Crab Pose
- Zielmuskel
- —
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Körperregion
- Stretching
- Typ
- Stretching
Crab pose is a bodyweight reverse-tabletop hold that opens and stretches the chest, front shoulders, and hip flexors while the glutes and hamstrings work to hold your hips lifted. Done seated with your hands planted behind you and your hips pressed up, it is a useful mobility move to counteract slouched, desk-bound posture and warm up the front of the body before training.
Crab Pose: So führst du sie aus
- 1Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat about hip-width apart, and your hands planted behind your hips with fingers pointing toward your heels.
- 2Set your shoulders down and back, lengthen your spine, and lightly brace your core to protect your lower back.
- 3Press firmly through your hands and feet, then drive your hips upward until your torso and thighs form a flat tabletop parallel to the floor.
- 4Squeeze your glutes at the top and keep your shins vertical so your knees stack over your ankles.
- 5Open your chest and draw your shoulder blades together, keeping your head in a neutral, comfortable position.
- 6Hold the lifted position for 20–30 seconds, breathing steadily and easing into the stretch across your chest and hips.
- 7Lower your hips back to the floor under control and rest before repeating for 2–3 holds.
Technik-Tipps
- Ease into the lift rather than forcing it, raising your hips only as high as your shoulders and wrists comfortably allow.
- Spread your fingers wide and grip the floor to share the load across your whole hand and protect your wrists.
- Keep a long line from your knees through your hips to your shoulders instead of letting your belly poke up or your hips drop.
- Breathe slowly and deepen the chest opening on each exhale, never holding your breath through the stretch.
Häufige Fehler
- Letting the hips sag below tabletop, which collapses the glute engagement and turns the move into a passive slump rather than an active hold.
- Cranking the head and neck backward to look behind you, which strains the cervical spine instead of keeping the neck neutral.
- Pointing the fingers away from the body, which loads the wrists at an awkward angle and increases the risk of wrist strain.
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears, which jams the shoulder joint and shuts down the chest opening you are after.
- Bouncing or forcing the hips higher to chase depth, which overstretches the shoulders and front of the body.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles does the crab pose work?
It stretches and opens the chest, front shoulders, and hip flexors while your glutes and hamstrings engage to hold your hips lifted in the tabletop position.
How long should I hold the crab pose?
Hold each lift for about 20–30 seconds with steady breathing, then lower and rest. Two to three holds is plenty as a stretch or warm-up.
Is the crab pose good for beginners?
Yes. It uses only your bodyweight and is easy to scale — lift your hips only partway and keep the hold short, building height and time as your wrists, shoulders, and hips loosen up.
Why do my wrists hurt in the crab pose?
Wrist discomfort usually comes from pointing the fingers away from your body or stacking too much weight on the heels of your hands. Turn your fingers toward your heels, spread them wide, and grip the floor to spread the load.
Where should I feel the crab pose stretch?
You should feel an open stretch across the chest and front of the shoulders and a gentle stretch through the hip flexors, with the glutes and hamstrings working to keep your hips up. You should not feel pinching in the neck or wrists.
