Pointer Dog—often called Bird Dog—is one of the most common core exercises in yoga.

And it’s also one of the most commonly misaligned.

In this episode of The Yoga Posers Podcast, yogatherapist Sarah Westbrook breaks down the fundamentals of Pointer Dog and explains why this seemingly simple pose is actually a powerful diagnostic tool for how your body organizes its core.

Most people are taught to simply lift the opposite arm andleg. But the real challenge of the pose is something deeper: maintaining a neutral spine while the limbs move freely.

You’ll learn:

• What Pointer Dog (Bird Dog) is actually training
• Why neutral spine and a level pelvis matter for back health and core stability
• The difference between lumbar extension types (“archers”) and lumbar flexion types (“tuckers”)
• How to use Dead Bug progressions to feel when the core is stable
• Why many common cues fail—and what works better
• How external feedback tools like poles and props can dramatically improve alignment

This episode is the foundation for practicing Pointer Dogwell—and for understanding how core stability should function in many otheryoga poses.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you actually have goodcontrol of your core, this conversation will change how you approach Bird Dog.