How to Effectively Train Your Core Without Doing Any Crunches!
Week 5: Bird Dog
Welcome to our final week in our 5-week series, where we’ve introduced a safe, effective, and crunch-less core exercise each week. In the last month we have covered: the Pallof Press, Plank Variations, Plank Variations with Valslides, and the Valslide Body Saw.
In case you missed last week’s post, we showcased another core exercise using Valslides, called the Body Saw. This exercise is safe (when performed correctly) for the lower back and extremely effective on the entire core, and did we mention really tough?!
Week 5: Bird Dog
How to Perform the Bird Dog:
- Begin on all fours, making a nice rectangle between your wrists/knees
- Brace your core and extend your arm in a straight and stiff position
- Raise your opposite leg and hold in a straight and stiff position
- Keep your core tight, hips quiet, and spine in a neutral position at all times!
- Hold for 10 seconds in an extended position on each side, each rep
Ways To Progress the Bird Dog:
There are a few ways that you can progress the Bird Dog to challenge your body even more. Here are a few ways:
- Increase reps on each side
- Increase hold time on each side
- “Draw Boxes” with your arm/foot while fully extended to further challenge your core
That concludes our How to Effectively Train Your Core Without Doing Any Crunches series! In case you missed our other posts in this series, you can catch them below:
Week 1: Pallof Press
Week 2: Plank Variations
Week 3: Plank Variations with Valslides
Week 4: Valslide Body Saw
Week 5: Bird Dog
We hope you enjoyed the series!
About DeHenzel Training Systems: DeHenzel Training Systems offers In Home Personal Training services throughout Northern Virginia and Washington DC. Aside from in home, personal training is also available at the office gym or outdoors at a local park.
Within Northern Virginia, we service Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William Counties including: Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Falls Church, Great Falls, Herndon, Lansdowne, Leesburg, Lorton, McLean, Oakton, Reston, Springfield, Sterling, Tyson’s Corner, Vienna and Woodbridge.
