Weighted Dead Bug

How to do the Weighted Dead Bug

1. 1Lie flat on your back on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Press your lower back firmly into the mat to engage your core.
2. 2Hold a weight plate or dumbbell with both hands and extend your arms straight up toward the ceiling, directly above your chest.
3. 3Raise your legs so your hips and knees are both bent to 90°, shins parallel to the floor — this is your starting position.
4. 4Take a breath in, then exhale fully and brace your core as if bracing for a punch, keeping your lower back pressed flat against the mat throughout.
5. 5Slowly lower your right arm overhead toward the floor while simultaneously extending your left leg straight out, hovering it a few inches above the ground.
6. 6Pause for a moment at the end range, then return your arm and leg back to the starting position under full control.
7. 7Repeat on the opposite side — lower your left arm overhead while extending your right leg — to complete one full rep.
8. 8Continue alternating sides for the prescribed number of reps, maintaining constant tension through your core and keeping your lower back from arching off the mat.
9. 9Once all reps are complete, lower your feet to the floor and place the weight down with control.

Form tips

• Keep your lower back pressed flat into the mat for the entire set — the moment it arches, your core has lost tension and the spine is at risk.
• Move slowly and deliberately: a 3–4 second lowering phase on each limb will maximize core activation and reduce the chance of losing position.
• Exhale fully before each rep and hold a light breath-brace throughout the movement to maintain intra-abdominal pressure.
• Choose a weight that lets you control the movement completely; even a small plate adds significant demand when your arms are fully extended overhead.
• Keep your neck neutral and your chin slightly tucked — avoid straining your head forward as you fatigue.

Common mistakes

• Letting the lower back arch off the mat, which shifts stress away from the core and onto the lumbar spine.
• Moving too fast and relying on momentum rather than muscular control, which reduces core engagement and risks losing a stable position.
• Using a weight that is too heavy, causing the arms or legs to pull the torso out of alignment and compromising form.
• Holding your breath throughout the set instead of exhaling before each rep, which limits intra-abdominal bracing and core activation.
• Dropping the extended leg too close to the floor or letting it touch down, which removes tension and turns it into a resting rep.

Frequently asked questions