How to do a dead bug
The dead bug is a floor core exercise where you lie on your back and slowly lower your opposite arm and leg while your lower back stays flat. It trains your deep core to keep your spine steady as your limbs move.
- Core
- No equipment
- 12 reps
dead bug exercise, dying bug
How to do it
- Lie on your back with your arms pointing straight up at the ceiling.
- Lift your legs so your knees are over your hips and bent to 90 degrees.
- Press your lower back gently into the floor and brace your belly.
- Slowly lower your right arm overhead and straighten your left leg toward the floor.
- Stop before your back lifts, return to the start, and repeat on the other side.
Form cues
- Lower back on the floor
- Opposite arm and leg
- Breathe out as you reach
Muscles worked
Main: core
Also: obliques, hip flexors
Common mistakes
- Lower back arching off the floor. Fix: Stop the arm and leg higher, where your back can stay flat.
- Moving fast with momentum. Fix: Take about three seconds to lower and pause before you return.
- Moving the same-side arm and leg. Fix: Pair right arm with left leg, and left arm with right leg.
- Holding the breath. Fix: Breathe out slowly as your arm and leg reach away.
Make it easier: Heel-tap dead bug
Keep your knees bent and tap one heel to the floor at a time, with your arms still.
Make it harder: Dead bug with a long hold
Pause for 3-5 seconds at the bottom of each rep with your arm and leg just above the floor.
In a workout
Do 12 reps per set (6 per side), alternating, for 2-3 sets, slowly.
Safety: If your lower back aches, make the movement smaller, and stop if the pain stays.
Questions
What does the dead bug work?
Your deep core, especially the muscles that keep your lower back steady while your arms and legs move.
Why is it called a dead bug?
You lie on your back with your arms and legs in the air, like an insect on its back.
Is the dead bug good for beginners?
Yes. It is slow and controlled, and you can make it easier by reducing how far your arm and leg go.
