Bird Dog Exercise Tutorial – Part 2

How to Do the Bird Dog Exercise – Part 2

Overview

There are few different ways we can do bird dog. Of course, you always want to start with the first step which you would have seen in the first video. If you can do the beginner bird dog really well, you don’t lose your form, you find it easy, try moving onto this step.

Level

Beginner

Targets

Lower back & pelvis

Step by Step Instructions

Set-up

1. Get on hands and knees (quadruped).
2. Hands under shoulders, knees under hips.
3. Tuck your toes under (optional) and keep your head/neck neutral.
4. Brace your core and keep your torso still.

Movement

1. Reach your left arm forward and your right leg straight back.
2. Crunch: draw your left elbow and right knee toward each other under your torso until they lightly touch.
3. Re-extend to the long reach (arm forward, leg back) without letting your trunk sway.
4. Return to start and repeat on the other side (right arm + left leg).

Reps & Sets

• 8–12 reps per side, 2–3 sets.
• Move slowly and with control.

Form Cues

• Keep hips level; don’t let them twist.
• Press the floor away with your hands; avoid sagging through the shoulders.
• Exhale on the crunch, inhale on the re-extension.

[Video Transcript]

There are few different ways we can do bird dog. Of course, you always want to start with the first step which you would have seen in the first video. If you can do the beginner bird dog really well, you don’t lose your form, you find it easy, try moving onto this step.

You’re going to get on your hands and your knees. Just like with all setups when you’re on your hands and your knees, your hands are going to be right underneath your shoulders. Your knees are going to be right under your hips and you’re going to tuck your toes under so that they’re pointed. Your head is going to be in neutral position.

As you raise your left arm and you raise your left leg, instead of it bringing down to the ground, you’re going to bring it and crunch and bring your elbow and your knee together. You’re going to bring your arm out and your leg out and come back to the resting position. We’re going to do the same thing on the other side, elbow and knee together. Now what this does is it strengthens your core. It works on your coordination, but it can also help relieve any low back or pelvic pain. Try to keep your torso as still as possible.

That’s step two of the bird dog.

Click HERE for Part 3 of How to Do the Bird Dog Exercise

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