Benefits Of Classic Gym Class Exercises For Enhanced Posture And Balance

You might remember performing the crab walk during your childhood, but this exercise is far from a simple game. Propelling yourself forward and backward using your hands and feet while keeping your chest and hips elevated is a rigorous workout.

“The crab walk is a fantastic full-body movement with numerous benefits,” notes Akane Nigro, CPT, a personal trainer at Life Time in Charlotte, North Carolina. Notably, it enhances strength, coordination, posture, and overall fitness levels.

If you haven’t revisited this nostalgic exercise, it might be time to refine your crab walking technique. We consulted a couple of fitness experts to explain the proper form for the crab walk, its benefits, the muscles it targets, and more.

How to execute the crab walk exercise with impeccable form

Nigro shows you how to perform the crab walk exercise correctly:

1. Begin seated on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Place your hands behind your hips on the floor, fingers pointing away from you.
2. Press down with your hands and feet to lift your hips until your body creates a straight line from your head to your knees.
3. Activate your core and start walking backward by moving your right hand with your left foot, followed by your left hand with your right foot.
4. After you’ve taken several steps backward, switch directions to walk forward.
5. Ensure your chest remains open and your shoulders stay down throughout the movement.

Which muscles are engaged during the crab walk exercise?

The crab walk engages a considerable number of muscles. Below are the primary ones highlighted by Nigro.

1. Shoulders

“As you support your body weight, you strengthen your deltoids and rotator cuff,” Nigro explains. The rotator cuff muscles (including the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) support the shoulder’s ball-and-socket joint. The deltoid muscle on the outer shoulder is responsible for moving the arm in various directions.

2. Arms

The main muscle groups exercised in your arms during the crab walk are the triceps (located at the back of your upper arm) and the biceps (at the front). These muscles engage as you navigate forward and backward, aiding in maintaining your body’s elevation from the floor.

3. Legs

Your quadriceps (muscles at the front of your thigh), hamstrings (located at the back), glutes (buttocks), and calves (muscles at the back of the lower leg) all come into play to assist with movement.

4. Core

The crab walk effectively engages your entire core, particularly the lower back and obliques (side abdominal muscles). These muscles work to keep your hips lifted and stabilized while you move.

Four advantages of incorporating the crab walk exercise into your routine

1. It enhances posture

The crab walk strengthens the muscles along the posterior of your body (back, glutes, hamstrings, and shoulders) as well as those in your midsection (abdominals). These muscles, particularly in your lower back and core, assist in maintaining an upright torso.

If you are often seated throughout the day, you may find these muscles are weaker and more susceptible to slouching. Practicing the crab walk helps address muscle imbalances that can lead to poor posture, asserts Nigro.

2. It boosts balance and coordination

Since most people do not regularly walk backward on their hands and feet, the crab walk is particularly effective in improving balance and coordination. The brain must work diligently to synchronize arm and leg movements while keeping the core engaged.

“Due to the unconventional position of moving backward while supported by your hands and feet, the crab walk tests your coordination and proprioception—your awareness of body position,” Nigro elaborates. As you refine your balance and coordination, these abilities can enhance performance in other physical activities like running, sports, and even preventing falls and injuries as you age.

3. It strengthens multiple muscle groups

As observed, the crab walk is a comprehensive full-body exercise. It targets your shoulders, arms, core, legs, and even your wrists and hands, according to Nigro. This exercise specifically challenges the lower back and abdominals, engaging them continuously, which makes it particularly effective for core strengthening.

Improving core strength enhances your ability to move safely and efficiently in everyday life and athletic activities. It can also contribute to alleviating lower back pain by ensuring that the lower back is not overexerted during movements that other core muscles should handle.

4. It provides a cardiovascular component

“Although not as vigorous as running or cycling, crab walks can elevate your heart rate, especially when performed over extended distances or durations,” Nigro states. “This gives it a mild-to-moderate cardiovascular workout, depending on the intensity.”

With a mild-to-moderate intensity, crab walks can enhance cardiovascular endurance, which refers to your ability to engage in rhythmic activities for longer. Improved endurance (also known as aerobic fitness) benefits other cardiovascular exercises, including running and cycling, and is essential for overall health.

Four crab walk variations to diversify your routine

1. Crab walk with a resistance band

By incorporating a resistance band around your thighs, you can increase the exercise’s intensity, effectively targeting your glutes and core, notes Josh York, CPT, founder and CEO of GYMGUYZ.

1. Start by sitting on the floor with bent knees and flat feet. Position a mini resistance band around both thighs, just above your knees. Place your hands on the floor behind your hips, fingers pointing away from you.
2. Press into your hands and feet to elevate your hips until your body aligns straight from head to knees. Push your knees outward until you feel tension in the band.
3. Engage your core and start walking backward, moving your right hand with your left foot, followed by your left hand with your right foot.
4. After several steps backward, switch directions and walk forward.
5. Maintain an open chest and down shoulders throughout.

2. Crab toe touch

This variation tests your core stability and strength, plus it enhances balance, York explains.

1. Begin seated with your knees bent and feet flat. Place your hands behind your hips, fingers pointing away.
2. Lift your hips a few inches off the ground by pressing into your hands and feet.
3. Engage your core and lift your right foot off the ground while extending your left hand forward to touch your right toes.
4. Lower your right foot and left hand back to the floor. Repeat the movement with your left foot and right hand.
5. Keep your chest open and shoulders down throughout.

3. Single-leg crab walk

Balancing on one leg enhances your stability while also strengthening your core and supporting leg, asserts York.

1. Begin seated on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the surface. Position your hands behind your hips on the floor, ensuring your fingers point away from your body.
2. Press into your hands and feet to elevate your hips, creating a straight line from your head to your knees.
3. Activate your core and lift your right foot off the ground. Start moving forward using both hands and your left foot.
4. After taking several steps with your left foot, alternate to your right foot.
5. Ensure that your chest remains open and your shoulders stay down throughout the exercise.

4. Crab Walk with Shoulder Tap

By keeping your feet grounded while raising one hand to touch the opposite shoulder, you can significantly increase the challenge of this exercise. “This movement boosts core activation and enhances upper body stability,” York notes.

1. Begin sitting on the floor, knees bent, and feet flat. Position your hands behind your hips, with fingers directed away from your body.
2. Press down through your hands and feet to lift your hips, aiming to create a straight line from your head to your knees.
3. Engage your core. Raise your right hand off the ground and cross it to tap your opposite shoulder.
4. Return your right hand to the floor and repeat the action with your left hand.
5. Maintain an open chest and relaxed shoulders throughout the movement.

Tips to Maximize Benefits from the Crab Walk Exercise

Adhering to proper form is essential for optimizing the effectiveness of the crab walk exercise. “Keep your chest expanded, shoulders relaxed, and back straight, avoiding slouching or allowing your hips to drop excessively,” Nigro advises.

Be sure to keep your core engaged during this exercise. This focus will assist in maintaining stability and preventing strain on the lower back, according to her.

It’s also vital to execute the movements in a slow and controlled manner. Avoid rushing through the exercise, as speeding up can lead to compromised form and increase the risk of injury, Nigro cautions. Coordinating your breathing with your actions may prove beneficial; “Inhale as you set up for movement, and exhale as you push backward or pull yourself forward,” Nigro recommends.

Integrating the Crab Walk into Your Routine

Nigro recommends including crab walks in a comprehensive full-body or core workout two to three times a week. Ensure you have at least one rest day in between sessions to avoid overworking muscles and joints, particularly in the shoulders and wrists, she mentions.

You can enhance your routine by pairing crab walks with synergistic exercises such as push-ups, planks, or bear crawls to create an engaging movement circuit, Nigro suggests. “For a complete workout, consider alternating crab walks with exercises that focus on opposing muscle groups, such as squats or lunges,” she adds.

If you’re unfamiliar with crab walks, start by performing them for 20 to 30 seconds (approximately 10 to 15 yards). Progress to three sets lasting 30 to 45 seconds (around 15 to 20 yards forward and backward), eventually working up to three to four sets of 45 to 60 seconds, Nigro advises.