Superman

How to perform

1. 01To 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.
2. 02Simultaneously 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.
3. 03Slowly begin to lower your arms, legs and chest back down to the starting position while inhaling.
4. 04Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions prescribed in your program.

Form cues

• —Brace your core before the first rep and keep it braced.
• —Keep a neutral spine; stop the set if it rounds.
• —Control the lowering phase — that is where most of the growth stimulus lives.

Common mistakes

• —Using momentum instead of the target muscle.
• —Cutting the range of motion short to add load.
• —Adding weight before the movement pattern is clean.
• —Bouncing into the stretch instead of holding it.