WhatWorksWhat.
Lower back

Bird Dog

Deep brace through the trunk; balance challenge wakes up the stabilizers.

Complexity · Lowstabilitybeginner+Bodyweight
  • Abs
  • Glutes
  • Lower back
  • Lower back - Spinal erectors
  • Obliques
  • Spinal erectors

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Spinal erectors

    Hit

    Erector spinae - keeps the spine neutral under load.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

0:25· National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

How to do a Bird Dog | Proper Form & Technique | NASM

Hold

Hold

On hands and knees, neutral spine. Extend the opposite arm and leg until both are parallel to the floor. Hold 2s. Return. Alternate sides without rocking the hips.

Common mistakes

  • Hips rocking from side to side - control them.
  • Arching the lower back as the leg extends.

Where you should feel it

Deep brace through the trunk; balance challenge wakes up the stabilizers.

Injury risk · 1/10

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains lower back. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Bird dog with elbow-to-knee tuck

    Tuck arm and leg together each rep.

    100% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

  • Weighted bird dog

    Light dumbbell in the working hand.

    100% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

  • Couch Stretch

    Rear foot up on a bench, front leg in a 90/90 lunge. Squeeze the glute of the rear leg, tall torso. 60s per side.

    QuadsGlutes

  • Child's Pose

    Knees wide, big toes together. Sit hips back to the heels, arms long overhead, forehead to the floor. 60s. Walk the hands one direction to bias one side.

    LatsLower backRhomboids

  • Pigeon Pose

    From all fours, bring one knee forward at ~45° with the shin angled across the body. Extend the back leg straight. Lower the chest over the front shin. 60s per side.

    Glutes

Coach note

Cheapest insurance for a healthy back. McGill's research considers this part of the 'big three' for spinal stability.