4 Moves You Can Do On "All 4s" To Sculpt Your Upper Body And Stabilize Your Core (2024)

One of the most stable postures for the human body is on hands and knees in quadruped position, also known as "all 4s." This is a great pose for strength training because these four sturdy balancing points support you from head to heel, while gravity amplifies resistance against your muscles. Moving from quadruped, you engage your whole trunk from the lats to the abs to the pelvic floor.

(Sculpt your arms and tighten your tummy with the energizing total-body workouts in Prevention's new Flat Belly Barre!)

This all-4s workout, which requires only one dumbbell, will tone every muscle in your upper body, as well as improve your overall core stability. (You can also begin gently strengthening your core with these 5 moves.) Aim to do it three or four days a week, and you should notice improved strength in your chest, shoulders, and arms in about eight weeks.

Exercise 1: Kneeling Push-Ups

This exercise strengthens your chest and shoulders without the wrist pain or stability woes you may experience in standard push-up position. (Try these 10 knee push-up variations to sculpt your best arms ever!)

1. Kneel down on a mat or cushioned floor to pad your knees and shins. Place your knees hips-width apart, then place your hands on the floor several inches wider than shoulders-width to come onto all 4s.
2. Keeping your lower body as-is (butt stays up), bend your elbows and drop your chest towards the ground.
3. Extend your elbows to return to starting position.

Complete 20 repetitions.

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Exercise 2: Rows

Grab a dumbbell (like a 6-pound SoftBell, $40, hyperwear.com) to work your biceps and upper and mid-back while totally supported from shoulders to hips!

1. Come to all 4s with knees hips-width apart. Hold your dumbbell in one hand and plant it on the floor, directly under your shoulder and in line with your other hand.
2. Pull the dumbbell to your ribcage without shifting your body weight. Hold momentarily.
3. Gently return the dumbbell to the floor. Repeat on the other side.

Complete 20 reps, alternating arms.

Check out this video to strengthen and tone your core:

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Exercise 3: Bird Dog

This move strengthens your lower back and shoulders, with or without a dumbbell. And it tones your buttocks, too! (Psst! This barre workout sculpts your butt and thighs in less than 10 minutes.)

1. Come to all 4s with knees hips-width apart and hands planted directly beneath your shoulders.
2. Reach your right arm forward and left leg backward until they are each even with the torso. Hold momentarily.
3. Return to starting position. Repeat with the left arm and right leg raised.

Complete 20 reps, alternating arms and legs.

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Exercise 4: Kick Backs

Fire up the backs of your arms (the triceps) with this effective move. Then try these four exercises to sculpt them even more.

1. Come to all 4s with knees hips-width apart, but this time plant only your left hand while holding a dumbbell with your right and digging that elbow into your ribcage. Flex to take the dumbbell in toward your shoulder.
2. Extend your right elbow to take your arm out straight, tensing through your triceps. Hold momentarily.
3. Flex the elbow to return to starting position.

Complete 10 reps on each arm.