Dead Bug
Lying on your back with arms up and knees bent over your hips, you slowly lower one arm and the opposite leg while keeping your lower back pressed into the floor.
- Primary muscles
- Abs, Lower abs
- Secondary
- Obliques
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.
Why do it
The dead bug trains your abs to keep your pelvis and lower back still while your arms and legs move. It's low-load and easy to scale, so it suits beginners, warm-ups and anyone who finds planks dull. Unlike the bird dog, you're on your back, and the floor gives clear feedback: if your back lifts, the rep is over. Make it harder by straightening the leg more, holding a light weight in your hands, or slowing every rep down.
How to do it
Lie on your back with your arms pointing at the ceiling and your knees bent to 90 degrees above your hips.
Press your lower back into the floor and keep it there for the whole set.
Slowly lower one arm overhead and the opposite leg toward the floor until just before your back wants to arch.
Return to the start and repeat on the other side. Exhale as you extend; that makes it much easier to keep the lower back down.
Common mistakes
Letting your lower back arch
The moment your back peels off the floor, your abs have lost the position. Only lower the arm and leg as far as you can keep your back flat.
Holding your breath
Bracing by holding your breath makes it harder to keep your ribs down. Breathe out as you extend, then breathe in as you return to the start.
Moving too fast
Quick reps let momentum carry your limbs. Move slowly enough that you could stop at any point in the rep.
Moving the same-side arm and leg
Lowering the arm and leg on one side removes the cross-body challenge. Pair the opposite arm and leg on every rep.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
