How to Do the Dead Bug

Beginner · Body Only · Targets Abdominals

How to perform it

1. Begin lying on your back with your hands extended above you toward the ceiling.
2. Bring your feet, knees, and hips up to 90 degrees.
3. Exhale hard to bring your ribcage down and flatten your back onto the floor, rotating your pelvis up and squeezing your glutes. Hold this position throughout the movement. This will be your starting position.
4. Initiate the exercise by extending one leg, straightening the knee and hip to bring the leg just above the ground.
5. Maintain the position of your lumbar and pelvis as you perform the movement, as your back is going to want to arch.
6. Stay tight and return the working leg to the starting position.
7. Repeat on the opposite side, alternating until the set is complete.

Muscles worked

The Dead Bug primarily targets your Abdominals. You'll need body only.

Make it count toward your goal

Random sets rarely move the needle. In NYUS, the Dead Bug slots into a plan built for your goal — sets, reps and progression auto-suggested, logged in two taps, and folded into a weekly review that adapts what comes next.