ExercisesPrimal / Animal Movement
Monkey Walk — Speed: A Complete Guide
Quick Intro
Monkey Walk — Speed is an animal-movement exercise performed from the same deep squat and leapfrogging pattern as the Monkey Walk, pushing the tempo up to a maximum controlled pace while keeping the feet landing outside the leading hand on each rep. The task is to hold that outside landing as the pace climbs, which is harder than simply moving faster.
Equipment Needed
No equipment is required. A yoga mat can soften the repeated hand contact on a hard floor, though it changes nothing about the movement itself.
Why It Matters
A fast bounding pattern takes far more reactive control than a slower, deliberate one, and the hips still have to open wide on each landing. A muscle at the back of the thigh (hamstrings, biceps femoris) and the deep hip flexor (hip flexors, iliopsoas) drive the explosive hip action at a much higher rate than the base pace asks for, and the front of the shoulder cap (deltoid, anterior) and a muscle along the side of the ribcage (serratus anterior) bear weight through each quick hand reach. A front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee (quadriceps, rectus femoris) absorbs faster, harder landings, and the inner thigh muscles (adductors) control the wider foot placement under more speed.
When to Do It
This version works well once the base Monkey Walk’s leapfrogging pattern feels reliable, as a speed and reactive-coordination test early in a session while the legs are fresh. Two sessions a week, with rest days for the hips and legs between them, suits most people adding this pace.
Anyone with a current wrist, hip or lower back issue should still get individual guidance before starting, since the faster landings add impact to the demands the slower walk already makes.
Getting Ready
A few minutes of ankle bounces and deep squat holds prepare the legs for a faster tempo before asking them to bound at speed. A few reps at the base pattern’s normal pace previews the landing before pushing the tempo up.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. The setup. Sink into a deep squat and plant both hands on the floor between the feet.
2. The hand step. Step one hand far forward at a quick, controlled pace.
3. The leapfrog. Jump both feet forward immediately to land outside that hand.
4. The repeat. Step the other hand forward right away, keeping the tempo consistently fast.
How Many, How Often
Monkey Walk — Speed is dosed by distance, since the goal is sustaining a fast bounding pattern over ground covered without the landing position breaking down.
| Level | Where you’re at | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | New to pushing the base pattern’s pace | 3 sets of 8 to 10 feet, speeding up only as far as the landing stays clean |
| Intermediate | The faster pace holds a consistent landing | 3 to 4 sets of 12 to 18 feet at a quick tempo |
| Advanced | Comfortable at a maximum controlled pace | 4 sets of 18 to 25 feet at top speed with the landing position unchanged |
Holding the same outside landing position at speed matters more here than how fast the set moves, since a landing that drifts inward under pace means the speed has outrun the pattern’s control.
Modifications and Variations
As the easier version, Monkey Walk performs the same leapfrogging pattern at a more natural, unhurried tempo, the version to return to if speed starts breaking down the landing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Letting the landing drift inward as speed increases. Allowing the feet to land closer to the hand once the pace picks up trades away the outside-landing pattern for raw quickness. Backing the tempo off slightly to protect the landing position keeps the drill on target.
Chasing speed with a heavier landing. Moving faster by landing harder rather than staying light through the ankles adds unnecessary impact with each rep. Staying light and springy even at a faster pace protects the joints.
Losing hand control under speed. Slapping the hand down carelessly to move faster skips the setup each leapfrog depends on. A quick but still deliberate hand step keeps a fast pace from turning sloppy.
After Your Set
Standing and folding forward with the knees soft releases the hamstrings and hips after a set of fast bounding. A few gentle wrist stretches finish easing the wrists that supported the quicker hand steps.
Going Deeper
This version is a reactive-speed step up for anyone who already lands consistently outside the hand at a normal pace, since pushing the tempo up changes the demand from controlled hip mobility to fast, repeated coordination with less time to think. Moving faster is the aim, so it becomes tempting to let the landing drift inward to keep the pace climbing, which turns a speed drill into a sloppier, shorter version of the Monkey Walk. Treating the landing position as fixed and pushing pace only as far as it stays clean builds usable speed sooner than chasing tempo alone.
Someone comfortable with the base pattern typically manages a faster, controlled pace within a couple of sessions, then works toward a maximal tempo over two to four weeks as reactive coordination builds.
How to Know You’re Improving
- A landing that stays outside the hand even as the pace increases
- A tempo that keeps climbing without the landing position breaking down
- A hand step that stays deliberate even when moving quickly
- Landings that stay light through the ankles as speed climbs
Measure progress by how well the landing position holds as the pace rises, not by top speed alone.
Muscles Worked
- Biceps Femoris (a muscle at the back of the thigh, driving the explosive hip action at a faster rate)
- Iliopsoas (the deep hip flexor, swinging the feet forward quickly)
- Anterior Deltoid (the front of the shoulder cap, bearing weight through each quick hand reach)
- Serratus Anterior (a muscle along the side of the ribcage, holding the shoulder blade set at a faster leapfrog pace)
- Rectus Femoris (a front thigh muscle that crosses both the hip and knee, absorbing faster landings)
- Adductors (the inner thigh muscles, controlling the wider foot placement under more speed)
FAQ
Is this just Monkey Walk done faster? That is the core idea, but it asks for more than just moving quickly. Monkey Walk performs the same leapfrogging pattern at a natural pace, while this version pushes the tempo up to a maximum controlled speed and treats holding the outside landing at that pace as the test.
How fast should the pace be? Fast enough that the tempo feels pushed, but never so fast that the landing starts drifting inward toward the hand, since that drift is the clearest sign the speed has outrun the pattern.
What shows readiness for the faster pace? Once the base Monkey Walk’s outside landing feels consistent and reliable at a normal, unhurried tempo, pushing the pace up here is a reasonable next step.
Is some hip or leg fatigue after this exercise normal? Yes, fatigue through the hips, legs and wrists after a set of fast bounding is expected. Anything sharper through the hip or wrist deserves a doctor or physical therapist’s opinion rather than a wait-and-see approach.
How often should the speed version be trained? Two sessions a week with a couple of days between them suits most people given the added speed and impact.
Related to Monkey Walk, the easier version done at a natural, unhurried pace.