How to Do the Dead Bug Exercise With Perfect Form

The dead bug is a bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominal muscles. Perform dead bugs by lying face-up on an exercise mat. While engaging your core and keeping your low back in contact with the mat, lift your arms up and extend them straight above your shoulders. Lift your legs until your knees are over your hips and your legs form a 90-degree angle. With a controlled movement, lower one arm toward the floor while extending the opposite leg toward the floor. After returning to the starting position, repeat the movement on your opposite arm and leg.

Regularly practicing the dead bug exercise can have several benefits.

1. 1. Dead bug exercises can increase your core strength. Unlike other core exercises like sit-ups, dead bugs target deeper core muscles like the transverse abdominis, pelvic floor, and erector spinae muscle group.
2. 2. Dead bug exercises can improve your coordination. By activating your stabilization muscles throughout the full range of motion, the dead bug can improve mobility and coordination in your lower back, core, arms, and legs. Practice dead bugs as a warm-up for sprinting, jumping, or swimming exercises.
3. 3. Dead bug exercises are easily adjustable. Depending on your fitness level, you can increase the difficulty of your dead bug exercises by including a pair of dumbbells, a resistance band, kettlebells, a stability ball, or ankle weights.

For dead bugs, begin by performing 2–3 sets of 5–10 repetitions on each side. Choose your sets and repetitions based on your ability to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.

1. 1. Lie face-up on an exercise mat with your arms by your sides and your palms facing your sides. Your spine and pelvis should be in a neutral position. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin.
2. 2. Engage your core and lift your feet off the ground, bringing your knees towards your chest until they’re directly over your hips. Flex your toes toward your shins.
3. 3. Lift your arms so your elbows are over your shoulders. Your ribs should be down and your pelvis should be tucked. All repetitions should begin from this starting position.
4. 4. While maintaining a neutral spine, slowly lower your right arm and left leg toward the floor until they’re an inch or two above the floor. Your right arm and left leg should finish fully extended, while your left arm and right leg remain in the starting position. Pause at the bottom position.
5. 5. Bring your right arm and left leg back to the starting position. Repeat the movement with your left arm and right leg, while keeping your right arm and left leg in the starting position.
6. 6. Continue to alternate for the desired number of repetitions on each side.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

To see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

Throw on some athleisure, fire up a MasterClass Annual Membership, and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and GQ fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time.