Bird Dog

Bird Dog trains the core to keep the body steady while holding a set position.

Primary muscle

Abs

Primary musclesErector spinae, Multifidus, Gluteus maximus

Secondary musclesAbdominals, Posterior deltoids

Equipment

Bodyweight

How to perform Bird Dog

Follow the sequence in order, paying attention to the starting position, movement path, and finish described in each step.

Begin on hands and knees with the hands below the shoulders, knees below the hips, and spine in a neutral position.
Brace the abdominals without holding your breath and keep equal pressure through both hands and the supporting knee.
Reach one arm forward and the opposite leg backward until both are roughly in line with the torso.
Keep the hips and shoulders square to the floor and stop the reach before the lower back arches or the pelvis rotates.
Return the hand and knee slowly, reset the trunk, and repeat on the opposite side.

End the set when the hips sag, rise, or turn, or when the lower back arches. Do not keep holding just to reach a set time.

Maintain abdominal tension while taking small, regular breaths.

Press through the support points and keep the neck long.

Shorten the body position or use knee support if the shoulders, pelvis, and spine cannot remain aligned.

Holding after position is lost: End the set when the hips sag, rise, or turn, or when the lower back arches. Do not keep holding just to reach a set time.
Collapsing into the shoulders: Press through the support points and keep the neck long.
Stop when the exercise produces sharp, catching, radiating, or increasing joint pain rather than the expected muscular effort.
Alternative Easier Hold: Use the knees, a higher surface, or bent arms or legs to make the hold easier while keeping the same body position.

Place Bird Dog after the main compound lifts, in a focused core block, or beside an exercise that does not require a fresh trunk.

Use two to four times per week while accounting for trunk work already supplied by squats, hinges, carries, and overhead lifting.

Goal	Sets	Reps or time	Rest	Effort and execution
Control / technique	2–3	10–20 sec	45–75 sec	Stop well before position changes
Strength / endurance	2–4	20–45 sec	60–90 sec	Stop while 1–3 good-form reps are still possible

Use Bird Dog after Barbell Back Squats or Deadlifts so trunk fatigue does not reduce performance on the main lift.
Pair it with Dead Bug or Bird Dog for a focused core block with complementary demands.

Scale the movement