GLUTES · BODYWEIGHT
How to do the bird dog
The bird dog trains your glutes, with help from your hamstrings, shoulders. Here is how to do it with good form.
Step by step
- Get down on all fours. Have your shoulders, elbows, and wrists aligned and your knees directly under your hips. Keep your hands flat on the floor.
- Engage your abs and take a breath.
- Extend your right leg back and up, aligning it with your torso. At the same time, extend your left arm and raise it forward. Exhale.
- Bring your arm and leg to the starting position as you breathe in.
- Extend your opposite limbs.
- Keep alternating between opposite limbs until you complete the set.
Muscles worked
| Primary | Glutes |
|---|---|
| Secondary | Hamstrings, Shoulders |
| Equipment | Bodyweight |
Sets and reps
| Beginner | 3 sets of as many clean reps as you can, stopping 2 reps short of failure |
|---|---|
| Muscle growth | 3–4 sets of 8–15 reps; add a pause or extra load when 15 gets easy |
| Conditioning | 2–4 rounds of 30–45 s work, 15–30 s rest |
Pick the row that matches your goal. Add weight or reps once every set feels controlled, and log each set so you can see the trend.
Programs that use the bird dog
- Posture Builder3 × 10
Track your progress
Repto shows what you lifted on your last session for every set, suggests your next weight, and starts the rest timer when you tick the set. Your estimated 1-rep max and volume for each exercise are charted over time.
Alternatives for your glutes
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