The Deadbug is a very useful exercise for strengthening our core, spine and back muscles, helping to reduce lower or prevent lower back pain. This exercise also works contralaterally (opposite arm and leg) which mimics the way we run as we drive our opposite arm and leg forwards when taking a stride while running.

To set up you should lie flat on your back with your knees up creating a 90 degree angle between your body and your thighs, and a further 90 degree angle between your thighs and your shins. Your arms should be extended upwards at 90 degrees from your body. In this position you should push your lower back down and into the ground filling out the natural arch your body most likely will have created. You should then extend your opposite arm and leg out long, just above the floor level and then bring them back in.

Throughout this movement you should be thinking about engaging into your core and pushing your back down and into the floor. A common mistake when doing Deadbugs is to go through the movement too fast and lose control through your core. This is intended to be a slow and controlled movement where the benefits come from time under tension - the time for which you are holding the extended position and working through the movement. Speeding up will not increase the effectiveness of this exercise.