Bird Dog Plank

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet hip-width apart.
2. Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and ensure your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
3. Fix your gaze about 6 inches in front of your hands to maintain a neutral neck position.

How to do it

1. Simultaneously lift your right arm straight forward and your left leg straight back until both are parallel to the floor.
2. Exhale as you reach, focusing on keeping your hips and shoulders perfectly square to the ground.
3. Hold the extended position for 1-2 seconds, then inhale as you slowly lower back to the starting plank position with control.
4. Repeat the movement on the opposite side (left arm and right leg) and continue alternating sides.

Form checklist

• Keep your hips level; do not let the pelvis tilt or rotate toward the floor as you lift your limbs.
• Avoid arching your lower back; maintain a 'hollow body' core tension throughout the lift.
• Push actively through the grounded hand to prevent your shoulder from sagging.
• Keep the lifted foot flexed and the heel pushing back to fully engage the glutes and hamstrings.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'length' rather than 'height'—imagine reaching for opposite walls to maximize tension through the lats and glutes.
• Minimize the weight shift in your torso before you lift your limbs to force the deep core stabilizers to engage earlier.

Make it harder

• Increase the hold time at the peak of the movement to 5 seconds to maximize time under tension.
• Bring the elbow and knee of the lifted limbs together to touch under your torso before extending back out.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the bird dog plank work?

The bird dog plank primarily targets the abs, hamstrings, lats, obliques, and trapezius, and also works the erector spinae and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the bird dog plank?

The bird dog plank requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the bird dog plank good for beginners?

The bird dog plank is rated advanced. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

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• Band Standing Single Arm Twist RowIntermediate · abs, lats, obliques, and trapezius
• Barbell Diagonal Leg Lift RolloutAdvanced · abs, hamstrings, lats, and obliques