Move · Videos · Technique · 10 min

Bear, Monkey, Frogger and Crab: Animal Moves

Bear, Monkey, Frogger and Crab: Animal Moves — video by GMB Fitness (Praxis) Play · 10:29

Video by GMB Fitness (Praxis) on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Four playful animal-style floor moves, each with set-up, easier options and a harder variation: bear walk, crab walk, and the hand-supported hops of monkey and frogger. The teacher suggests a minute of each as a warm-up for shoulders, hips and hamstrings.

  • 10 min
  • All levels
  • High impact (jumping)
  • No equipment

Good forFun workouts

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Step by step 8

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  1. Bear walk: hands and feet shoulder-width, push the hips as high as you can, then step opposite hand and foot. 0:45
  2. Easier bear: bend the knees and turn the fingers out for the wrists; harder: the Spider-Man walk, elbows in. 2:11
  3. Monkey: from a comfortable squat, put both hands to one side, arms locked, and hop the feet over; go both ways. 3:24
  4. Monkey options: heels up or a higher squat to make it easier, fingers turned out, or the high monkey. 4:31
  5. Frogger: hands in front, arms locked and shoulders over the hands, then hop the feet forward into a squat. 5:42
  6. Frogger options: keep the hips higher or the heels up, turn the fingers out, or try the frogger stall. 6:59
  7. Crab walk: sit, hands by the hips with fingers out, lift the hips and chest, then move opposite hand and foot. 8:02
  8. Slow the crab down and sway less, or start in place; crab toe taps add a challenge. 9:06

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • In the bear walk, push your hips as high as you can and bend your knees if your hamstrings are tight
  • For monkey and frogger keep your arms locked out, and turn your fingers out to ease your wrists
  • In the crab walk, slow down and sway less side to side, or start by moving in place

What it works

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Joints it uses 5 takes load

  • Shoulders takes loadbear walk, monkey, frogger, crab walk
  • Wrists & hands takes loadhands carry the weight in all four moves
  • Hips takes loaddeep squats in monkey and frogger, bear hips high
  • Knees takes loaddeep squat hops in monkey and frogger
  • Ankles & feet takes loadsquat hops in monkey and frogger
  • Elbows movesarms held locked out in all four moves
  • Upper back movescrab walk opens the chest and shoulders
  • Lower back moveships pushed high in bear, hip lift in crab
  • Jumping or hopping. Impact goes through the ankles, knees and hips.
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Bend knees in bear walk, fingers turned out, start crab walk in place

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by GMB Fitness (Praxis); the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety