Low back
Bird Dog
Reach opposite arm and leg without the low back sagging or bracing.
6 per side
Floor
Why we use it
Reaching opposite arm and leg without sagging or bracing is how the low back shares work with the hips.
Start here
Hands and knees, spine long. Slide one leg back and the opposite arm forward. Pause.
How to
- 1Start on hands and knees. Make the spine long.
- 2Slide one leg back and the opposite arm forward. Pause.
- 3Reach long, do not lift high. Pretend a glass of water sits on the low back.
Feel for
A long line from hand to heel. Hips level. No hike.
Breathing
Breathe out first, then reach. Breathe in to return.
Do this
- — Breathe out first, then reach.
- — Hips stay level — a glass of water on the low back.
- — Reach long, do not lift high.
Common mistakes
- — Hiking the reaching hip.
- — Looking up and dumping the ribs.
Regression · Progression
Easier: Leg only, or hand on a bench.
Harder: 3-second pause, then a slow hover of the reaching knee.