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The dead bug exercise is one of the best exercises to incorporate in your strength-training routine when it comes to upper body exercises that develop muscle deep in the core.
Bodyweight exercises like dead bug are excellent for developing strength and control. It's the ideal supplement for any strength-based practice, as it can be performed without the use of additional equipment. The dead bug workout is popular among many fitness experts and devoted gym visitors alike, as it's efficient, adaptable, and can safely develop the core.
There are benefits to having a strong core. You can perform a limitless variety of compound gym exercises, like deadlifts, squats, pull-ups, and push-ups, without the help of a personal trainer.
How to Perfect Dead Bug Exercise?
The dead bug workout can be done using only your bodyweight, making it one of the best no-equipment exercises.
While maintaining your core muscles contracted, raise and drop your opposite arms and legs, while you're on your back. The exercise is appropriately called the dead bug, as the stance resembles a bug lying on its back.
Here’s how to do the dead bug exercise:
- Lie down faceup with your legs in a tabletop stance and arms extended towards the ceiling (knees bent 90 degrees).
- Drop your right arm to your side, and slowly extend your left leg out straight. Both should remain a few inches off the ground.
- Maintain a tight core while squeezing your butt and pressing the lower back against the floor.
- Return your leg and arm to their starting positions.
- Extend your left arm and right leg on the opposite side.
- Repeat for a predetermined number of reps.
Muscles Worked by Dead Bug Exercise
The dead bug exercise should be a part of your regimen, as it targets deeper core muscles like the transverse abdominis, erector spinae, obliques, rectus abdominis, and pelvic floor.
The dead bug is quite effective in protecting the spine and lower back muscles, as they work these deep, internal, external stabilizing muscles. That's because strengthening the stabilizers can lessen mobility in the lumbar spine.
Upper body muscles
- Posterior and anterior deltoids
- Pectorals
These muscles play a role in raising the arms overhead and lowering them back to the starting position by extending the shoulder.
Lower Body muscles
- Hip flexors
- Quadriceps
- Obliques
- All core muscles
When moving contralaterally, the core muscles stop the lower back from extending and rotating.
Variations of Dead Bug Exercise
Like other effective workouts, the dead bug exercise can be advanced or regressed. Here are some progressions to beef up your dead bug workout once you have mastered the bodyweight version:
1) Weighted Dead Bug
The intensity can be increased by holding 2.5 to 5-pound plates in each hand, but the main benefit is that the resistance slows the action as the weight plate lowers towards the bottom.
If you actively reach behind you, it works the lats and is also a terrific shoulder mobility exercise.
Here’s how to do a weighted dead bug:
- With a weight plate in each hand, assume the dead bug posture while lying on the floor.
- Inhale. As you exhale, extend your opposite arm and opposite leg, keeping the spine neutral.
- After 6-8 repetitions on each side, return to the starting position, and switch sides.
2) Ipsilateral dead bug
In this exercise, the arm and leg on the same side are moved as opposed to the opposing arm and leg.
3) Dead bug exercise with a ball
A medicine ball can be placed between the hands and knees and held there the entire time the exercise is performed, with the opposing arm and leg moving.
