Superman exercise. What is the superman exercise? Technique and variations of execution

Benefits of exercise

The biggest advantage of “Superman” is the lack of stress on the joints. It can be performed by athletes after injuries and people with chronic back diseases without fear. With daily exercises, after a month you will get a guaranteed result. In addition to improving your back and spine, you will receive pleasant bonuses in the form of toned buttocks and thighs. With it you can:

• strengthen the spine and back muscles;
• prevent the development of osteochondrosis ;
• form an upright posture ;
• strengthen cartilage tissue ;
• relieve muscle spasms in the back and compression from the nerve roots;
• restore the transmission of nerve impulses ;
• remove the fat fold in the lower back and tighten the stomach .

Also, due to the increased flow of blood, yoga technique will help in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs and alleviate the condition of PMS. In addition, it returns the anatomically correct position to the fascicular ring and restores neuro-reflex connections between organs.

Exercises with an expander for the back. 8 effective exercises with an expander for a healthy back

An expander for the abs and back is one of the simplest sports equipment, convenient for its accessibility, compactness and versatility. You can practice with it both in the gym and at home. Depending on the set of exercises chosen, it helps to strengthen muscles, get rid of excess weight, successfully fight osteochondrosis of the spine (gymnastics using the Bubnovsky method), maintain muscle tone and simply improve well-being.

Are exercises with an expander for the back, neck, thoracic region and lower back different for men and women? How does this device work and are there any precautions required when handling it? Let's figure it out together

What is an expander and how does it work?

Structurally, an expander for the abs and back (as well as for pumping up the muscles of the legs and arms) is a simulator, the basis of which is a material with a high degree of elasticity. It is made in the form of a solid rod, cord, spring (or a set of them). Accordingly, it can be tape, spring, rubber, and sometimes combined.

For convenience, most expanders are equipped with handles, and the higher the degree of tension, the greater the effort required by the muscles to achieve it. In most modern models, the design includes additional elements that provide the ability to pump up different muscle groups separately.

The degree of rigidity in such simulators is adjustable. Thanks to this, various exercises for the chest or back, both for men and women, do not pose any difficulty. Regardless of your level of physical fitness.

Exercise 1

• We fix the central part of the tape in the wall mount so that we get a pair of rings ending with handles.
• Holding the handles, we move back until we feel a slight tension in the tape.
• Bend your knees slightly and tilt your body forward (for balance).
• With effort, we move our hands back so that our palms are behind our hips.

We hold the position for several seconds and return to the starting position.

Exercise 2

Completely similar to the previous one - but performed with one hand in a position facing the wall sideways.

After 8–12 repetitions, we turn 180° and change hands.

Exercise 3

We fix the tape at shoulder level.

• We move away to a distance at which a slight tension is formed during a half-squat with arms extended forward.
• Stretch the band by bending your arms to points directly above your shoulders.

We fix the position for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.

Exercise 4

• We fix the expander and lie on the floor with our heads towards the wall at a distance where the tension is felt with outstretched arms thrown behind our heads.
• Bend your knees, placing them approximately two feet apart.
• With effort, pull the tape up and forward until your arms are raised vertically.

We hold the position for several seconds and return to the starting position.

Exercise 5

• We stand on a slightly stretched band with our feet shoulder-width apart, slightly further than our handles.
• We bend our legs slightly, grab the handles, lean forward (to maintain balance) about 20° and pull our hands towards our stomach.

We fix the position for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.

Exercise 6

• We place our right leg on the tape and wrap part of it (for reliability) around the foot so that you can take the remaining short end with the handle in your hand.
• We slightly bend our knees and pull our palms towards our stomach.
• We hold the position for several seconds and return to the starting position.

Change legs and repeat.

Exercise 7

• Ideal for women.
• We sit on the floor, bend our knees a little, keep our back straight.
• We place our feet on the heels so that the elastic band can be thrown over the inside of the feet, and the ends can be taken in the hands.
• We pull our palms towards the chest, fix it for a while, and return to the starting position.

The abs and back muscles are used to the maximum.

Exercise 8

• Ideal for anyone who works in offices.
• Starting position – standing, spread your legs shoulder-width apart and place a tape under your feet.
• We take the ends in the hands lowered along the body so that a slight tension is felt.

We begin to raise and lower our shoulders - this involves the oblique muscles of the back and the shoulder girdle.

What muscles work

Basically, classical exercises work the muscles of the superficial layer. In contrast, “Superman” also affects postural (internal) ones. Main working muscles: gluteals, deltoids, serratus anterior, triceps. And also: erector spinae, hamstrings, soleus.

Exercise "SUPERMAN". Making your figure perfect in a short time

At first glance, the superman exercise lying on the floor seems quite simple. It will not be easy for an unprepared person; several muscle groups are involved.

After several sessions, the body will get used to the loads, and it will be easier to carry out the load. The exercise, when performed in a fairly simple manner, is effective for strengthening the abs, buttock muscles, and back.

Strong abs are every person’s dream; Superman will help you achieve this in a short period of time. It is recommended to include the complex in home, independent exercises, because from a safety point of view, it is much easier on the back than other types of exercises with a barbell or exercise equipment.

The whole secret is this: the load on the intervertebral discs is much lower than when performing other types of exercises, therefore, injuries are practically eliminated.

At home, without having dumbbells or auxiliary devices, by doing this exercise you can make the tendons and muscles of the lower back stronger, get a sculpted, beautiful back, and perfect your abdominal muscles. When performing superman, the trainee uses the following types of muscles:

• Gluteus maximus
• Double-headed
• Semitendinosus
• Extensor spinae
• Press the abdomen
• Semimembranosus muscles

By the way, if you want to lose weight you need to be able to run properly. Read about this and more HERE.

When you perform the superman exercise lying on the floor, you need to maintain a balance in the level of the abdomen, its muscles are strengthened, therefore, this exercise must be performed regularly in order to achieve your ideal weight.

Attention! This exercise is strictly contraindicated for women expecting a baby!

The main feature of the exercise is that there is no need to use special sports equipment; you only need a mat and a little free space to stretch out to your full height and begin to strengthen the muscles of the abs and back.

It is quite difficult for a beginner performing this complex; the load is enormous. To achieve the desired effect, you need to be able to use the technique and nuances of execution.

How to do the boat exercise correctly

At first glance, there is nothing complicated in the technique, but this is far from true. It is quite difficult for people with atrophied muscles to perform deep bends.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Lie on the mat with your stomach, align your body in a line.
2. Stretch your arms forward with your hands up, place your legs in line with your hips.
3. Take your head off and fix your gaze at one point.
4. By tensing the gluteus maximus muscles and the sacral region, simultaneously lift all 4 limbs and chest from the floor by about 40 cm.
5. Make sure that the center of gravity is distributed between the hip bones.
6. Freeze in the pose for 10 seconds and return to the starting position, smoothly lowering your limbs to the floor.

Pay attention to the position of your head.
It is always directed forward. Rotation of the neck can lead to displacement of the cervical vertebrae.

Safety rules and common mistakes

The exercise is easy to perform, but do not forget that:

1. Using the force of inertia, a person will not be able to pump up the necessary muscle groups.
2. An excessively raised neck and head lead to a shift of tension to other muscle groups (a person often experiences overextension of the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle).
3. Fast and sudden movements injure the spine, so we stick to the smooth execution of the exercise.

Superman Pros:

• the ability to do the exercise almost anywhere;
• low risk of injury;
• high efficiency.

As you can see, not only exercises performed in the gym using additional weight can bear fruit. Due to its simplicity, ease of access, effectiveness and the presence of many variations, this exercise can be called the best choice for people of any gender and age.

How much and how to do it

Take a breath and repeat at least 4 times . Every day, increase the number of repetitions and the time spent in statics. If you find it difficult to work with full amplitude, experiment with the height of your torso.

The breathing mode does not matter. However, before you begin the process, do a breathing cycle that will help disperse the blood. As you inhale, pull your stomach toward your spine, and as you exhale noisily, push it out. In the exercise, lifting can be done while inhaling and exhaling; at the climax, the breath is held involuntarily.

For girls with curvy figures , it is not very convenient to perform the “swallow”; for convenience, try rolling up a towel with a roller and placing it in the solar plexus area.

Exercise “Superman” for the spine: types and tips for beginners

The spinal column and back muscles are the axis of the entire human body, which experiences enormous stress not only during sports, but also in everyday life. As a result of such overload, various diseases of the musculoskeletal system often develop and disturbances in the functioning of other systems occur. Therefore, to prevent the occurrence of such health problems, it is necessary to regularly perform exercises that strengthen the spine and back muscles. This is exactly what the training movement called “Superman” refers to.

Boat in a storm

If you are in good physical shape, then you will most likely succeed in the exercise the first time. If you have not often paid attention to physical education, then you will have to master the technique over a certain period of time. But then the exercise will become one of your favorites. Let's start mastering it:

1. We lie on our stomach, stretch our arms along the body, legs together.
2. We bend our legs at the knees, reach for our feet with our hands and cover them with our palms.
3. We bend as much as possible and begin to slowly sway forward and back. We maintain balance and don’t fall over on our side. We lower our legs and arms and lie on our stomach. We rest for a few seconds and repeat the exercise several times.

The muscles involved in this exercise are the same as in the previous one.
Important!
Breathing should be free when performing superman. You cannot hold your breath, as this is harmful to the cardiovascular system. Before performing the “storm boat”, you can try other, easier to perform variations of this exercise, for example, “reverse boat”.

Shoulders and arms

33. Triceps curls:

Sit next to a step or bench. Sit on the floor, legs slightly bent at the knees, bend down and grab the edge of a step or bench with your hands, then straighten your arms. Bend your arms 90 degrees, then straighten them again, with your heels pointing toward the floor. To increase the difficulty of the exercise, lift your left leg and try to reach it with your right hand.

34. Diamond shaped fist push-ups:

This exercise is performed with your hands bent in a diamond shape (make sure your thumbs touch your index fingers). This position of the hands allows you to additionally load the triceps.

35. Boxer:

Muhammad Ali would be proud of you, wouldn't he? Stand up, spread your legs shoulder-width apart and bend your knees, extend one arm forward and the other arm back. Squeeze your hands tightly behind your back, then switch hands as if you were in the ring.

36. A series of shoulder exercises:

This exercise may seem a little strange to you, but we hasten to assure you that it is worth it. Lie on your stomach, extend your arms forward above your head, hands facing each other. Try using your hands to repeat the shape of the letters I, Y, T, W and O. (Well, did you like it?)

37. Hand circles:

Remember physical education lessons at school? Stand up and spread your arms to the sides (they should be in a perpendicular position relative to the body). Slowly draw circles with your hands in a clockwise direction for 20 - 30 seconds (the circle should be about 30 - 40 cm in diameter). Then repeat the same movement, but counterclockwise.

Crunches

Lying on your back, bend your right leg at the knee, and then tilt your left hand towards your left leg. Make sure that your hips do not turn to the left, but remain flat on the mattress. Extend your right arm to the side and turn your head towards it. Take a deep breath and bend your right leg as low as possible towards the bed. Then turn your head to the left, and tilt your right leg to the right and pull it towards the bed. Do the same with your left leg.

Read on topic: 7 simple things that count towards your workout

Leg raises

Straighten your legs and bring them together. Place your hands under your buttocks to stabilize your body. Slowly raise both legs together and lower them. Make sure you breathe deeply, don't strain your neck, and don't lift your head off the bed—only your lower body should be working. Repeat the lifts 10-15 times.

Benefits and contraindications of the element

The superman exercise is considered one of the best elements for training the back extensors, along with the pump. It creates support and stability for the spine, reduces and prevents back pain, especially in the lower part. In addition, regular execution of the element will bring the following benefits:

• will strengthen the abs - balancing on the stomach is responsible for this, strengthening its muscles;
• improves posture due to full extension of the spine during the execution of the element;
• will develop willpower and endurance - the element requires constant muscle tension and physical effort;
• will be an excellent prevention of injuries in the lumbar region.

There are no contraindications as such for performing the element. It is not advisable to perform it in case of aggravated back pain. Pregnant women also need to wait a bit with training.