Bird Dog Push-Up
Combine a push-up with the bird dog for a challenging full-body exercise. Strengthen your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core while improving stability
Description
A Bird Dog Push-Up is a compound movement that combines a push-up with the bird dog exercise to work the upper body and core together.
How to Do Bird Dog Push-Up
- 1Setup
Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders, fingers pointing forward, and feet hip-width apart. Ensure your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
- 2
Lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows, keeping them tucked close to your body. Push through your palms to return to the high plank position, fully extending your arms.
- 3
From the high plank, simultaneously extend your right arm forward and your left leg straight back, keeping your hips level and core engaged.
- 4
Hold this bird dog position briefly, then slowly return your hand and foot to the starting high plank.
- 5
Repeat the push-up, then perform the bird dog movement with the opposite arm and leg (left arm, right leg). Alternate sides with each repetition.
Tips
- Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire movement, avoiding arching your lower back or letting your hips sag during the plank and push-up phases.
- Focus on controlled, deliberate movements, especially during the arm and leg extension, to maximize core engagement and balance. Avoid rushing through the exercise.
- Keep your gaze slightly forward or down to maintain cervical spine alignment with the rest of your body.
- Actively engage your glutes when extending your leg back to help stabilize the pelvis and prevent unwanted rotation.
Common Mistakes
- ×Sagging Hips: Allowing your hips to drop towards the floor during the push-up or plank phases puts strain on your lower back; fix this by actively engaging your core and glutes to maintain a straight line from head to heels.
- ×Loss of Balance/Rotation: Tilting your body or rotating your hips excessively when extending an arm and leg indicates a lack of core stability; fix this by slowing down the movement and focusing on keeping your hips level and square to the floor.
- ×Flared Elbows: Letting your elbows flare out wide during the push-up can strain your shoulders; fix this by keeping your elbows tucked in closer to your body at approximately a 45-degree angle.
Variations
Push-up Pull
Build upper-body pushing and pulling strength in one move with this challenging push-up and row combo.
Archer Push-up
Master the archer push-up, an advanced bodyweight exercise to build incredible chest, triceps, and shoulder strength with a challenging unilateral push.
Lay Down Push-up
Master the Lay Down Push-up, a powerful bodyweight exercise to build chest, shoulder, and tricep strength.
Elevanted Push-Up
Elevated Push-Ups target your upper chest and shoulders more intensely than standard push-ups.
Related Exercises
Scapula Push-Up
Strengthen your shoulder stabilizers with the Scapula Push-Up. This variation targets your scapular muscles, enhancing shoulder stability and upper body
Negative Push-up
Strengthen your chest, shoulders, and triceps with negative push-ups. Master the controlled eccentric phase to build strength for full push-ups.
Push-up Jack
A combination of a push-up and a jumping jack that targets the chest and shoulder muscles, while also working the core and increasing heart rate.
Push up (With push up handles)
Perform push-ups with handles to deepen your chest engagement and protect your wrists.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Bodyweight Kneeling Push-up Row
Build chest and back strength with this kneeling push-up variation that adds a rowing pull at the top.
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