Last month, I did the bear plank shoulder tap every day for a week and, while I found it an effective exercise for the deep core and upper arms, it is not one I’ll be adding to my roster. It’s a testing move and one seemingly designed to make you look ungainly. Having read the piece, my editor stroked her chin thoughtfully and said, “In that case, how about the bear plank bird dog for this month?” A variation on a theme, I mused, like an idiot.

It is, as it sounds, another adaptation of the basic bear plank, which is itself a fairly difficult move that involves getting on all fours, then lifting your knees a few inches off the ground and holding yourself in place. The bird dog aspect means stretching out your left arm and right leg, then your right arm and left leg, while keeping your knees raised and back straight. It sounds tough, but it’s much tougher than that.

The bear plank with shoulder tap is an intense move that works your transverse abdominis muscles (the deepest layer of the abdominals), which are vital for the prevention — and even treatment — of low back pain. It also gives your upper arms something to think about.

The bird dog is a core exercise, too, but at the same time it hits the erector spinae muscles, which extend from the neck along the full length of the spine; the hamstrings; the trapezius muscles in your upper back; and the deltoid muscles, which form the rounded shape of the shoulder.

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