Superman
Muscles worked : Lower back, glutes · Upper back
How to do it
- Lie face down, arms extended in front of you, legs extended behind.
- Look at the floor to keep the neck neutral throughout the movement.
- Lift arms, chest and legs a few centimetres at the same time.
- Pause at the top, then lower under control.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the head to look ahead instead of keeping the eyes down: compresses the neck.
- Going too high, too fast, in jerks rather than under control.
- Holding your breath during the effort.
Where you should feel it
A contraction in the lower back and glutes. Painful compression in the lumbar area, on the other hand, means you are lifting too high: height is not the success criterion.
Range of motion
A few centimetres is enough. The aim is a light, controlled extension, not maximum arching — the last degrees add no muscular work, only joint compression.
Tempo and breathing
Two seconds up, one second held, two seconds down. Exhale as you lift. The eyes stay on the floor from start to finish.
What works, precisely
The erector spinae, the long muscles either side of the spine, produce the extension. The gluteus maximus and hamstrings extend the hip on the leg side, and the lower trapezius contributes on the arm side.
Movement mechanics
Simultaneous extension of spine and hips against gravity, face down. Concentric on the way up, eccentric on the way down. Without equipment, this is one of the few ways to load the posterior chain directly.
Benefits
- Strengthens the lower back, often neglected even though it is exactly the area that complains after a sedentary spell.
- Works the whole posterior chain, which sitting shortens and weakens.
- Requires no equipment and no support: practicable anywhere you can lie down.
Adapt and progress
- Easier : Lift only the arms, or only the legs, rather than both together.
- Harder : Extend the hold at the top, or lift opposite arm and leg alternately.
- Move on when : When three sets of twelve go by with no compression in the lower back.
Precautions
Lifting the head to look ahead compresses the neck: keep the eyes down. With established lower-back pain, this is not the right starting point.