Crab walk: An intense full-body exercise you can do anywhere, even on vacation

While strength training exercises can solely be focussed on using weights, those without access to a gym or gym equipment have interesting as well as intense bodyweight exercises (with multiple variations) to choose from. And not many of those exercises can get more intense than performing the crab walk. Various movements are adopted from different sports and techniques to form newer, more functional exercises. Animal flow is another such development that has been catching the fancy of fitness enthusiasts the world over. The crab walk, understandably, has also come about from this stream of fitness exercises. [caption id=“attachment_7788331” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption] While the standard push-ups work your upper body and squats strengthen your legs, the crab walk mixes the two together to give you a solid core workout, while making your arms and legs stronger at the same time. Add to that your arms and shoulders as well. What more can you ask for from a single exercise? Equipment required:  None Sets and reps:  3 sets of 15-30 seconds each How to do it:

• Sit on the floor with your feet slightly apart and knees bent in front of you. Place your hands on the floor behind your back.
• Prop your hips up, engaging/tightening your core and balancing your entire body on your hands and feet.
• Starting moving forward, with your left hand and right foot moving at the same time. Repeat the move with the opposite limbs.
• Walk to the end of the room and then walk back without letting your buttocks touch the floor. Continue for 30 seconds to complete one ‘set’.

A few tips: You can do a few stretches, hip rotations, and other warm-up exercises before you try the crab walk.   Move forward and backwards at a speed you’re comfortable with, and balance out the strides of both your hands and feet equally. Don’t move your feet so quickly that your hands aren’t able to catch up. For those not used to bodyweight training, it is likely that you will feel your limbs shaking by the second or the third set of this exercise, which is perfectly normal. Much like the bear crawl, which is an inverted version of this exercise, moving forwards during the crab walk is going to target your legs and torso, while the walk back will work on your arms and triceps. The tighter you keep your core and the higher you keep your hips, the more likely you are to have an intense workout that will attack most muscle groups in your body. To prevent your shoulders from getting injured, you should find a pace that suits your movements and coordination. A great addition to circuit or interval training programmes, the crab walk is an exercise that can be performed just about anywhere, including your own living room. There are a few variations of the exercise as well, but you can burn enough calories by performing the basic one, and master it first before moving onto more unconventional methods. If you have any prior injuries to your shoulders or think your movements could be affected while performing this exercise, it is always wise to seek a trainer’s assistance before attempting. For more information, please visit our section on   Animal Flow _._ Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.