Movement Library
Superman
- Pattern
- Pull
- Trains
- Muscular strength
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Measured in
- Repetitions
How to perform
- 1Lying face down, lift your arms, chest and legs off the floor together.
- 2Squeeze your back and glutes; keep your neck long, eyes down.
Technique in detail
Lie face down with your arms extended overhead and your legs straight, forehead resting on the floor. Without jerking, lift your arms, chest and legs a few inches off the ground at the same time, as if you were being gently stretched longer from both ends. Keep your neck in line with your spine — look at the floor, not forward. Hold at the top for a second or two, feeling the whole back of your body engage, then lower everything with control. Height matters far less than tension.
Common mistakes
- Cranking the neck back to look ahead. It compresses the cervical spine and adds nothing. Keep the gaze down and let the head follow the spine.
- Lifting as high as possible in a jerk. This is a controlled contraction, not a throw — slow lifts a couple of inches beat fast lifts twice as high.
- Holding your breath through the hold. Breathe shallowly and continuously; if you cannot, you are gripping harder than the exercise needs.
Equipment
- No equipment
Progression
Movements in this library are chained from easiest to hardest, so you always have a next step.
Related movements
Band Biceps Curl
Beginner
Stand on the band and curl the handles up to your shoulders.
Band Pull-Apart
Beginner
Hold the band at shoulder height and stretch it out into a T.
Band Row
Easy
Anchor the band, sit tall, and pull the handles to your ribs.
Doorway Row
Easy
Grip the doorframe, lean back with straight arms, then pull your chest to the frame.
Prone Y-Raise
Easy
Face down, raise your arms overhead in a Y with thumbs up.
Band Face Pull
Moderate
Pull the band toward your face with your elbows high and wide.
Want these tracked — sets, reps and progress over time?
Start tracking freeThis library is general fitness education, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, injured, or managing a health condition, check with a clinician before starting something new. Stop if a movement hurts.