• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Alexander Training personal trainer Austin Texas

Alexander Training - personal training in Austin, Texas

Personal training in Austin, Texas and customized strength programs in Austin, Texas.

  • About
  • Blog
  • Success Stories
  • Training Programs

How to Do The Dead Bug

May 4, 2021 by Kathryn Alexander

The dead bug is a trunk and core stability exercise that can be done at beginner to more advanced levels. As long as you can safely lay flat on your back on the floor, you can do it. Read below and watch the videos to learn how to do the dead bug and its variations.

Begin with the easiest version, described below. Once you have mastered that, you can progress to the tougher versions by using a foam roller, or performing the 4-way dead bug. Videos are below.

How to Do The Dead Bug

  • lay on your back with arms and legs extended into the air

  • squeeze your abs to press your back into the ground

  • maintain this abdominal squeeze

  • extend your right arm and left leg toward the floor in a controlled manner

  • shorten your range of motion if your low back pops off the ground

  • return to your start position, and repeat with your opposite arm and leg

Practice, practice. You’ll get it- this one’s a thinker! 

Performing the dead bug on a foam roller provides an extra stability challenge.

The 4 way dead bug is the toughest. Keep your abs very engaged and low back pressed into the ground. This is a tough variation. I’d ideally like your reps to be better than my first rep in the video. Watch the reps to see if you can spot the difference.

How To Incorporate The Dead Bug In Your Program

Add this exercise in last, or with your ab/core work. You typically don’t want to exhaust your trunk musculature and then go do an exercise that requires core stability for safety, like the barbell squat. For this reason, you’ll often see more focused ab and core work at the end of a session. 

Start with 5 well executed reps per side. If that’s easy, add more reps up to 10. At 10 high quality reps, you can start incorporating the harder versions. The goal is always quality over quantity, so you can drop back to 5 reps again when trying a more challenging version. 

Happy training! Let me know how you incorporate the dead bug into your program! As always, feel free to email me with questions! Kathryn@kathrynalexander.com.

Learn More New Exercises Below

how to do B-stance RDL

How to do B-Stance RDLs

how to stay fit with a desk job

How to Stay Fit With a Desk Job

Gym etiquette tips for how to follow gym etiquette. Kathryn Alexander Personal Training in Austin, Texas.

How to Follow Gym Etiquette

How to goblet squat by Kathryn Alexander of Alexander Training

How to Goblet Squat

How to begin lifting weights. Kathryn Alexander of Alexander Training swings a kettlebell in her garage gym.

How to Begin Lifting Weights

How to do bear crawls demonstrated by Kathryn Alexander of Alexander Training

How to do Bear Crawls

Filed Under: How To Tagged With: how to, training

Footer

Follow

  • Email
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Newsletter signup






  • Home
  • Blog

Copyright © 2023 · Genesis Sample on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Featured In
  • Privacy Policy
  • Resources
  • Online Personal Training
  • Personal Training
  • Training Programs