Finding new ways to move to test the body and keep workouts fun is the name of the game in 2026. And when it comes to core work, that often means stepping outside the usual rotation of crunches and planks. Fortunately, there’s no shortage of creative, effective moves that challenge your midsection from all angles—starting with the humble crab walk.
Yes, you read that right. Enter “crab walking,” a bodyweight exercise that works the whole body with a focus on core strength.
The movement is exactly what it sounds like: You sit on the floor, then lift yourself into a tabletop position by using your legs and glutes until your knees are bent at a a 90 degree angle, while your hands and feet are on the floor. Then, you walk either forwards and backwards, or side to side, using your hands and feet—just like a crustacean would.
But be warned: This exercise isn’t as silly as it looks. It’s actually a great workout for core muscles, legs and arms.
“Supporting your body through your hands and feet, while moving, forces the core to stay engaged, resist rotation and stabilize the spine,” Senada Greca, a fitness trainer and founder of the WeRise fitness app, tells Flow Space. “At the same time, it challenges shoulder strength, hip mobility and coordination, making it a true full-body movement.”
You may have seen the crab walk as part of athletic warm ups, and aut there’s a good reason top athletes turn to it and other complex core work.
“It’s nothing new; anyone who has ever wrestled or did grappling sports has had crab walking as part of a warm-up,” Dr. Wiemi Douoguih, an orthopedic surgeon and director of sports medicine at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, says. “It engages your whole core and forces you to balance with muscles that run across your body.”
As for when to slot in crab walking? Add crab walking into your routine alongside your normal core circuits alongside your crunches or planks. You can try three sets of about 10-20 repetitions per side, or walking consistently in spurts of 30 or 60 seconds.
Greca prefers working out her core on the days in her routine that focus on upper-body exercises. She combines core exercises like reverse tabletops with overhead tricep extensions and chest presses to make both muscle groups work together. “In these combinations, the core isn’t just holding a position, it’s actively working to stabilize the body while the arms move,” she explains.
Other Key Bodyweight Core Exercises to Try
Crunches and sit-ups are all key movements to support trunk strength. Exercises like dead bugs, pike push-ups, leg raises and leg raise reaches are worth adding into the rotation. “These movements train the deep core, improve body awareness and build strength,” says Greca.
If you don’t already do yoga or pilates, Douoguih also recommends trying these disciplines because both include plenty of moves that focus on core movements and engage muscle firing patterns similar to the crab walk.
link