Exercises / Core / anti-movement
Bird dog
Core / anti-movement Bodyweight Complexity 1/5
Working position
Setup
On hands and knees, hands under shoulders, knees under hips.
Execution
Extend the opposite arm and leg, hold briefly, then return under control.
Coaching cues
- Keep the hips level
- Reach long rather than high
- Brace so the spine does not move
Common fault
Hips rotate as the leg lifts
Fix: Extend the leg only, no arm, until control improves.
Muscles trained
Primary: Erector spinae (spinal erectors)Transversus abdominis (TVA)
Secondary: Gluteus maximus (glutes)
Regression and progression
Easier: This is the entry-level variation.
Harder: Front plank
Rule
Never advance complexity and load in the same week. When the variation gets harder, the load comes down.