Bird Dog
A slow, back-friendly core exercise: reach the opposite arm and leg while keeping your trunk perfectly still.
Drag to rotate
Muscles worked
Also works
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Level
- Beginner
- Tempo
- Lift 1.2 s · Lower 1.5 s
How to do the bird dog
- 1Start on hands and knees, hands under shoulders and knees under hips.
- 2Brace your core so your back is flat.
- 3Reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back until both are level with your body.
- 4Pause, return, and switch sides.
When to pick it: Pick it as a warm-up, for beginners, or for anyone with a sensitive lower back.
Form cues
- Don’t let the hips rotate
- Reach long, not high
- Move slowly
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back
- Hips tipping toward the lifted leg
- Rushing
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1–2 min |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 30–60 s |
Finish each set with one or two good reps left in the tank. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next time. Get a full 4–12 week program →
Equipment taken? Swap it for
These train the same muscles with different equipment.
More abs & glutes exercises
All abs exercises →
General fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain, and check with a clinician before starting if you have an injury or a health condition.