Crab Twist Toe Touch

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, hip-width apart.
2. Place your hands behind your hips with fingers pointing toward your heels or slightly outward.
3. Press through your heels and palms to lift your hips 2-3 inches off the ground into a 'crab' position.

How to do it

1. Simultaneously lift your right hand and left foot off the ground, rotating your torso toward the lifting leg.
2. Exhale as you crunch your midsection to touch your right hand to your left toes at the highest point possible.
3. Inhale as you lower your hand and foot back to the starting position with control, maintaining hip height.
4. Repeat the movement on the opposite side, alternating sides for each repetition.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips elevated and level throughout the entire set.
• Ensure the supporting shoulder stays retracted and stable, not shrugging toward the ear.
• Maintain a slight bend in the supporting elbow to keep tension on the triceps.
• Focus on rotating the ribcage toward the leg rather than just reaching with the arm.

Pro tips

• Drive through the heel of the planted foot to engage the glutes, which provides a more stable base for the rotation.
• Pause for a half-second at the point of contact to maximize the contraction in the obliques.
• Keep your gaze following your moving hand to help facilitate a full thoracic rotation.

Make it harder

• Slow down the eccentric (lowering) phase to 3 seconds to increase the time under tension for the core.
• Add a 'crab dip' (bending the elbows) between every alternating toe touch to further fatigue the triceps and shoulders.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the crab twist toe touch work?

The crab twist toe touch primarily targets the abs, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques, and also works the erector spinae and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the crab twist toe touch?

The crab twist toe touch requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the crab twist toe touch good for beginners?

The crab twist toe touch is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Alternate Single Leg Raise PlankIntermediate · abs, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques
• Bear Plank Floating Leg ExtensionIntermediate · abs, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques
• Bear Plank Floating MarchIntermediate · abs, calves, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques
• Bear WalkIntermediate · abs, calves, deltoids, hamstrings, obliques, and pectorals