Superman: how to do it
Main muscles: Erector spinae (lower back). Helpers: Gluteus maximus, Rear delts (posterior deltoid). Below: step-by-step form, common mistakes, a muscle map, reps and rest, and what to swap it for.
Equipment
Bodyweight
Reps
12–20
Rest
60 s
Muscle group
Back
How to do it
- Lie face down, arms stretched forward, neck in line with the back.
- Raise the arms and legs a few centimetres at the same time and squeeze the glutes.
- Hold for a second and lower without dropping.
Common mistakes
Throwing the head back, trying to go higher instead of tensing.
Muscles worked
primary·secondary
- Primary
- Erector spinae (lower back)
- Secondary
- Gluteus maximus, Rear delts (posterior deltoid)
A secondary muscle gets roughly half the stimulus of a set — that is also how the log’s stats count it.
Programs that use it
- Home, 3 days3 × 12–20
Alternatives: similar exercises
Deadlift
Barbell · Erector spinae (lower back), Gluteus maximus, Hamstrings, Semitendinosus
Sumo deadlift
Barbell · Gluteus maximus, Rectus femoris, Hip adductors (inner thigh), Erector spinae (lower back)
Good morning
Barbell · Hamstrings, Erector spinae (lower back), Gluteus maximus
Back extension
Bench · Erector spinae (lower back)
Back squat
Barbell · Rectus femoris, Vastus lateralis (outer quad), Vastus medialis (teardrop), Gluteus maximus
Romanian deadlift
Barbell · Hamstrings, Semitendinosus, Gluteus maximus
Log your sets — the app suggests the next weight
GymAssist tracks the load on each of 40 muscles, paints it on a body map and uses double progression to tell you when to add weight.
Free forever for the first 500