How to do it
- Start on hands and knees with a flat back and braced core.
- Extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back until both are level with the torso.
- Hold briefly, return, and alternate sides.
Cues that matter
- Keep the hips square — imagine balancing a glass of water on your lower back.
- Move slowly; speed defeats the purpose.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips rotate as the leg lifts.
- Lifting the arm and leg above the body line.
Muscles worked
Primary
- Lower Back
- Erector spinae
- Multifidus
Also works
- Glutes
- Deep core
Sets and reps
What to do with it depends on what you are training for. These are the ranges MuscleMap uses when it puts Bird Dog in a session, with 75 seconds between sets.
- Strength
- 20–30 sec
- Build muscle
- 30–45 sec
- Endurance
- 45–75 sec
Same muscle, different kit
Movements that train the same part of the lower back with different equipment — for a day the bodyweight is taken, or a gym that does not have one.