Superman
A back-focused exercise where you lie face down and lift your arms and legs off the floor.
Overview
The superman is a bodyweight exercise for the muscles along the back of the body. Lying face down with arms extended overhead, you lift your arms, chest and legs off the floor at the same time, hold briefly, then lower back down. The pose resembles flying, which gives it its name.
It works the lower back and glutes and complements the many front-focused core exercises. Small, controlled lifts are the goal — the movement is about a steady squeeze rather than height.
The movement
- 1Lie face down with your arms extended overhead and legs straight.
- 2Lift your arms, chest and legs off the floor together.
- 3Hold briefly while keeping the movement small and controlled.
- 4Lower back to the floor with control.
Beginner notes
- A small, controlled lift is the goal rather than maximum height.
- A brief pause at the top adds a steady squeeze.
- A useful counterbalance to front-focused core work.
A note on training information
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Swimming
A full-body, low-impact endurance sport suitable for almost every age and ability.
Functional Fitness
Varied, whole-body training built around everyday movement patterns like squatting, lifting and carrying.
Related exercises
Squat
A foundational lower-body movement where you bend at the hips and knees to lower down and stand back up.
Goblet squat
A squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
Jump squat
An explosive squat variation where you spring off the floor at the top of the movement.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Superman to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Movement patterns
- GlideGlide is continuous, low-resistance locomotion in which the body holds a streamlined shape so that momentum generated by a preceding propulsive action carries it smoothly across a surface or through a medium.
- ReachExtending a limb toward a distant point or object, often at full stretch, by projecting a distal segment beyond the body's resting envelope while a stabilised base preserves balance and control.
- JumpThe plyometric pattern of projecting the body off the ground through explosive triple extension and controlling the landing — the core expression of lower-body power.
- LungeA split-stance, single-leg-emphasis pattern: stepping or dropping into a staggered stance and pushing back up to build single-leg strength, balance and stability.
- HingeA hip-dominant pattern: bend forward at the hips with a flat back, minimal knee bend, then drive the hips tall — powers pulling from the floor and jumping.
Goals
- Reduce alcoholHow activity and a fuller routine can support cutting back on alcohol — with professional support where needed.
- Return to sportEasing back into activity after time away, a long break or a period off through injury.
- Sports for seniorsGentle, enjoyable ways for older adults to stay active, with guidance where sensible.
- Sports for beginnersHow to start playing sport from scratch — choosing a first activity and building up gently.
- DisciplineBuild consistency, focus and self-discipline through the routines that sport and training encourage.
Techniques
- Flip TurnA fast turn in freestyle where the swimmer somersaults at the wall, pushes off on their back and rotates to continue swimming.
- DeadliftA strength exercise that lifts a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position by extending the hips and knees together.
- Push-UpA bodyweight exercise that lowers and raises the body by bending and straightening the arms while holding a rigid plank line.
- Bodyweight SquatA foundational lower-body exercise that lowers the hips by bending the knees and hips, then stands back up, using only body weight.
- PlankA static core exercise that holds the body in a straight line supported on the forearms and toes.
Disciplines
- Top-Rope ClimbingA roped format where the rope runs up to an anchor at the top of the route and back down, so the climber is held from above throughout the ascent.
- BackstrokeBackstroke is swum face-up with an alternating arm pull and flutter kick — the one competitive stroke where you breathe freely because your face stays out of the water.
- Freestyle WrestlingAn Olympic wrestling style where wrestlers may attack the legs and use holds below the waist to take down and pin their opponent.
- CyclocrossCyclocross is lap racing on a short off-road circuit of grass, mud, and sand, where riders often dismount to carry the bike over obstacles.
- FreestyleFreestyle is the fastest swimming stroke, swum face-down with an alternating arm pull and flutter kick — the stroke most people picture when they think of swimming.