Bird Dog

Also called Balancing Table, Dandayamana Bharmanasana

Bird Dog trains the deep stabilising muscles of the trunk and is used widely in yoga and physiotherapy.

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Hold: 3–5 breaths per side
Level: Beginner
Family: Core, kneeling
Focus: Core stability and coordination
Works: Core
Back
Glutes
Shoulders
You’ll need: Blanket under knees
Found in: Hatha, Gentle

“Reach long, not high”
“Hips level”
“Steady breath”

Step by step

How to do Bird Dog

StartBegin in Tabletop.

1
From Tabletop, engage the core gently.
2
Extend the right arm forward at shoulder height.
3
Extend the left leg back at hip height, toes pointing down.
4
Keep hips and shoulders level.
5
Reach long through fingertips and heel.
6
Hold, then switch sides.
Out
Coming out. Return hand and knee to Tabletop.

Breath

Steady breathing; exhale to extend.

Focus

Core stability and coordination

Why practise it

Trains the deep trunk muscles to keep the spine steady while the arms and legs move, and strengthens the glutes, back extensors and shoulders. It loads the spine very lightly, which is why it is a common choice in back-care and physiotherapy programmes, and it improves balance and coordination between opposite sides of the body.

Go deeper

Bird Dog: what to know

The point is stillness, not height

Bird Dog is an anti-movement exercise: the arm and leg move, but the trunk should not. Imagine a glass of water balanced on your lower back. Reach the hand forward and the heel back only as far as you can without the glass spilling — usually to about shoulder and hip height, not higher. A short, steady reach beats a high, wobbly one.

How to do it, step by step

Start on hands and knees, hands under shoulders and knees under hips
Find a neutral spine: neither arched nor rounded, with the neck long
Gently brace the belly, as if preparing for a light poke in the stomach
Slide the right hand forward and the left leg back along the floor, then lift them to shoulder and hip height
Hold for a few seconds, reaching long through the fingertips and heel
Return with control and repeat on the other side

Sets, reps and holds

A common approach is to hold each rep for about 5 to 10 seconds and do 5 to 10 reps per side, resting as needed. Quality matters more than quantity: stop the set when you can no longer keep the hips level. Many people include Bird Dog in a short daily routine alongside a side plank and a curl-up, a trio often recommended for back stability.

Easier and harder variations

Easier: extend only the leg, or only the arm, keeping both knees or both hands down
Easier: slide the limbs along the floor without lifting them
Harder: draw the elbow and knee together under the body between reps
Harder: hold for longer, or place a light object on the lower back and keep it still
Harder: lift the knees an inch off the floor from the start position (a hover Bird Dog)

Alignment

Cues & common mistakes

Aim for Spine neutral; no rotation of the hips.

Teacher’s cues

“Reach long, not high”
“Hips level”
“Steady breath”

Watch out for

Lifting the leg too high so the lower back arches, letting the hips tip or rotate towards the lifted leg, rushing the movement, and letting the head drop or crane up instead of staying in line with the spine.

Make it yours

Easier, harder, supported

Easier

Extend only the leg or only the arm.

Variations

Elbow to knee crunches
Hold opposite foot for a quad stretch

Props

Blanket under knees

In a sequence

Where it fits in a flow

Good to know

Questions

What muscles does the Bird Dog exercise work?

Mainly the deep core and back muscles that stabilise the spine, plus the glutes, the back of the shoulders and the hamstrings.

Is Bird Dog good for lower back pain?

It is widely used in back-care programmes because it builds trunk stability with very little load on the spine. It is not a treatment on its own; if you have back pain, follow a plan from a physiotherapist or doctor and stop if it hurts.

How many Bird Dogs should I do?

Try 5 to 10 slow reps per side, holding each for 5 to 10 seconds. Stop when you can no longer keep the hips level.

Should I lift my leg as high as possible?

No. Lift it only to about hip height. Higher usually makes the lower back arch, which defeats the purpose of the exercise.

Is Bird Dog a yoga pose?

It is a modern exercise that many yoga classes include, sometimes called Balancing Table. It fits well into a warm-up or a gentle practice.

In the tradition

A modern exercise widely adopted into yoga classes.

What helps

Props that make this easier

Non-slip yoga mat A 4–6 mm mat with good grip makes standing poses steadier. View on Amazon
Cork yoga block Brings the floor closer in forward folds and supported poses. View on Amazon
Cotton yoga strap Extends your reach in hamstring and shoulder stretches. View on Amazon

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