Superman (Medicine Ball)
Level
beginner
Force
push
Mechanic
isolation
Equipment
medicine ball Category
strength Primary Muscles
Secondary Muscles
A posterior chain exercise performed while holding a medicine ball, strengthening the lower back and glutes.
Instructions
- Lie face down on the floor with your legs extended and a medicine ball held on your upper back.
- Keep your feet firmly on the ground and core engaged.
- Lift your chest and upper torso off the ground by contracting your lower back and glute muscles.
- Hold the top position for a brief moment.
- Lower yourself back down with control.
- Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.
Tips
- Focus on using your back and glute muscles, not momentum, to lift.
- The medicine ball adds weight to increase the difficulty of the exercise.
- Keep your neck neutral by looking down slightly during the movement.
- Avoid hyperextending your back; lift only to a comfortable range.
- This exercise strengthens the posterior chain and improves spinal stability.
Recommended starting values
Sensible novice starting points for each goal, for a lifter aged 25–40. Scale down for smaller frames or older lifters. Treat the first set of any session as a discovery set.
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | |||
| Gain strength | 3 | 9 reps | 4 kg | 3 kg |
| Build muscle | 3 | 13 reps | 4 kg | 3 kg |
| Build endurance | 3 | 16 reps | 3 kg | 2 kg |
Alternatives
Exercises that target the same muscles with the same force and mechanic.
Alternating Superman
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Prone Back Extension
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Stability Ball Back Extension
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Stability Ball Reverse Extension
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Stability Ball Superman
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