Legs · Bodyweight
Crab Pose
How to do the crab pose, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Isometric
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and hands planted behind you, fingers pointing toward your feet. Press through your hands and feet to lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold with your chest open, then lower with control.
- 1Press through your hands and heels to lift your hips and squeeze your
- 2glutes
- 3Feel a stretch across the front of your shoulders and chest
- 4Keep your hips up and your core tight to hold the tabletop position
Common mistakes
- Don't let your hips sag toward the floor
- Avoid cranking your head back; keep your neck relaxed
- Don't put painful pressure on your wrists; spread your fingers and adjust
Muscles worked
The crab pose mainly works the glutes, with the triceps, lower back, upper abs, and hamstrings assisting.
- GlutesPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Lower BackSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- HamstringsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- QuadsMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Rear DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the crab pose for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.