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Exercises / Abdomen

3D athlete for the supine leg slides / dead bug

Supine leg slides / dead bug

Motor control
Abdomen
None

Lower-limb loading while the trunk holds still: heel slides progressing to alternating arm and leg lowering.

Also called dead bug, heel slides with drawing in, bent knee fall-out.

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Where you stand

No published distribution for this exercise yet. We add one only from a peer-reviewed study.

Muscles worked

Filled: primary. Outlined: secondary.

How much

2-3 sets of 8-10 slow repetitions per side.

Start: Supine

Steps

Lie on the back with knees bent; set the drawing-in manoeuvre.
Slide one heel out along the floor and back without the pelvis rocking.
Progress: start with hips and knees at 90° and arms up; slowly lower the opposite arm and leg toward the floor, then return.

Cues

Low back stays still
Breathe out as the limbs lower

Common mistakes

Arching the low back
Moving too fast to control

Used for

Low back pain (motor control progression)
Lumbopelvic control deficits

Evidence (2)

Motor control exercise progresses from isolated activation to functional loading; overall benefit is similar to other exercise for chronic low back pain.2
The abdominal wall resists lumbar extension and pelvic tilt produced by the hip flexors pulling on the limb.1

Harder

Front plank (elbow-toe)

References (2)

Neumann DA. Elsevier. Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation. 3rd ed.
Saragiotto BT, Maher CG, Yamato TP, et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;(1):CD012004. Motor control exercise for chronic non-specific low-back pain