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The bird dog crunch is a core body exercise that strengthens the lower back and abdominals while helping your body learn to balance and find stability. This exercise will teach you to build a strong center while improving overall strength!

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Table of Contents

Bird Dog Crunch Instructions

Here’s how to do a bird dog crunch:

  1. Kneel on the mat on all fours. Reach one arm long, draw in the abs, and extend the opposite leg long behind you.
  2. Bring the elbow and knee towards your center as you round your back, remembering to draw in your abs.
  3. Repeat for desired number of reps then switch sides.

Tip: Make sure you are on a mat or softer surface. (Don’t pick something too thick or you will have trouble getting enough balance to perform the exercise!) Keep as still and controlled as possible for the best results.

Benefits of Bird Dog Crunch

There are many reasons you should incorporate bird dog crunch into your workouts. Here are just a few:

Stronger Lower Back

The bird dog crunch is a move that focuses on stability, strength and overall health of your core and low back. Moves like this one help you avoid low back pain and injury by keeping the muscles that surround your spine strong and capable.

Sculpt Your Abs

There are so many exercises available for getting tight abs. Crunches and planks are the most commonly used. The bird dog crunch is like a combination of both.

This move gives you a new and fresh option for sculpting your abs!

Improves Your Balance

Part of the challenge of practicing the bird dog crunch is keeping your balance. Extending one arm and the opposite leg poses a good challenge for your balance and stability.

The beauty of this move is you can really feel how your core muscles engage every time you start to wobble.

Chris Freytag demonstratng Bird Dog Crunch

Easy Ways to Incorporate the Bird Dog Crunch Into Your Workouts

The bird dog crunch is an amazing core exercise all on its own! However, you could also incorporate this move into other workouts to mix them up.

Here are three of my workouts that incorporate the bird dog crunch:

If you like the bird dog crunch and the results you get from it, here are a few more exercises you might want to try: