, there are a few ways to make planks more challenging, such as raising your feet, supporting a weight on your lower back, or lifting an arm or leg. That said, this is like putting a bucket under a leaky roof, when what you really need is to repair the hole—a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution.

Related: The Best Plank Progressions and Variations for Stronger Abs

I’m a 30-year veteran personal trainer, and it’s part of my job to seek out new exercises for my clients. This variety helps keep their workouts productive and interesting, which keeps them coming back for more.

However, I never prescribe an exercise to anyone that I haven’t tried myself, which is how I recently found myself struggling to master a new killer core exercise—the wall bear hold.

In this article, I reveal why and how to do this awesome plank replacement.

Why Core Training Matters—And Always Will

Core training has been a fitness industry buzzword for decades now, and yet it’s still widely misunderstood. A lot of exercisers—and even a few pros—confuse core training with abs training. And while it’s true that the abs are part of your core, your core is SO much more than just your abs!

“Core” is the collective term for all the muscles that make up your midsection. Some of these muscles are visible as they’re located just under your skin, such as the rectus abdominis and obliques. Think of these muscles as your “outer unit.”

However, peel back the layers and you’ll find a whole new set of muscles—the inner unit—which includes muscles like the transverse abdominis, multifidus, diaphragm, and even the pelvic floor.

All of these muscles—inner and outer units—make up your core. So, rather than being another word for your abs, the term actually describes almost everything below your chest and above your hips.

These muscles work together to stabilize and control your spine. They’re active in every movement you perform, acting as a bridge between your upper and lower body. It’s no coincidence that athletes from all sports do a lot of core training—it’s the glue that holds your body together.

From everyday function to high performance to better posture to injury prevention—the core does it all.  It’s a shame, then, that when it comes to core training, many people assume that a few sets of crunches or planks are all you need to develop this critical collection of muscles.

And that’s one of the reasons I’ve come to love wall bear holds. As an effective core exercise should, they don’t isolate your abs. Instead, they integrate all the muscles of your midsection with your upper and lower body. In short, wall bear holds train your core like it works in nature.

What Is the Wall Bear Hold (and Why It Works)

The only way to experience the power of wall bear holds is to try them for yourself. But before I teach you how to do this kick-ass core conditioner, I need to explain what this exercise is all about.

Like planks, wall bear holds are an isometric exercise. This means your muscles generate tension without changing length. Also known as a static contraction, isometrics are a proven method for building strength, endurance, and muscle mass (1).

However, when you do planks, the muscle tension required to hold you in place is pretty low. That’s because gravity is the only opposing force. In other words, all you have to do is keep your hips up.

With wall bear holds, you have to push hard with your feet to keep your hands flat against a wall and stop them from sliding. Fail to use your legs enough, and your set will come to an early end.

So, you are not only fighting against gravity, but you’re pushing against an immovable object. This creates full-body tension and a much more challenging exercise—as well as your abs, you’ll feel this in your thighs, shoulders, and arms.

I can do conventional planks for several minutes at a time. That means 3-4 sets can take 15 minutes out of my workout. In contrast, my wall bear holds are closer to 30 seconds per set. This clearly shows how much harder they are compared to planks.

So, long story short, planks are dead, and wall bear holds are my new favorite core exercise. Challenging, more time-efficient, and a full-body workout—what’s not to love?!

How to Do the Wall Bear Hold (With Perfect Form)

The wall bear hold might look straightforward, but don’t be fooled—it’s far from easy. Perfect form is critical with this exercise, as even small breakdowns in posture can shift the strain from the target muscles to your lower back. Lose your neutral spine, and you could turn a great core strengthener into a potential back-breaker.

Below are instructions for the basic version of the wall bear hold. If it feels too challenging—or not challenging enough—don’t worry. I’ve got some smart progressions and regressions for you in the next section.

1. Get on all fours about 18-24 inches away from a smooth, sturdy wall. Your hands should be directly below your shoulders, and your knees under your hips.
2. Place your hands flat on the wall so they are level with your shoulders.
3. Press the balls of your feet firmly into the floor.
4. Brace your core and pull your shoulders down and back.
5. Lift your knees a few inches off the floor; your shins should be roughly parallel to the floor.
6. Keeping your arms straight, use your legs to push your hands against the wall. You should feel your core, shoulders, quads, and glutes all light up.
7. Aim for 20–30 seconds to start, focusing on maximum tension without letting your hips sag or rise.
8. Return your knees to the floor, rest, and repeat.

Pro Trainer Tips for Better Wall Bear Holds

• Don’t hold your breath—Breathe steadily throughout each set. Holding your breath increases blood pressure and reduces core control. Stay braced but keep the air moving.
• Use chalk if your hands slip—Sweaty palms can slide on the wall, especially during longer holds. Gym chalk helps improve your grip so you can focus on your form.
• Only perform on a non-slip surface—Make sure your feet have solid traction. Avoid slick floors or worn-out mats, or your legs may slide out from under you mid-set.
• Check your form in a mirror—If possible, position a mirror to the side. Your back should be flat, not sagging or arched, and your spine should form a straight line from head to hips. Alternatively, try videoing your workout to check your form.
• Push with your legs, not your arms—Pushing into the wall with your arms reduces tension. Focus on driving with your legs to activate your entire core.

Wall Bear Hold Modifications

Just like there are endless plank variations, there is more than one way to do wall bear holds. The following exercises are presented in approximate order of difficulty, from easiest to hardest. So, if you find the basic hands-on-the-wall version too challenging—or not challenging enough—try one of these exercises instead.

Bear Plank

The bear plank is the foundation on which all variations of wall bear holds are built. Master this exercise before you attempt any of the wall variations. Get used to generating tension in your arms and legs while keeping your core braced.

Read more about bear planks in this detailed guide.

Wall Bear Hold Climbs

Are you struggling to do wall bear holds for more than a few seconds at a time? I hear you! My first few attempts at this exercise were far from successful, and I almost quit before I had properly begun.

With this version, you do wall bear holds for reps instead of time. This provides you with short breaks between efforts, making the exercise much more accessible and manageable. Don’t fall into the trap of trying to do more and more reps, though. Instead, keep your rep count low—3-5 per side is ideal—but gradually hold each rep for longer.

Wall Bear Hold—Feet Against a Wall

In my experience, the hardest part of wall bear holds is pushing hard enough with your legs that your hands stay in place. Doing this while actively bracing your core is a lot to deal with—and you’ve got to remember to breathe, too.

Turning around and pressing your feet against the wall reduces the difficulty of this exercise while teaching you how to create the full-body tension you’ll need to perform the hands-on-the-wall version more easily.

Stability Ball Wall Bear Holds

This variation bridges the difficulty gap between bear planks and hands-on-the-wall bear holds. With one hand on the floor, you won’t have to push so hard with your legs, and your core is under a little less load. You can also skip the stability ball and place one hand directly on the wall while the other remains on the floor.

Alternating Wall Bear Hold Reaches

This version of the wall bear hold adds an element of instability and unilateral loading to the exercise. As such, it’s harder on your shoulders and core stabilizers—especially the obliques—than the conventional version. You can use this alternating arm action with both types of wall bear hold—hands or feet against the wall.

Closing Thoughts

Giving up planks—and prescribing them less often to my clients—wasn’t easy. After all, they’ve been a part of my workouts for so long that they’re virtually ingrained in my brain. However, replacing planks with wall bear holds has been a real game changer, both in terms of time saved and increased core strength.

Of course, there was a period of transition, and it took me a few workouts to get comfortable with this new move. It’s a lot more involved than planks, which are very much a no-brainer kind of exercise. But I soon came to appreciate the increased difficulty, not to mention the much shorter sets.

So, despite some initial reservations, I’m happy to report that I no longer miss planks, and probably won’t be going back to them anytime soon. Instead, wall bear holds are my new favorite core exercise.

Are you bored of planks? Upgrade your core workouts with wall bear holds—you won’t regret it!  

References:

1 – Oranchuk DJ, Storey AG, Nelson AR, Cronin JB. Isometric training and long-term adaptations: Effects of muscle length, intensity, and intent: A systematic review. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2019 Apr;29(4):484-503. doi: 10.1111/sms.13375. Epub 2019 Jan 13. PMID: 30580468.

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