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Dead Bug exercise demonstration
Exercise library

Dead Bug

Builds core control by moving the arms and legs slowly while keeping the trunk steady.

Area
Core
Stage
Strength phase
Equipment
Exercise mat

Typical dose: 2 sets × 8 reps · once a day, 5 days a week. This is a general starting point, not a plan matched to your condition or stage.

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How to do it

You need: Exercise mat.

Lie on your back on a mat. Reach both arms straight up over your shoulders, and lift your feet so your hips and knees are bent at right angles.

  1. Gently flatten your lower back towards the floor by tightening your lower tummy.
  2. Slowly lower one arm back overhead and straighten the opposite leg towards the floor.
  3. Stop before your lower back starts to arch up away from the floor.
  4. Bring the arm and leg back to the start, then repeat with the other pair.

Form cues

  • Your lower back stays gently pressed towards the floor the whole time.
  • Only your arms and legs move — your hips and ribs stay still.
  • The movement is slow and controlled, not rushed.

Common mistakes

  • Letting your lower back lift into an arch as the leg lowers.
  • Moving so fast that your trunk wobbles or twists.
  • Holding your breath — breathe out gently as your arm and leg move away.

Safety: Stop and message your physio if the pain spreads further down your leg, or you notice new numbness, pins and needles, or weakness.

Part of these recovery programmes

This exercise is one step in a staged plan for the conditions below. Each link opens the full programme and shows where this exercise fits.

Related exercises

Other exercises from the library that pair well with this one.

Bridge ProgressionTargets hip and trunk strength to improve movement tolerance.Lumbar spineStrength phaseView details Bird DogImproves spinal stability by extending opposite arm and leg in a slow, controlled pattern.Lumbar spineStrength phaseView details McKenzie Press-UpGentle repeated lower-back extension to centralise leg symptoms toward the spine, following the McKenzie extension principle.Lumbar spineEarly rehabView details Standing ExtensionAn upright version of the press-up, hands on hips, easing the spine backward for symptom relief between exercise sessions.Lumbar spineMobility phaseView details

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Written and clinically reviewed by Shivaliba Zala, HCPC-registered physiotherapist (PH155757)

Reviewed 8 September 2026

This exercise is generic - you're not

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