Dead Bug
Supine anti-extension drill — coordinates a braced core with contralateral arm and leg motion.
Execution
- Lie on your back, arms pointing straight up, knees bent 90° over the hips.
- Press the lower back firmly into the floor — no gap between back and mat.
- Slowly lower the opposite arm and leg at the same time without lifting the back.
- Return under control, then switch sides.
Tips
- If the lower back lifts off, shorten the range or keep the knee bent higher.
- Tempo matters more than range — 3-4 s per side beats a rushed back-and-forth.
The most unassuming of the big three
The dead bug looks like nothing and is one of the most effective core exercises there is. It's one of three exercises biomechanist Stuart McGill distilled from decades of measurements, because together they cover the trunk's jobs with minimal spinal load.
The task is an anti-extension task with a coordination component: as the arm and opposite leg move away from the body, the pelvis wants to tip forward. The abs have to prevent that — while the limbs move independently of each other. That's exactly the pattern the body needs for walking, running and throwing.
Execution
Lie on your back, arms pointing straight up, hips and knees at 90 degrees. The lower back is in contact with the floor and stays that way for the entire exercise. Now extend one arm back overhead while simultaneously straightening the opposite leg, until both are just above the floor. Return under control, then switch sides.
Common mistakes
- Back lifting off. The one real error criterion. As soon as a gap opens between back and floor, the range is too big — shorten the arm and leg extension.
- Holding your breath. Keep breathing normally; the abs stay braced regardless.
- Too fast. Three to four seconds per rep is the right pace.
Programming
Three sets of 6 to 10 slow reps per side. Together with the plank and side plank, that makes a complete core program in about ten minutes.