Cone Steal Crawl | Friends

Quick Intro

Cone Steal Crawl is a race to grab a cone, done in a bear crawl. A single cone sits on the floor halfway between the two partners. Both start in a bear crawl position the same distance away, facing it. On “go”, both crawl toward the cone as fast as they can, and the first hand to grab it wins the point. Nobody may stand up along the way. The first partner to an agreed number of points, often five, wins the match.

The bear crawl itself, on hands and feet with the knees just off the floor, back flat and opposite hand and foot moving together, is taught at Bear Crawl. This guide covers the game: setting the distance, starting fairly, the crawling rule and keeping it a race for the cone.

What You’ll Need

One training cone.
A clear floor about six to eight metres long, soft enough for the hands: a gym floor, mats or short grass.
A third person or a phone app to call “go”, if available.

How to Play

Place the cone in the middle and mark a start line on each side, the same distance away. Two to three metres each side is plenty in a crawl.
Both partners set up behind their line in a bear crawl, hands on the floor under the shoulders, knees just off the ground.
On “go”, both crawl toward the cone.
The first hand to grab the cone wins the point.
Stand up, walk back to your lines and reset.
Play until one partner reaches the agreed number of points.

The Crawling Rule

This rule is what keeps the game a crawl. Standing up to run the last stretch would turn it into a short sprint, and it ends the attempt:

Hands and feet the whole way. Knees stay off the floor, and no one stands up before the grab.
Stand-ups lose the point. A partner who stands, kneels to rest or crawls on the knees gives the point to the other.
Reach with one hand. The grabbing hand leaves the floor only for the final reach.

A Race for the Cone

Grabbing the cone is the whole contest. Touching the other person is no part of it:

No grabbing, blocking or swatting at the other partner’s hands or arms.
First hand on the cone wins. Once it is in one hand, the round is over. The other partner does not try to pull it away.
True ties are replayed.

Because both partners arrive at the same spot low to the ground, heads can be close. Reach from your own side of the cone and keep your head up and back as you reach.

Starting Fairly

Both partners hear the “go” at the same moment, and nobody moves before it. A third person or a random-delay app is best. Without either, use a fixed count, “three, two, one, go”, and treat any movement before “go” as a lost point.

Making It Fair

The slower crawler starts slightly closer to the cone, agreed before the match. Half a metre makes a real difference over three metres in a crawl. Adjust after a few points if one partner keeps winning. The Training With a Friend guide covers head starts in more depth.

Staying Safe

A clear floor with nothing that could catch the hands.
Soft enough for the hands. Rough concrete scrapes palms.
Heads apart at the grab. Reach with the arm, not the head.
Rest between rounds. A fast bear crawl tires the shoulders quickly, and tired shoulders let the hips drop.

Common Mistakes

Hips too high. It slows the crawl and the hips swing. Keep the back flat.
Knees on the floor. That is a crawl on the knees and does not count.
Watching the other person. Watch the cone.
Lunging for the cone from far away. It usually means a face-plant or a stand-up.

Fitting It Into a Session

Cone Steal Crawl is a short, intense game for the shoulders and trunk. It suits the start of a session after a warm-up, or a short burst between strength exercises. Five to nine points is enough for a match. For ordering games in a session, see Building a Partner Session.

Getting Better Over Time

Track wins and losses. When the slower partner wins about half the points, take away part of the head start. Moving both start lines back makes every round longer.

Cone Steal is the standing version, a reaction sprint to the cone.
Bear Crawl Tag chases a partner in a bear crawl.
Ankle-Tied Bear Crawl Race has partners crawl as a tied pair.
Plank Ball Roll Steal fights over a ball from a plank.

FAQ

Can we crawl further?

Yes, but past about four metres it becomes a crawling endurance race. Short distances keep the steal exciting.

What if we both grab the cone at once?

Replay the point.

Can one of us call “go”?

Better not, since the caller always has the jump. Use a count both can hear or a random-delay app.

Related to Bear Crawl, Cone Steal and Bear Crawl Tag.