core beginnerAI Tracked

Dead Bug

The dead bug is one of the best core exercises most people have never tried. Unlike crunches and sit-ups that repeatedly flex your spine, the dead bug teaches your core to resist movement — which is how your abs actually work in real life. Physical therapists prescribe it for back pain because it strengthens your core without putting any stress on your lumbar spine.

How to Do Dead Bug: Step by Step

  1. Lie on your back with arms reaching toward the ceiling
  2. Bend knees to 90 degrees — shins parallel to the floor
  3. Press your lower back flat into the ground (no gap)
  4. Slowly extend one arm overhead and the opposite leg out
  5. Return to start and repeat on the other side

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Lower back arching off the floor — keep it pressed down the entire time
  • Moving too fast — slow and controlled is the whole point
  • Holding your breath — exhale as you extend, inhale as you return

Muscles Worked

core
Equipment No equipment needed
Tracking Count reps

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