Do you want to feel like a hero while working out? Well here’s your chance to gain those super powers at the comfort of your home!
This exercise does not require any equipment at all! All you you need is your bodyweight—and a cape. Okay, just kidding about the cape.
The superman is a floor exercise that consists of simultaneously lifting your arms and legs off the ground in an extended position while keeping your core engaged. This move will not only give you abs of steel, but also strengthen your glutes, spinal erectors and upper back! It can be performed as a dynamic warm up, for muscle activation or mobility at any time!
The Benefits Of The Superman
If you are constantly sitting all day at the office, this is a great exercise to help balance out the excessive time spent sitting all day! It strengthens the posterior chain and postural muscles and also going to help you with overall stability for everyday movement.
- Lower-Back Benefits: Your lower-back muscles will get some well-deserved attention while doing the superman. Targeting them in this move will not only make them stronger, but also create more mobility.
- Leg Benefits:You'll be seriously thanking the superman next time you see the noticeable gains in your glutes and hamstrings.
- Core Benefits: This move may look like it's just focusing on your arms and legs, but your core is a key component of this move. As you lift your arms and legs up into the air, the muscles in your trunk will be isolated. So you'll need to make sure they're engaged.
- Bonus Benefit: You'll feel like a superhero!
How To Do The Superman
Doing this exercise the right way should be pretty simple. But here’s a step-by-step process just in case:
1. Lie on your stomach with your arms (overhead) and legs fully extended while keeping your head relaxed and spine neutral by looking at the floor in front of you instead of up.
2. Contract your core muscles to stabilize your spine, while simultaneously raising both your legs and arms a few inches off the ground, keeping your head and neck neutral.
3. Hold at top for 3–5 seconds.
4. Gently lower yourself back to the starting position and repeat.
5. Set/reps for results: Three sets of 10–12 reps should be enough.
Form tips: It’s very important to keep your head and neck neutral throughout the exercise and avoid jerky movements. Instead, work on synchronizing the lift and lower of all four limbs with control.
Variations of The Superman
There are a few easy ways to make sure this exercise remains exciting and as beneficial as possible.
- Alternating Superman: Sometimes it's difficult to lift both arms and legs at once. If so, you can do what's called an alternating superman. This means you'll lift opposite leg and opposite arm together, then switch and repeat on the other side for the same three sets of 10-12 reps.
- Reverse Superman: Here's a cool one! Instead of lying on your stomach. Flip over and lie on your back, this time lifting both arms and legs in a straight line simultaneously toward the ceiling. This move is more commonly known as a hollow hold—but reverse superman sounds more fun, no?
- Superman Ball Lift: This is your advanced, superman 2.0. For it, when you lift your arms and legs, you'll also be lifting a stability ball (or Swiss ball) between your feet, challenging those hard-to-reach lower abs and butt muscles just above your hamstrings.
How to make The Superman Part of your Routine
- Do them as a warmup: I love to complete a few sets of the superman in my warm up. It will really rev up your muscles for your upcoming routine.
- Do them after a workout: This will help relieve energy placed in your lower back during the workout.