A SIMPLE EXERCISE FOR A STRONGER, MORE STABLE BACK
If your back has been bothering you, your first instinct might be to stretch it.
Sometimes that feels good. But there’s another piece of the puzzle that we shouldn’t ignore:
Your back also needs strength and stability.
That’s where this week’s exercise comes in.
The Bird Dog doesn’t require weights, a gym membership, or fancy equipment. You perform it on your hands and knees, and when it’s done correctly, it trains several of the muscles that help support your spine.
It also looks ridiculously easy.
Then you try to do it slowly and correctly.
Suddenly, it isn’t quite so easy.
Why I Like the Bird Dog After 50
Your spine doesn’t work alone.
Muscles throughout your abdomen, lower back, hips, and pelvis work together to keep your trunk stable while your arms and legs move.
That’s what happens all day long.
When you walk, your arms and legs move while your trunk remains relatively stable.
When you carry groceries, climb stairs, work in the yard, or reach into the back seat of the car, your core muscles help control your body.
The Bird Dog trains that same idea.
Instead of repeatedly bending your spine, you’re teaching the muscles surrounding it to resist unwanted movement while your arms and legs move.
That’s a very useful skill.
What Muscles Does the Bird Dog Work?
The Bird Dog primarily challenges your:
- Abdominal and deep core muscles
- Lower-back muscles
- Glutes
- Hip muscles
- Shoulder stabilizers
It also requires balance and coordination because you’re lifting an opposite arm and leg at the same time.
So although we often think of the Bird Dog as a “back exercise,” it’s really a whole-body stability exercise.
That’s one reason I like it so much.
How to Do the Bird Dog
Start on your hands and knees.
Place your hands approximately underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.
Now gently tighten your abdominal muscles.
Imagine someone is about to poke you in the stomach.
You don’t need to suck your stomach in. Just tighten those muscles enough to keep your trunk stable.
Now:
1. Extend your right arm forward.
At the same time:
2. Extend your left leg behind you.
Your goal isn’t to see how high you can lift your arm and leg.
Your goal is to keep your body as still as possible.
Think:
Long—not high.
Reach your hand forward while reaching your heel backward.
Hold that position for a few seconds.
Then slowly return your hand and knee to the floor.
Now switch sides.
Extend your left arm and right leg.
That’s one repetition on each side.
The Biggest Mistake I See
People often try to lift the leg too high.
When that happens, the lower back may arch and the pelvis rotates.
You’ve turned a stability exercise into something completely different.
Instead, imagine there’s a glass of water sitting on your lower back.
Your job is not to spill it.
Keep your hips level.
Keep your abdominal muscles gently tightened.
And move slowly.
If you can’t maintain that position, shorten the movement.
Remember:
Good exercise isn’t about how far you can move. It’s about how well you can control the movement.
Make It Easier
If extending an arm and the opposite leg simultaneously is too difficult, don’t worry.
Start with only one limb.
Try extending one arm while keeping both knees on the floor.
Then try extending one leg while keeping both hands on the floor.
Once you can do those comfortably while keeping your trunk stable, progress to the traditional Bird Dog.
You can also make the movement smaller.
There’s no prize for getting your leg perfectly parallel with the floor.
Make It Harder
Once the standard Bird Dog becomes easy, don’t immediately start adding crazy variations you found on social media.
First, make the basic exercise better.
Move more slowly.
Hold the extended position longer.
Try maintaining the position for 5–10 seconds without allowing your trunk to rotate.
You can also bring the elbow and opposite knee toward each other underneath your body before extending again, although this adds movement through the trunk and may not be appropriate for everyone with back pain.
Master the basic version first.
Dr. Mike’s Prescription
If you’re new to the Bird Dog, start with:
5 repetitions on each side
Hold each extended position for about:
3–5 seconds
Perform:
2 sets
As your strength and control improve, gradually increase the hold toward 10 seconds or add repetitions.
Remember, this isn’t a race.
I’d much rather see you perform five excellent repetitions than 20 sloppy ones.
What If Your Back Already Hurts?
The Bird Dog is commonly used as part of exercise programs designed to improve trunk stability, but that doesn’t mean every exercise is appropriate for every person with back pain.
You should feel the muscles working.
You shouldn’t feel sharp or increasing pain shooting through your back or down your leg.
If an exercise consistently makes your symptoms worse, stop and have the problem evaluated.
And if your back pain is accompanied by significant leg weakness, bowel or bladder problems, numbness around the groin, fever, unexplained weight loss, or severe worsening pain, seek medical attention rather than trying to exercise through it.
Your Challenge This Week
Get down on the floor and try the Bird Dog.
Don’t worry about how high you can lift your arm and leg.
Instead, see how still you can keep everything else.
Five slow repetitions on each side. Twice through.
It may not look impressive.
But sometimes the exercises that don’t look very exciting are exactly the ones that help us keep doing the exciting things.