Bird Dog
A fundamental exercise for building core stability, balance, and coordination while strengthening your entire posterior chain.
Important: You Can't "Spot Reduce" Fat
This exercise strengthens Core, Lower Back, but fat loss happens holistically across your entire body through consistent training and nutrition. You cannot target fat loss in specific areas. The key is full-body balanced training combined with a sustainable calorie deficit. This is how your body naturally reduces fat over time.
How to Do It
- 1Start on hands and knees (tabletop position)
- 2Hands under shoulders, knees under hips
- 3Keep spine neutral, core engaged
- 4Simultaneously extend right arm forward and left leg back
- 5Arm and leg should be parallel to floor
- 6Keep hips level - don't let them rotate
- 7Hold for 2-3 seconds
- 8Return to start with control
- 9Repeat on opposite side
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Make It Easier
- Lift only arm
- Lift only leg
- Reduced hold time
Make It Harder
- Hold 5-10 seconds
- Add small circles with limbs
- Bird dog crunch (bring elbow to knee)
Why This Matters for Busy Parents
As a busy parent, you need exercises that deliver results without requiring gym memberships, expensive equipment, or hours of your day. The bird dog is perfect because:
- No equipment needed - do it at home, anytime, anywhere
- Time-efficient - takes just 2 minutes per set
- Builds real strength - targets core, lower back for functional fitness
- Quiet enough - won't wake sleeping kids or bother neighbors
- Kid-friendly - can be done while children play nearby
- Small space - requires minimal room
Remember: consistent, sustainable training is better than sporadic intense sessions. Focus on form, build gradually, and trust the process.