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abdominal exercises > Superman
 

 

 

 




This exercise helps develop core strength and both spinal strength and stability, as well as working the muscles that retract the shoulder blade retractors and the gluteals.

1 Kneel on all fours with your knees under your hips and hip-distance apart and put your hands on the floor a shoulder-width apart under your shoulders. Put your spine into the neutral position. Activate your core by drawing your abdominal muscles back toward your spine.

2 Without any sideways movement and keeping your abdomen pulled in, exhale and slowly raise an opposite arm and leg until they are parallel to the floor - be careful to follow the tempo you have set.

3 Inhale and slowly return your arm and leg to the starting position.

4 Repeat for the desired number of reps, then repeat the exercise using the other arm and leg.
 


 

Variations:

- if this movement is too difficult, do the exercise with either an arm or a leg alone (a) and build up to using them both at the same time

- try to do single arm or leg raises while balancing on a ball

Precautions:

- do not shift your weight to either side while doing the exercise

- keep your spine in a neutral position and monitor your technique carefully in a mirror if possible