Bird dog
Builds the deep muscles that hold your back steady while your arms and legs move.
Area
Back
Sets
3
Each set
8 each side
How often
Four days a week
How to do it
Start on all fours with a flat back, as if a cup of tea were resting on it.
Reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back until both are level with your body.
Hold for three seconds without letting your hips tip.
Bring them back under you slowly and switch sides.
Why it helps
Most back pain settles faster when the trunk learns to stay quiet while the limbs work. This is the simplest way to practise exactly that.
Common mistakes
Lifting the leg too high, which arches the lower back. Reach long, not high. If you wobble, shorten the reach before adding more.
