When I was young (too young) I had sciatica and it plagued me for months. After that, I was prone to sudden, stabbing pains in my lower back that left me flinching and limp for hours. For these reasons, I’ve worked hard over the years to strengthen my hips and core, and haven’t had a problem long enough. Thanks to you.
Read on to find out more about the benefits of Superman Exercise and what happened when you added 30 to your morning routine for the week. Looking for more weird and wonderful workout inspiration? Read what happened when I did 50 Bird Dogs a day for a week.
What is Superman Exercise?
The name is a good indication of what this exercise contains. Lie on your back, stretch your arms and legs, and imagine Superman flying effortlessly through the air. Imagine an incarnation of the beloved Christopher Reeve, as the limitations of special effects in the late 1970s allowed him to be seen in full flight. Henry Cavill moves too fast in recent movies, but it’s CGI. No cape is required for this exercise.
What do Superman Exercises do?
This is an amazingly wide range of exercises. Start with your back: The erector spinae muscles are located on each side of your spine and extend from the base of your skull to your hips. These large muscles straighten and strengthen your back and aid rotation.However, I also noticed that Superman’s exercises work part of the trapezius muscle, which extends from the neck to the shoulders to the back and forms a triangle. help good posture (opens in new tab), which aligns with one of the roles of the erector spinae — it’s a great move for overall back strength and we spend most of our waking hours sitting at a desk, car, or couch. becomes more important whenLack of activity means many of us suffer chronic back pain (opens in new tab).
What surprised me was how well this move worked the external obliques, the muscles that line the sides of the abdomen, from just below the arms to the pelvis. They help rotate the core and are important for overall core strength. In short, (unless you are very flexible) For relatively low-movement exercises, Superman does a lot.
how to do superman exercises
We recommend using a padded mat for this exercise or doing it on a carpeted floor. I first tried it with a thin yoga mat on bare floorboards, but it was too uncomfortable. Don’t worry if you can’t straighten your arms completely. Do not raise your head to face forward as this will strain your neck.
Inhale and raise your arms and legs as high as you can without discomfort, keeping all four limbs as straight as possible. You may not be able to lift them more than a few inches. Again, don’t bother with this. Try lifting your navel off the floor. You need to work your glutes, erector spinae, core and trapezius muscles.
Hold this position for a few seconds, breathe normally, and then slowly lower yourself to the ground. That’s one rep. Aim for 3 sets of 10 reps.
After doing 30 supermen in one week, this is what happened
Day one is when you learn the range of motion for a particular exercise, usually to your dismay. At first, it was difficult to keep my legs straight and lift, but it was worth the effort. Resist the temptation to bend your knees slightly. Does Superman do this when he flies? No, he doesn’t. Also, doing so means you’re not working your glutes, hips, or core, so you might just be lying on the floor and sleeping. I felt the effort mainly in my lower back.
The second day was a repeat of the day, but I was breathing better. The main drawback of this exercise is the lack of movement. Yes, believe me. That said, I tend to find the first two days of these week-long tests the least satisfying.
On day 3 there was marked improvement (did I say!). My form has improved. By focusing more on my glutes, I was able to lift my legs a little higher, and I could feel my shoulders and core working harder. I hit 30 reps and stood up. I also felt mentally sharper — I can’t explain it.
By day 4, I noticed that my shoulders were working better than my hips, and I felt my body was distributing the load more effectively. . Keeping them close in a straight line improves the impact of movement, so keep an eye on this. Bring your upper arms closer to your head. Also, don’t put your feet too far apart.
By day 5, I no longer had to think about form or effort.
Day 6 brought a new sensation: I felt stronger in my external obliques, as if they had finally awakened, or more precisely, I was learning to engage them properly. I could feel the movement.
By day seven, I didn’t feel like I was lifting my arms or legs too far off the ground, but it didn’t matter. Don’t feel like you need to emulate the super flexible types you can make. This is not how Superman flies.
This move has several advantages. First, it’s suitable for all exercise levels (but check with your healthcare professional first if you have any concerns.) It’s also convenient, requires no equipment, and doesn’t take long. It doesn’t tire you out, but it works a variety of muscles to improve your posture and prevent back injuries.One inhibitor is that it’s not dynamic.Because the amount of movement is minimal, you can do a lot. It doesn’t feel like you’re doing it, but it works: you can’t fight Lex Luthor, and you can’t possibly shake Kisskarl, but Superman is the winner.
Inspired?check out What Happened When A Fitness Editor Tried Chris Hemsworth’s 250-Rep Dumbbell Workout When Lily James’ 600 Rep Ab WorkoutDo you want to get strength while relaxing at home? again, best adjustable dumbbells here on the market.
