Crab Position

A person in a white bodysuit lying on their back with their ankles tied to their wrists and pulled apart by ropes.

We love the crab position for its versatility and because it’s a great position for almost any kind of sex. Spread eagle may be classic, but crab is better.

Step by step

A person in a white bodysuit lying on their back. Their legs are bent and their wrists are tied to their ankles with blue rope. This view is from their feet looking up toward their head.

OPTION1aStart by getting into position.

Face up crab is comfortable and exposed but leaves a lot of wiggle room unless you tie off to a bed.

A person in face down crap position. They are face down, with their wrists tied to the ankles by blue rope. Their legs are widely spread and the wrists are on the outside of the ankles.

OPTION1bFace down crab gives great access to the ass and is much more immobilizing.

Some people may find this position uncomfortable. It can also be hard to breathe if you’re on a soft surface.

A person in a white bodysuit lying on their back. Their legs are bent and their wrists are tied to their ankles with blue rope. This is a closeup view of the single column tie binding their wrist to their ankle. The tie has two wraps and rests two inches above the wrist and three inches above the ankle.

2Tie the forearms to the lower legs. Crab is usually more comfortable if you tie a little bit above the wrists and ankles. There are lots of options for how to do this: take a look at the next page for some ideas.

Hand positions

Hands on the inside

A closeup view of a wrist tied to an ankle. The person is sitting on the ground, with a two wrap single columntie binding the wrist to the ankle. The wrist is on the inside of the ankle, with the hand grasping the heel of the foot.

This option is exposed and secure without being too strenuous.

As with most of these positions, this is often most comfortable if the hand is able to grasp the foot. Try to place the column tie well above both the ankle and the wrist.

Hands on the outside

Putting the hands on the outside of the ankles makes the position a bit more comfortable and sustainable, at the cost of making it less exposed. This is often a better choice for a face-down crab.

Locking the arm under the knee

A closeup view of a wrist tied to an ankle. The person is sitting on the ground. The arm crosses the inside of the thigh just above the knee, then crosses under the knee so that the wrist is tied on the outside of the ankle. The tie is a parallel lashing, with six double wraps of rope going around the wrist and ankle, and a square knot finishing the tie.

Pass the forearm under the calf, so the hand is grasping the outside of the foot and ankle.

This position is typically much more secure. It is quite comfortable for some people and almost impossible to get into for others. It generally only works with face-up crab.

Forearm to thigh

A closeup view of a forearm tied to a thigh with a square lashing. The person is sitting on the ground and the middle of the forearm is tied to the outside of the thigh just above the knee. The square lashing forms a square shape binding the two limbs together.

For something less demanding, try attaching the forearm to the thigh with a square lashing.

You can use this technique with the arm on the inside of the thigh, or lash the forearm to the calf.

Ideas and variations

Tie it off!

Face up crab is fun on its own, but we urge you to tie your partner’s ankles to the bedframe.

A closeup of a forearm tied to a calf. The person is sitting on the ground and their forearm is on the inside of the calf, parallel to it and pressed closely against it. A single column tie binds the wrist to the ankle and a ladder rung runs up the calf and binds the forearm to the calf just below the knee and elbow.

Use a ladder rung

Depending on your partner’s geometry, tying the forearm to the calf with a ladder rung can make the crab much stricter.

Happy baby variant

The person is lying on their back with their feet up in the air and their hands holding their feet. The single column tie on their right thigh is visible, as is the rope that goes under their back connecting it to their left thigh.

We like this crab variant, which is inspired by the happy baby pose in yoga. It uses a simple rope behind the back to pull the thighs apart. It’s up to you whether to tie the forearms to the calves or not.

A rear view of a person sitting on the ground with their legs partly bent and spread apart. Their hands are resting on their shins. A blue rope is tied in a single column tie around the left thigh and a green rope is tied in a single column tie around the right thigh.

1With your partner sitting up, tie a column tie around the right thigh, a few inches above the knee. With a second rope, tie another column tie around the left thigh.

You should have a couple of feet of rope left over.

The extra rope from the column tie on the left thigh passes behind the person’s back and is tied to the single column tie on their right thigh with a round turn and two half hitches, pulling the legs apart.

2Pass the tail of the left rope behind your partner’s back and through the column tie on their right leg.

Gently pull on the rope to pull the thighs as far back as is comfortable before tying off with a round turn and two half hitches.

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