This is the second exercise in a week that I’ve done recently that is named after a position a dog takes. This refers to the immobile, intensely focused stance a hunting dog will adopt, like a pointer, when he has located game: muzzle forward, leg up. The other was the fire hydrant, which shouldn’t need an explanation.
Oh, okay: ask yourself, what does a dog tend to do when they come across a fire hydrant? Any fire hydrant? Even if a fire hydrant has passed two minutes before. There you go (Read what happened when I did 100 fire hydrants a day for a week here.)
The bird dog is also known as the quadruped, which is not quite correct, since we lucky humans do not have four legs. Read on to learn more about exercise, its benefits, and what happened when I added it to my routine for a week.
Looking for more exercise inspiration? take a look at the best abdominal exercises to add to your workout, according to Chris Hemsworth’s PT, plus Five Exercises That Strengthen Your Lower Body Using Just Dumbbells.
What is a bird dog and why should you do it?
The bird dog is essentially a core exercise, but it’s tricky in that it works a variety of muscles, including the erector spinae, which runs from the neck all the way through the spine; buttocks; and the rectus abdominis muscles, the muscles we talk about when we refer to the ‘six-pack’. In addition, it works the hamstrings, the trapezius muscles in the upper back, and the deltoid muscles, which form the rounded shape of the shoulder.
Movement also improves overall stability and can help relieve low back pain, one of the most common types of pain in adults (opens in a new tab). In short, the bird dog is a remarkably comprehensive exercise that requires no equipment other than a mat (make sure it’s a good one, this can be murder on the knees).
How to make a bird dog
Start on your hands and knees, in what’s known as a tabletop position: wrists directly in line with your shoulders and knees in line with your hips. From here, he extends his left arm forward and his right leg back. Engage your core and focus on maintaining a flat back. You should be looking down at the ground. Hold the position briefly, then return to the starting position. This is a repeat. Start with 10 repetitions, then repeat the movement with the other arm and leg. Do two more sets on each side.
I Made 50 Bird Dogs Over One Week – Here’s What Happened
The first day, as usual, I was obsessed with my form. There is much more at stake in this move than you think, so be patient. I found that the knee of my balance leg (the one on the floor) tended to slide under my torso to provide additional support. This meant that my hip was rotating, so I had to work hard to avoid it. Also, your hips may rock back a bit to make the movement easier. Be careful with this and fix it. The goal is to create a straight line with your body.
I did 25 on each side, with some difficulty, and noticed the effects on my glutes and along my back as I did the move, but I didn’t have a lasting feeling of having done an exercise. This surprised me, as I hadn’t done the bird dog in the past. Usually when I try something for the first time, the physical effect lingers for a while. I enjoy this confirmation of effort.
On day two, I felt movement in my buttocks again, but much less in my back. I imagine some people are wondering if your raised leg is extended out. Think of driving it into a wall behind you. But don’t lift it too high, as this puts pressure on your lower back.
By day three, I had nailed the form (as far as I could tell) and had a general feeling of being challenged while performing the move. This is good in a sense, as it means a move is doing a lot. But, and this may be a purely personal reaction, since I didn’t feel it anywhere in particular, it left me vaguely dissatisfied. Some of the other week-long challenges have focused on particular muscles and I would feel it for the rest of the day. This was not the case with the bird dog. That said, the movement is designed to work a wide range of muscles without causing undue fatigue and is, in fact, a popular rehabilitation exercise (opens in a new tab) for this very reason.
On the fourth day I started to hold the movement longer, up to five seconds. This was difficult. He could feel some muscles shaking in general as he worked to maintain form. Doing 25 on each side may not have been the wisest choice. I recommend doing two to three sets of fewer reps for maximum impact.
By day five, I was looking forward to day seven; I confess that this was not an exercise that she looked forward to. I usually love these challenges as they keep me working in a variety of ways, but this one was a bit tricky. Surely one of the reasons – perhaps the main one – is that it was quite uncomfortable on my right wrist, which I broke a long time ago and still bears the (literal) scars of subsequent operations. During days six and seven, I refocused. He owed a lot to the move. And you, dear reader.
You need to concentrate to do the bird dog correctly. And do it slowly and gently for maximum effect. I’ve added some of my challenges to my daily exercise regimen, but I don’t think I’ll stick with bird dog. It’s certainly a good exercise, one that works a lot of muscles, but I prefer more specific movements that leave me with a reminder in the form of a slight soreness, which makes me feel healthy and, I whisper, smug.
