Benefits of Dead Bug Exercises
If you’re just starting out in the world of training and fitness, it’s likely that you’ve never heard of dead bug exercises? However, they’re a great alternative to include in your weekly routine.
Those who exercise regularly are constantly looking for different exercises to design or include in their training routine. Therefore, all possible alternatives should be taken into account, such as dead bug exercises, an excellent option to work out with regularly.
What are dead bug exercises?
Dead bug exercises belong to the Pilates method. However, they’re also performed frequently by anyone who does workouts of various kinds on a regular basis.
These types of exercises focus on muscle development in the body’s core area. Their performance stimulates the abdominal and oblique muscles and also involves the buttocks, lower back, legs, and arms.
Additionally, the dead bug is considered one of the best exercises to strengthen the lumbar region. This is important because this region has a greater chance of injury if it’s not as strong as it should be.
Benefits of the dead bug
The arguments for including this type of exercise within your routine are numerous and are based on the benefits they offer to your body. For this reason, we’ll show you some of the most relevant.
You don’t need equipment
Training without any type of equipment is an important benefit, not only for saving money but also for comfort. This means that you don’t have to attend a gym or buy complex machines to execute it.
Moreover, learning the execution technique can be very easy and it has a low probability of injury. Technical failures are something that usually happens when people use equipment and don’t know how to control the weights of the exercise; especially if they don’t have adequate supervision.
Protects the lumbar area
You just have to look at the movement that’s carried out with each body segment during the execution of the exercise to realize the emphasis placed on the lower back muscles.
The movements of the arms, together with the legs, stimulates all the core muscles of the body and avoids any excessive extension of the lumbar area. This way, you’re not only toning but also reducing the likelihood of injury.
Stability and posture
Performing dead bug exercises correctly stimulates and strengthens all muscle groups in the body’s midsection. This strengthening is very helpful for improving your posture and also provides better stability to the body in general.
It can even work as an exercise to complement the isometric plank, which requires a certain degree of strength in the core area. Find a way to include both of them in your routine to improve your results.
Ease and comfort
The starting position of this exercise is very particular and that’s why it’s called the dead bug. However, it’s easy to perform and you won’t feel any discomfort during its execution. Nonetheless, you must find a comfortable surface to support your body.
At first, the execution may seem complex, especially due to the coordination that the movement of the arms and legs requires, but it won’t take long to master it.
How to carry out the dead bug exercises
To better understand all its benefits, it’s necessary for you to learn how to perform this exercise and everything you must take into account to carry it out.
Execution
- Lie on your back, with your back straight and in line with your lower back and legs.
- Make a 90-degree angle with your legs as you lift and bend them at the knees.
- Stretch your hands up at shoulder level, in front of your torso.
- Bring your right arm back, fully stretched and up to the level of your ear, while lowering the left leg as you continue to flex it until the sole of your foot is supported. Finish and return to the starting position.
- Perform this same movement, but with your left arm and right leg. We advise you to keep your abdomen contracted when doing the exercise.
An exercise involving patience and technique
In regard to dead bug exercises, you should include them in your routine and perform them on a regular basis to obtain all their benefits. You should also be consistent, patient, and place a broad emphasis on technique.
If you think that you’re performing it the wrong way or don’t understand the execution technique properly, you can request help from a professional trainer. This way, the expert will also help you plan a specific routine for your goals.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Heredia, J.R.; Chulvi, I; Ramón, M. (2006). CORE: Entrenamiento de la zona media. EFdeportes.ComISSN.
- Zapata, L. M. (2009). Ejercicios básicos para la zona central del cuerpo (core) que favorecen una correcta activación tónico postural equilibrada. In Igarss 2014.