Get down on all fours, with your hands directly beneath your shoulders and your knees directly beneath your hips. Keep your spine in a neutral position (no arch in the lower back, no rounded back) and actively engage your core. Extend your right arm forwards and your left leg backwards, holding the position isometrically. Keep your hips and shoulders parallel to the floor, look down at the floor (neck in a neutral position), and maintain tension throughout your body.
Attention:
Do not arch your lower back (lower back sagging – lack of core tension), do not rotate your hips to the side, do not lift your leg too high (compensatory movement through the lower back), do not let your arm hang or keep it passively extended (lack of tension in the upper body), do not lift your head or let it droop (strain on the neck).
Lighten:
Extend only the arm or only the leg (on one side); reduce the range of motion (do not fully extend the arm or leg); keep the hand or foot closer to the floor.
Harden:
Unstable surface (e.g. balance pad); additional resistance (e.g. band around the foot or arm); dead bug hold (different position, similar core engagement).
