The fitness plan for Joy Bauer’s online program is simple, gentle and effective. See if you can handle this easy move. The JoyBauer.com workout program is an integral part of Joy’s plan, and it includes a series of simple exercises called Body Enhancers. Each one is designed to gently stretch your muscles, relieve persistent aches and pains, and melt away tension.

One of these Body Enhancers is Bird Dog, a move that will not only strengthen your core but also help reduce back pain. Do your sets consistently, and you’ll soon be as agile and athletic as the breed of dog the exercise is named after!

Bird Dog
Throughout the exercise, be sure to keep your abs engaged and your spine in a neutral position.

Step 1: Get on all fours, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders and your knees directly underneath your hips. Flatten your back like a tabletop.

Step 2: Keeping your back flat and your hips level, extend your left arm forward and your right leg back so that they are parallel to the floor and in a straight line with your back. Keep your abdominals tight, as if you were bracing yourself against a punch in the stomach. Hold this position for a 3-second count, then lower to the starting position. Do 8 with your left arm and right leg, then switch and do 8 with your right arm and left leg. Perform a total of 2 sets of each version.