When strengthening your core for cycling, it is essential to take a varied approach.
The Bird Dog is a popular core and spinal stabilization exercise because of its effectiveness in reinforcing proper spinal alignment and core muscle recruitment. The demands of cycling place stress on our spines in many ways, and therefore it is important to vary the exercises we perform to strengthen the core.
Performing the Bird Dog is quite simple:
- While maintaining a neutral spine, kneel on the floor in a quadruped position with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.
- Raise your opposite arm and leg straight out, keeping your abs braced, stomach in, and your whole body in one straight line from head to foot.
- The goal is to resist rotation and extension forces that attempt to destabilize your spine.
- Despite being simple to explain, its execution is more complicated than it looks and will require you to work your way up through various exercises.
Proper execution of the Bird Dog can produce a variety of benefits, including improvements in core musculature contraction, rotational stability, spinal alignment, reduced low-back pain, postural control, shoulder stability, hip alignment, shoulder mobility, and spinal stabilization.
In addition, the opposite arm and leg movement make the Bird Dog an integrative core exercise, which proves to be more effective in targeting the core muscles in a recent study, and a critical aspect of athletic performance.
Whether you’re a recreational rider, competitive racer, fitness enthusiast, or an active individual looking for a way to improve your low-back function and spinal health, the Bird Dog is a worthwhile exercise that can enhance multiple aspects of performance and muscle function.
Key Tips for Proper Form
- Start on your hands and knees (crawl position) with your hand’s shoulder-width apart and your knees directly below your hips.
- Contract your core and make sure your body is in a straight line as you stabilize your pelvis.
- Relax your head and neck.
- Stabilize your shoulders on your torso by tucking in your shoulder blades.
- Squeeze your thighs and glutes.
- Brace your core, draw your belly in towards your spine, and breathe comfortably throughout the exercise.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don’t let your hips, shoulders, or lower back sag.
- Don’t lift your hips or shoulders too high in the air.
- Don’t let your spine or trunk twist or rotate.
- Don’t tilt your pelvis forward or perform what is called an anterior pelvic tilt.
- Avoid the urge to round your upper back.
- Don’t strain your neck by letting it droop or hang too low to the side.
- Don’t let your shoulder blades wing out by keeping your shoulders stabilized on your ribs.
- Absolutely do not hold your breath.
Quadruped Alternate Arm
While on your hands and knees, slowly raise your arm out in front of you and hold.
Quadruped Alternate Leg with Hip Extention
While on your hands and knees, slowly draw your leg back behind you as you straighten your knee.
Quadruped Alternate Arm and Leg – “The Bird Dog”
While on your hands and knees, brace at your abdominals and slowly lift your leg and opposite arm upwards.
Your hip and shoulder will move into hip extension on the way up.
Lower your leg and arm down and then repeat with the opposite side.
Quadruped Alternate Arm and Leg with Knee to Elbow Touches- “Bird Dog Elbow Touches”
While on your hands and knees, slowly lift your leg and opposite arm upwards.
Do not touch the floor when returning your arm and leg down. Touch your elbow to your opposite knee and then lift and straighten again.
Repeat on the opposite side when the set is complete or alternate.
Conclusion: The Bird Dog Series
The bird dog exercise works the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, and glutes and allows for correct movement, control, and stability of the whole body.
It’s an ideal exercise for people with low back concerns due to its simplicity and protection of the spine, and it can help develop good balance and posture.
The Bird Dog teaches you to engage your abdominals and stabilize your low back while moving your extremities. This exercise allows for greater ease and mobility in many of your daily activities, athletic movements, and even cycling.
Check out this recent post from The Zom for an explanation of the importance of Core Strength Training to the Virtual Cyclist.
In addition to several other Core Strength Progressions with video instruction on our Strength & Conditioning page.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
Joy, a native Floridian, USA Tri Level 1 Certified Coach, and founder of EnJoy Fitness, began virtual cycling three years ago as a way to complete longer rides safe from the busy streets of Jacksonville. She now incorporates Zwifting into her normal training routine, and finds extra motivation in having her Husband and Son nearby to cheer her on. Her cat Jasmine remains unimpressed. www.EnJoyFitnessJax.com
