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Friday Fit Tip: 'Bird dog' strengthens your core and back

The "bird dog" is a compound movement that builds a strong back and strong abdominal muscles.

INDIANAPOLIS — If you want a strong back, you must have a strong core, and if you want a strong core, you must have a strong back.

Jordan Estes at Lifetime has the move just for you. It's called the "bird dog."   

Start with your hands and knees on the floor and your back flat, then you extend one arm and one leg. 

"With our opposite foot and hand, we want to kick back and reach, keeping the back nice and flat and the leg straight, toes pointed, and back down," Estes said after holding the stretch for about five seconds. "And then, we'll switch to the other side, same thing, as well."  

RELATED: Friday Fit Tip: 'Hollow Hold' helps strengthen abs

Estes likes this movement because "it's very low impact, it doesn't take too long for you to hold and it works on a bunch of different things at one time."

The bird dog is a compound movement that builds a strong back and strong abdominal muscles.

You can try the bird dog nearly anywhere, anytime, as you work to be a best you.

RELATED: Friday Fit Tip: Flight plank exercise for the lower back

Watch Estes demonstrate how it's done in the video player.

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