How to do a Balance Trainer Bird Dog
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Balance Trainer Bird Dog
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Performing the Bird Dog on a BOSU Balance Trainer challenges the core, back, and glutes. This variation increases the difficulty by adding an element of balance, enhancing core stability and muscle coordination, essential for back health and posture.
- Kneel on top of the Balance Trainer with hands on the front of the dome.
- Extend one leg to the rear and the opposite arm to the front, balancing in this position.
- Pull the extended leg and arm to the center of the body, with the elbow and knee pulling toward each other.
- Extend the leg and arm back to the balanced position.
- Perform the desired number of reps on one side, then repeat on the opposite side.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average Balance Trainer Bird Dog standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
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Alternative Exercises to Balance Trainer Bird Dog
1. Bird Dog
75.9 mSCORESWAPPED 64 TIMESBird Dog is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the core and lower back. It involves extending one arm and the opposite leg simultaneously while balancing on all fours. This exercise helps improve stability, balance, and strengthening the muscles in the core and lower back, making it a great addition to any workout routine focused on core strength and stability.
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96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 35 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
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3. Balance Trainer Crunch
39.4 mSCORESWAPPED 29 TIMESBalance Trainer Crunch is a more difficult variation on the standard Crunch. Similar to other crunches, this is a bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. By using a Balance Trainer, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better activation of your core.
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4. Balance Trainer Braced Frog Kicks
42.9 mSCORESWAPPED 28 TIMESBalance Trainer Braced Frog Kicks is a bodyweight core exercise that involves sitting on a Balance Trainer and extending your legs out away from yourself. By raising, and extending your legs, you’re already engaging your core, but by sitting on a balance training, you add more instability to the movement.
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5. Dead Bug
92.4 mSCORESWAPPED 25 TIMESDead Bugs are a bodyweight core exercise that requires you to lay on your back, and alternate extending your arms and legs out away from your body. The position you’re in on the ground keeps your core engaged, while extending your arms and legs away from you forces you to further recruit your core to continue to stabilize yourself.
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6. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 25 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
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7. Balance Trainer Braced Bicycle Kicks
31.3 mSCORESWAPPED 19 TIMESA dynamic core exercise that combines the instability of a BOSU balance trainer with the intensity of bicycle kicks, targeting the abdominals and obliques. The added instability requires more muscle engagement, making it more effective than standard floor bicycle kicks.
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9. Leg Raise
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