By Sarah Lorraine, Personal Trainer

Everyone wants a strong, sexy stomach but most have no idea what exercises will actually aide in this and which ones will do more damage to their body. The dead bug exercise is a great way to strengthen your core, practice proper breathing techniques and keep your tummy flat and sexy. This is a great way to stay in shape without practically tearing your muscle fibers. Not to worry if while performing this workout, one looks like a dead bug or even worse; like a dying bug, the outcome is worth the effort.

In this exercise, the performer has to lay down flat on their back, again, emphasis on the fact that the lower back has to be perfectly flat to avoid injury. The performer then bends their knees at a 90 degree angle and raises arms straight up to the ceiling. We will call this neutral stance. Starting with the left leg and right arm, the leg will extend straight out hovering over the ground as the arm extends straight back also hovering over the ground. Starting with 1 deep breath and advancing to 2,3,4 and so on and then returning to neutral, the performer then repeats with the opposite arm and leg. This should be repeated for 3-5 sets of 3 rounds of breathing. For those who cannot perform this with both the arm and leg, start with just lowering one leg at a time and work your way up. For those that need more of a challenge, Take 5 breathes per side and complete 3-5 rounds. Another challenge is to add weight in the form of either a dumbbell or ankle weights.

The dead bug is safe for everyone, from 9 year olds to 90 year olds, your everyday gym rat to an Olympic medalist. Everyone benefits from proper breathing and a strong core. Once the general technique is learned, one can apply this for years to their everyday life and exercise routine. The best part about the dead bug is that it requires no equipment and very little space, making this exercise a win-win for those who dare to try it. Assess your needs and goals and to insure safety, utilize the services of a personal trainer to execute and advance this exercise.