Exercise

Bird Dog

On all fours, extend the opposite arm and leg while your spine holds dead still - the definitive exercise for a resilient lower back. Physios prescribe it for a reason: it builds back endurance without loading a spine that's already tired from sitting.

BeginnerNo equipment~3 min

Demonstration

Sets

3

Reps

6-8 per side

Rest

45-60s

2-5 second hold at full extension.

How to do it

  1. 1

    Start on all fours: hands under shoulders, knees under hips, back flat.

  2. 2

    Brace your core as if bracing for a light poke in the stomach.

  3. 3

    Extend your right arm forward and left leg back until both are level with your torso.

  4. 4

    Hold for 2-5 seconds without letting your hips rotate or your back arch.

  5. 5

    Return slowly and repeat with the left arm and right leg.

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the leg so high the lower back arches
  • Letting the hips tip sideways as the leg extends
  • Rushing reps instead of holding each one

Dad tips

  • Balance a water bottle on your lower back - if it stays put, your form is right.

Same muscles, new angle

Superman Hold

Lie face down and lift your arms and legs like you're flying - a simple isometric that builds endurance through the entire back side of your body. It directly counters the slumped-forward shape of a desk day, and the floor is the only equipment.

BeginnerNo equipment~3 min

Barbell Good Morning

With a light barbell across your upper back, you hinge forward and stand back up - loading the spinal erectors, hamstrings, and glutes in the exact pattern of picking things up off the floor. Mastered light and progressed slowly, it's a back-builder; rushed heavy, it's a mistake. Be the first guy.

IntermediateBarbell~5 min