Bird-Dog

01 Steps

1. 1 Get on all fours: hands under shoulders, knees under hips.
2. 2 Engage your core by slightly bracing your abs.
3. 3 Simultaneously extend your right arm forward and left leg behind, aligning them with your back.
4. 4 Hold for 2-3 seconds while keeping your hips perfectly level.
5. 5 Return arm and leg to the starting position, then alternate with left arm and right leg.

02 Tips

• ✓ Place a book or water bottle on your lower back — it should not fall off.
• ✓ Move slowly and with control. This exercise is not about speed.
• ✓ Reach as far as possible with both your arm and leg, as if trying to touch opposite walls.

03 Common mistakes

• ✗ Hip rotation: one side rises when you extend the leg. Keep your hips parallel to the floor.
• ✗ Arching the back: maintain a neutral spine throughout.
• ✗ Going too fast: each rep should take 4-5 seconds.

04 If you struggle

• → Extend only the arm (without the leg) or only the leg (without the arm).
• → Reduce the hold time at the top to 1 second.
• → Work on a 20-second plank hold to strengthen your core first.