Bird Dog

The so-called Bird Dog focuses on aligning the thigh with the upper body. This is a function of the glutes, hamstrings, and erector spinae. This is somewhat comparable to a stiff legged deadlift. Here, only the leg is brought into alignment with the upper body instead of the other way around. In this exercise, this is also done alternately with each leg.

Bird dog execution

1
Choose a comfortable surface for your knees.
2
Get on your hands and knees. Keep your knees directly under your hips and your hands directly under your shoulders.
3
Extend your right leg backward while simultaneously extending your left arm forward.
4
Return both to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Bird dog

Primary muscles:

Erector spinae ('back extensor')
Glutes (gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus)
Hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus)

Bird dog technique

There are many variations of the Bird Dog, including variations in how the arm is extended. This is usually done with the opposite arm to the leg being extended, but it can also be done on the same side. There are also variations in which no arm is extended at all. This is not particularly strange, considering that raising the upper arm is primarily a function of the shoulder muscles. It is therefore not directly necessary if you want to train the lower back and glutes.

There is also a version of the Bird Dog that is performed on a stability ball.

Keep your back straight, neither rounded nor excessively arched.