Dead Bug Exercise Tutorial

How to do the Dead Bug Core Exercise

Overview

You might remember this one from your high school Physical Education days.  The Dead Bug core exercise is a classic ab exercise, since you need to engage your core while moving your arms and legs in a slow, controlled way. Dead bug abs provides a strong base for the rest of the body and is particularly popular with runners.

It’s named for its appearance—laying on your back on the ground with your limbs moving up and down, you really do look a bit like a bug turned on its back.

Also Known As

• Dead Bug Stretch
• Dead Bug Abs
• Dead Bug Workout

Level

Beginner

Targets

The Dead Bug core exercise targets the core and trunk muscles including the abdominals and the obliques.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Lie on your back on a yoga mat or a spinal mold.
2. Bring your legs to 90 degrees and bring your arms straight up in the air.
3. Slowly lower your right leg and pick it back up just before it touches the ground.
4. Slowly lower your left leg and pick it back up just before it touches the ground.
5. When you’re comfortable with lowering and lifting your legs, try the arms:
6. Slowly lower your right arm above your head and pick it back up just before it touches the ground.
7. Slowly lower your left arm above your head and pick it back up just before it touches the ground.

To make it more challenging, you can experiment with the position of your legs and arms. Try lifting your legs straight up instead of at a 90-degree angle or try lowering arms and legs at once.

To add another level of difficulty, keep your legs or arms raised just above the floor and lower down just before they touch the ground. You can do this with one or both arms and legs, or even all limbs at the same time. This is more like a flattened dead bug.

Tips / Common Mistakes

• Take a deep breath in and exhale slowly through your mouth as you lower your arm and leg back to the floor.
• Brace your core and tuck your ribs towards your hips to prevent back strain.
• Rest your head on the floor or on a yoga block to avoid straining your neck.
• Keep your pelvis steady and your core tight the whole time.
• Watch your shirt- if it stretches across your chest, you might be arching your back too much.

That’s the dead bug exercise.

[Video Transcript]

It’s important to have a strong core. Remember, your core essentially holds you upright and surrounds and protects the spine. I’m going to teach you an exercise called Dead Bug to help strengthen your core. All you need to do is get on your back.

Lie down and bring your legs up to 90 degrees with your arms straight up in the air, like a “dead bug.” First, lower your right leg until it’s just above the ground, then bring it back up. Do the same with your left leg. If that feels easy, try lowering your right arm and bringing it back up in a controlled manner, then your left arm.

If you feel coordinated enough, move to the classic version: opposite arm and opposite leg. Take your right arm back while your left leg lowers toward the floor (without touching), then bring them back up toward the ceiling. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg. Throughout, make sure your lower back doesn’t arch.

Dead Bug is a great way to strengthen the core in a controlled manner. If you have a spine mold, you can also perform Dead Bug on it to strengthen your core while keeping your back protected.

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