Be Like Superman

Make your lower back more powerful than a locomotive

Take a casual glance around any gym and you'll see crunches by the thousands — on the mat, on angled benches, on stability balls, and more. Assuming those doing the crunches are practicing proper form and choosing careful moderation in terms of quantity, this can be a good thing. 

However, who ya gonna call about the flip side: strengthening your lower back and gluteus maximus muscles (or “glutes”)?

Superman, of course!

All you need to make this exercise fly is enough floor space to lie flat with your arms and legs fully extended.

Well, you'll need that and some directions:

• If you have a  mat, great. If not, find a comfortable spot on the floor on which you lie on your stomach — your arms and legs extended (but not fully locked) and your neck in line with your spine (a.k.a. “neutral”).

• To perform the basic Superman, simultaneously raise your arms and legs up a few inches, allowing your back to gently arch. You should look something Superman when he is flying.

• Depending on your fitness level, hold this position anywhere from two to 10 seconds before slowly lowering your limbs back down to the floor. Repeat this motion for three sets of 10.

Here’s a very short video for those who would like a visual:

For a variation, try lifting only your right arm and your left leg, alternating with a left-arm-right-leg lift. Either way, this simple but essential exercise will help strengthen the lower back region, glutes, and even your hamstrings while also increasing flexibility in your lower back muscles.

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Note: The exercise advice presented above is not meant for anyone with contraindicated health problems. Please consult a trusted medical or fitness professional.