Core exercise
Lower-Body-Only Deadbug
A core stability drill where only the legs move, teaching you to keep your trunk quiet and your lower back supported.
How to perform it
Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees and your arms reaching toward the ceiling.
Breathe out and gently set your lower back toward the floor.
Slowly lower one heel toward the floor while the rest of your body stays still.
Return the leg to the start and repeat on the other side.
Coaching cues
- Keep your ribs down and your lower back quiet
- Move only as far as you can without arching
- Exhale as the leg lowers
- Slow, even tempo on every rep
Tap the heel down with a bent knee instead of extending the leg.
Extend the leg fully and hover the heel just off the floor.
What it trains
Programming
5–8 slow reps per side, 2–3 sets.
General educational content, not individualized medical care. Use pain-free ranges and seek qualified guidance for injury, health, pregnancy or recovery concerns.
Put it to work
Workouts that use this exercise
Beginner Full-Body Foundations
Foundational patterns for new trainees.
Open workout →Core Stability Builder
Multi-directional trunk stability.
Open workout →Low-Impact Return to Training
A conservative, no-jumping restart.
Open workout →Lower-Body Strength & Control
Deliberate lower-body strength.
Open workout →Balance & Stability
Control through stance changes.
Open workout →No-Equipment Home Strength
A complete bodyweight session.
Open workout →Core Progression: Beginner to Advanced
Scalable trunk training.
Open workout →Athletic Bodyweight Conditioning
Strength, stability and conditioning.
Open workout →Keep exploring
More core exercises
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