Trunk Control

Dead Bug

A practical movement guide for every Mission SOP that uses this exercise. Sets, reps, load, tempo, and purpose remain specific to each mission and phase.

Movement guide available

Anatomy map

Muscles involved

  • Primary musclesOrange · None
  • Secondary musclesGraphite gray · None

Anatomy pending review

The movement remains available for planning and tracking while its ShaOS anatomy illustration is reviewed.

PrimaryAbsSide abs
SecondaryHip flexorsCore

No anatomy image is published until the ShaOS model has been reviewed.

Description

A supine anti-extension exercise that teaches the trunk to stay organized while opposite arms and legs move.

Setup & Execution

  1. Lie on your back with hips and knees bent to about 90 degrees and arms reaching toward the ceiling.
  2. Exhale gently to bring the ribs over the pelvis while keeping the lower back comfortably connected to the floor.
  3. Slowly reach one leg and the opposite arm away without changing the trunk position.
  4. Return to the start under control, reset your brace, and repeat on the other side.

Coaching Cues

  • Keep your ribs quiet.
  • Reach long, not low.
  • Move only as far as your trunk can control.

Common Mistakes

  • Arching the lower back to reach farther.
  • Holding the breath through every repetition.
  • Moving too quickly to feel trunk position change.

Movement media

See the movement

Demonstration planned

No reviewed footage published yet

The written setup, cues, and alternatives remain the current technique reference while the tutorial is produced.

30–60 second tutorialplanned
Setup angleplanned
Side angleplanned
Key cue overlayplanned
Captionsplanned
Transcriptplanned

Accessible movement summary

Lie on your back with hips and knees bent to about 90 degrees and arms reaching toward the ceiling. Exhale gently to bring the ribs over the pelvis while keeping the lower back comfortably connected to the floor. Slowly reach one leg and the opposite arm away without changing the trunk position. Return to the start under control, reset your brace, and repeat on the other side.

Key cue: Keep your ribs quiet.

The production indicators above are roadmap states, not claims that multi-angle footage, overlays, captions, or a narrated transcript are already available.

Adapt the movement

Regressions & alternatives

Preserve the movement pattern while matching current capacity, available equipment, and the mission environment.

Regression

Alternating heel tap with the arms still

Progression

Long-lever dead bug with slower reaches

Home gym

Dead bug on a mat

Commercial gym

Dead bug on a mat with a stable bench used to shorten the leg lever

Used in

Linked Mission SOPs