Back Progression: Bird Dog

The back progression exercises are designed to improve strength and stability in your back, buttock, and hip muscles.

How can I benefit by learning this exercise?

Building strong back, buttock, and hip muscles helps protect your back and can even help alleviate discomfort. The bird dog exercise improves muscle coordination and stability in the back and buttock muscles.

How do I perform this exercise?

Get into a crawling position on your hands and knees. Place your hands, directly below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips. Begin by positioning your back in neutral and activating your core muscles, drawing in your lower abdominal muscles. Next, raise one arm directly in front of you. If this is too simple, then begin again; only this time, lift one leg behind you. If you're able to do this while keeping your back steady, then you are ready to lift one arm and the opposite leg at the same time.

How many and how often should I do this exercise?

• Sets: 1 - 2
• Repetitions: 10
• Hold: 5 seconds
• Perform: 1 - 2 times per day

Are there other recommendations I need to be aware of?

Avoid arching your low back. To help keep your back steady, imagine there’s a glass of water sitting on your low back. You'll need to keep extra stable to avoid spilling the water.

What should I watch out for while doing this exercise?

Move slowly while doing the exercise to allow gravity to challenge your back and buttock muscles. At all times, keep your back in the neutral position and avoid tilting your hips up or down as you raise your arm or leg. Attempt to keep your lower abdominal muscles engaged while doing this exercise. If at first you find it difficult to maintain the neutral position while leaning, you may want to modify the exercise by touching your lead hand or foot to the surface to steady yourself.