What is the bird dog exercise good for?

The bird dog exercise is a core stability exercise that targets the lower back, hips, glutes, and shoulders. It is an excellent exercise for improving core strength, balance, and coordination. The bird dog works several muscle groups at once, making it an efficient exercise for both strengthening and conditioning.

What muscles does the bird dog exercise work?

The bird dog exercise primarily works the following muscles:

• Erector spinae muscles of the lower back – These muscles run along the spine and help extend and stabilize the back.
• Gluteal muscles – The gluteus maximus and gluteus medius are worked isometrically to stabilize the hips.
• Shoulder stabilizer muscles – The rotator cuff and deltoid muscles stabilize the shoulder joint.
• Abdominal muscles – The rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis contract to stabilize the spine.
• Hip flexors – The iliopsoas muscles initiate the leg lifting motion.
• Multifidus – These small stabilizer muscles along the spine help maintain spinal alignment.

The bird dog requires simultaneous activation of all these muscle groups in order to extend the opposite arm and leg against gravity while maintaining a neutral spine. This makes it an integrated core stability exercise.

What are the benefits of the bird dog exercise?

Here are some of the main benefits of practicing the bird dog regularly:

• Improved core stability – The bird dog strengthens the muscles that stabilize the lumbar spine, pelvis, and shoulders to improve posture and balance.
• Back pain relief – It can alleviate lower back pain by strengthening the spinal erectors and glutes.
• Improved balance and coordination – Challenging coordination is required to perform the opposite arm and leg lift.
• Increased hip mobility – The motion promotes mobility of the hip joints.
• Shoulder stabilization – Stabilizing the shoulder joint during the exercise improves rotator cuff and shoulder strength.
• Prevents injuries – Strengthening the core can reduce injuries to the back and hips.
• Functional strength – It improves strength for daily activities like lifting, carrying, and bending.

Due to these benefits, physical therapists commonly prescribe the bird dog to improve core stability in people with low back pain or following abdominal surgery. It is also used in fitness training to improve balance and prevent injuries.

How to do the bird dog correctly

Follow these steps to perform the bird dog exercise with proper form:

1. Start on your hands and knees on a mat with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders. Keep your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Engage your core by tightening your abdominal muscles. Keep your back straight and eyes looking down at the mat.
3. Raise your right arm forward until it is parallel to the ground. Simultaneously, extend your left leg straight back until it is parallel to the ground.
4. Your arm should be at shoulder height and your foot flexed as you extend your leg. Both your arm and leg should be on the same horizontal plane.
5. Hold this extended bird dog position for 5 seconds while keeping your hips and shoulders square.
6. Return your right arm and left leg back to the start position while maintaining stability in your core.
7. Repeat on the opposite side by extending your left arm and right leg simultaneously.
8. Aim for 8-15 reps on each side.

To progress the exercise, you can perform the bird dog with your knee hovering above rather than resting on the ground. This challenges your stability further. You can also add a resistance band around your legs or arms to increase difficulty.

Common mistakes

Be sure to avoid these form mistakes when performing the bird dog exercise:

• Letting your hips rotate or sag – Keep your hips square and core braced.
• Arching your back – Maintain a neutral spine without rounding or arching.
• Dropping your head – Keep your head in line with your back.
• Not extending your arm/leg fully – Reach full extension of both limbs to get a stretch.
• Rushing your reps – Move slowly and with control on both sides.
• Holding your breath – Exhale as you extend, inhale as you return to the start.

Exercise variations

Some other versions of the bird dog exercise include:

• Bird dog crunches – Raise your opposite elbow to knee instead of extending arm and leg.
• Bird dog with leg lift – Keep arm extended as you raise and lower same side leg.
• Single arm/leg bird dog – Only raise one arm or leg at a time.
• Bird dog with resistance band – Wrap a band around your thighs or arms.
• Bird dog on a Swiss ball – Perform the motion while planking on a Swiss ball.

You can also change up the arm/leg position, such as rotating your arm externally or opening your hip to target your muscles from different angles.

Muscles worked

Here’s a more detailed overview of the major muscles targeted during the bird dog exercise:

Spinal erectors

The spinal erectors refer to the tendons that run parallel along the vertebrae from the pelvis to the base of the skull. The bird dog exercise activates these muscles isometrically to extend the spine and posteriorly tilt the pelvis. The erector spinae muscles worked include:

• Iliocostalis – Extend and laterally flex the spine
• Longissimus – Extend the spine and assist with side bending
• Spinalis – Extend the spine

Gluteal muscles

The gluteus maximus and gluteus medius are worked statically to stabilize the hips in a neutral position throughout the bird dog. The opposite hip is also stretched.

Multifidus muscles

These small muscles run along the groove of the spine on either side of the vertebrae. They contract isometrically to stabilize the spine and maintain segmental control during the bird dog exercise.

Rotator cuff muscles

Muscles like the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis engage to stabilize the shoulder joint as the opposite arm extends out. This improves rotator cuff coordination and scapular control.

Deltoid

The anterior, lateral and posterior fibers of the deltoid muscle assist the supraspinatus in abducting the shoulder during the bird dog.

Core muscles

The rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques coordinate to stabilize the torso during the bird dog exercise. Hip flexion during the leg extension also uses the iliopsoas muscles.

Precautions

Consider these precautions when performing bird dogs:

• Avoid this exercise if you have any acute back injuries or pain.
• Start with small ranges of motion if you have limitations in flexibility or mobility.
• Keep your neck in line with your spine instead of looking up.
• If pregnant, only extend the arm and leg to comfort.
• Discontinue if you experience any sharp joint pain or pinching.

Programming recommendations

To incorporate bird dogs into your workout routine, aim for:

• 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps on each side
• 3 sessions per week on non-consecutive days
• Slow and controlled motions of 2 seconds extending, 2 second hold, 2 seconds returning

Do this exercise after your dynamic warm up and place it early in your strength workout. You can also do a set as part of a cool down routine.

Start each set in a tabletop position on your hands and knees with your core engaged. Progress over time by increasing the distance of your arm and leg extension.

Conclusion

The bird dog is an excellent functional exercise to improve core stability, posture, balance, and conditioning. It works several muscles at once including the spinal erectors, glutes, shoulders, and abdominals. Benefits include reduced back pain, improved core strength, better balance and mobility, and injury prevention. Be sure to maintain proper alignment and move through a full range of motion with control. Add bird dogs to your regular core routine 2-3 times per week for improved stabilization and strength.