Execution form
- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternIsolation
- Reps8 to 20 reps
- Joint loadLower back
How to do the Bird Dog
Set up. Kneel on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips, back flat.
- Brace and reach one arm forward while extending the opposite leg back.
- Hold briefly with the back level.
- Return and repeat with the other pair.
Form cues
- Keep the hips level.
- Reach long rather than high.
- Move slowly.
Common mistakes
- Arching the lower back to lift the leg.
- Tipping the hips to one side.
Muscles worked
Main target: Lower back. The erector spinae run either side of the spine. They straighten the back and hold it straight under a load, in every hinge, squat and carry.
Its other side: Abs, in the trunk pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Bird Dog, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Hanging Leg Raise Superset partner: it trains the other side of the trunk pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Woodchop Same core session: it trains the obliques.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Bird Dog first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Bird Dog 3 × 8 to 20 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise 3 × 6 to 20 reps
- Cable Woodchop 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Crunch 3 × 10 to 30 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Jefferson Curl
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Reverse Hyperextension
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Bird Dog is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Bird Dog?
Set up: Kneel on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips, back flat. Steps: 1. Brace and reach one arm forward while extending the opposite leg back. 2. Hold briefly with the back level. 3. Return and repeat with the other pair. Form cues: Keep the hips level. Reach long rather than high. Move slowly. Common mistakes: Arching the lower back to lift the leg. Tipping the hips to one side.
What muscles does the Bird Dog work?
It trains the lower back as its main target and works the glutes and abs on the way.
What can I do instead of the Bird Dog?
At home: Jefferson Curl. In a gym: Reverse Hyperextension. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Bird Dog with?
Good partners in the same workout are Hanging Leg Raise and Cable Woodchop.