Superman
A beginner compound mobility exercise that works the lower back, needing no equipment.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Superman
- To begin, lie straight and face down on the floor or exercise mat. Your arms should be fully extended in front of you. This is the starting position.
- Simultaneously raise your arms, legs, and chest off of the floor and hold this contraction for 2 seconds. Tip: Squeeze your lower back to get the best results from this exercise. Remember to exhale during this movement. Note: When holding the contracted position, you should look like superman when he is flying.
- Slowly begin to lower your arms, legs and chest back down to the starting position while inhaling.
- Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions prescribed in your program.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Superman
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Child's Pose
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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2
Dancer's Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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3
Hug A Ball
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the lower back, using an exercise ball.
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4
Hug Knees To Chest
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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5
Standing Pelvic Tilt
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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6
Cat Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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7
Lower Back-SMR
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back, using a foam roller.
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8
Pyramid
A beginner mobility exercise that works the lower back, using an exercise ball.
-
9
Crossover Reverse Lunge
An intermediate mobility exercise that works the lower back.
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10
Pelvic Tilt Into Bridge
An intermediate compound mobility exercise that works the lower back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do superman work?
Superman primarily works the lower back. The glutes and hamstrings assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for superman?
None. Superman is a bodyweight movement you can do anywhere you have floor space.
Superman: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Superman is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of superman?
Child's Pose, Dancer's Stretch, Hug A Ball train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
How do I log superman in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the lower back on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
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