Alternating Superman | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Middle back, lower back
Secondary muscles: Abs
Equipment: No equipment
Exercises for the opposite muscles: Reverse crunches, sit ups

Alternating Superman Instructions

1. Lie face down on a mat, with your arms and legs fully extended.
2. Lift one arm and the opposite leg off the floor, by arching your back.
3. Hold for a count of 2, return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
4. Alternate until the set is complete.

Proper Form And Breathing Pattern

When doing the alternating superman, keep your arms and legs fully extended and maintain a neutral spine. Breathe in as you lift one arm and leg, pull in your abs, and keep your core muscles tight.

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Exercise Benefits

Adding the alternating superman to your workout routine helps to strengthen your lower back, improves your posture and stability, and stretches your upper body. In order to have a strong core it’s important to work, not only your abs and obliques but also your middle and lower back.

Alternating Superman Demonstration

Sets And Reps

Start with 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 16 repetitions and increase the challenge by raising both legs and both arms at the same time. To further challenge and strengthen your back muscles, alternate this exercise with bird dogs and back extensions.

Calories Burned

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the alternating superman, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

Related Core Exercises

Try these other core exercises to tighten, sculpt and strengthen your abs, obliques, lats and lower back:
Flutter kicks
Plank
Crunches
Straight leg raise

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