Legs · Bodyweight
Open-up Crab Walk
How to do the open-up crab walk, 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
- Carry
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit on the floor with knees bent and hands behind you, fingers pointing toward your feet, then lift your hips off the ground. Open your knees outward as you walk forward or back, moving opposite hand and foot together while keeping your hips lifted and chest open. Stay controlled and keep your core engaged throughout.
- 1Keep your hips lifted so your glutes and hamstrings stay loaded
- 2Feel your triceps and shoulders hold your torso up
- 3Open the knees out to work the hips as you step
Common mistakes
- Do not let your hips sag toward the floor
- Avoid letting your shoulders hunch up toward your ears
- Do not rush; keep each step controlled
Muscles worked
The open-up crab walk mainly works the quads, glutes, and hamstrings, with the triceps, calves, upper abs, and rear delts assisting.
- QuadsPrimary
- GlutesPrimary
- HamstringsPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- CalvesSupport
- Upper AbsSupport
- Rear DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Lower TrapsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
- ObliquesMinor
- Front DeltsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the open-up crab walk 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 quads exercises
- How to do the resistance band squat
- How to do the resistance band squat to press
- How to do the resistance band thruster
- How to do the resistance band squat walk
- How to do the barbell squat
- How to do the barbell bulgarian split squat
Last reviewed June 2026.