Dead Bug

Setup

1. Lie face up on an exercise mat with your knees bent and feet flat.
2. Lift your arms so your hands sit directly above your shoulders.
3. Bring your legs into a tabletop position, with hips and knees bent to roughly 90 degrees.
4. Exhale gently, bring your ribs down and establish light contact between your lower back and the mat.

Execution

1. Brace your midsection without holding your breath.
2. Slowly reach one arm overhead while extending the opposite leg forwards.
3. Stop before your lower back arches, your ribs lift or your pelvis rotates; your limbs do not need to touch the floor.
4. Return the arm and leg to the starting position under control.
5. Repeat with the other arm and leg, alternating sides throughout the set.

Coaching cues

• Move the limbs; keep the trunk quiet.
• Reach long rather than reaching low.
• Breathe out as you extend.
• Make both sides equally controlled.

Common faults & fixes

• Lower back lifting from the mat: shorten the reach or keep the moving knee more bent.
• Ribs flaring as the arm travels overhead: stop the arm earlier and gently exhale before the next repetition.
• Pelvis rocking from side to side: slow down and reduce the leg movement until your hips stay level.
• Rushing or holding your breath: pause in the starting position, reset your brace and use a controlled exhale during each extension.

Regressions

• Practise the tabletop starting position for several relaxed breaths without moving your limbs.
• Keep both arms pointing upwards and alternate small, bent-knee heel taps towards the floor.
• Keep both feet on the floor and practise alternating overhead arm reaches while maintaining trunk position.

Variations

• Paused dead bug: briefly hold the extended position without letting your lower back arch.
• Straight-leg dead bug: begin with both legs pointing upwards and lower one straight leg with the opposite arm, using a manageable range.
• Band pulldown dead bug: hold a securely anchored resistance band with your arms stationary above your chest while alternating leg extensions.

Programming ideas

• Before strength training: perform 1–2 sets of 4–6 controlled repetitions per side to rehearse bracing.
• As accessory work: perform 2–3 sets of 6–10 repetitions per side, resting enough to maintain control.
• For a tempo progression: take 3 seconds to extend and pause briefly, rather than adding more repetitions.
• In hybrid sessions: place it in the warm-up or after the main work rather than racing through it in a timed circuit.

Safety

Use a pain-free range and keep breathing throughout. Do not force your lower back into the mat or chase floor contact with your limbs. Reduce the range if you feel back or hip discomfort; stop if pain persists.