Dead Bugs

Try out this excellent and low impact core workout and get those abs really burning!

Muscles Hit

  • erector spinae
  • obliques
  • rectus abdominis
  • transverse abdominis

Benefits

  • Functional core strengthening
  • Promotes good posture
  • Preventative workout for low back pain
  • Develops body awareness (proprioceptive awareness

What Are All These Benefits and Why do They Matter

“Functional core strength” means that this movement develops your core in order to support a variety of other movementsFor this exercise, these movements I’m referring to are the things that make your body work against a rotational force (or something that would cause you to bend backwards/extend you(r) back.)

The muscles we target to get that functional core strength are the unsung heroes of the body, because of all they do to reinforce and protect your back!

“The lifetime prevalence of non-specific (common) low back pain is estimated at 60% to 70% in industrialized countries (one-year prevalence 15% to 45%, adult incidence 5% per year). The prevalence rate for children and adolescents is lower than that seen in adults but is rising.” https://www.who.int/medicines/areas/priority_medicines/Ch6_24LBP.pdf

Moving all four of your limbs while keeping your trunk engaged is a great way to develop one's body awareness. There is a place for it in anyone's fitness routine—regardless of how new or adept one might be to fitness. There are also variations one can use to change up the movement to better address one’s goals while also developing all these benefits previously discussed.

When To Use It?

Because the dead bug isn’t particularly high-impact or strenuous on the body, you can do it at any point of your workout. Use it in a warm up routine to wake up your body’s fine motor control at the end of a long day of sitting and typing or use it to challenge your core in your workout for the day. I don’t care, as long as you use it!

Dead Bugs - How To Do It

Begin by lying on your back and lifting your hands up towards the ceiling.

Next you’ll want to lift your legs off the floor so that it appears you are in an upside down table top position (your shins should be parallel to the ground and knees should be over your hips).

Continue by knitting your ribes in by exhaling (like you’re blowing up a balloon) and really feeling your ribs contract.

Once you have done this, flatten your back against the floor, rotate your hips upward slightly, and squeeze your glutes.

If you have completed these steps, you have successfully gotten into the starting position for the exercise.

Now, slowly lower one of your legs along with the opposite arm till they are just above the floor without disturbing the position of your trunk or hips.

Finally, draw the extended limbs back into the starting position and do the same movement with the other arm and leg.

That is one rep! You can do this exercise for time too!

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