Feeling lazy? Here’s a butt exercise you can potentially do from the comfort of your bed, but will give you that little bit of satisfaction knowing that you’ve still accomplished something towards your dream body.
I give you: the Superman!
Exercise: Supermans
Muscles worked: Lower back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Upper back
Jolie Recommends: 15 reps, followed by a 30 second static hold in contraction.
Difficulty rating:2
Effectiveness rating: 7
This exercise is commonly called the superman, because you’ll be looking a little like the superhero in full flight mode. They are also known as back extensions, but don’t be put off by the name. Although these are indisputably a back exercise, they also are an unexpected challenge in the glute department.
Glutes are a major player in your posterior chain (the muscle groups on the back of your body), so they get a good workout when doing back extensions, especially when you start to raise your legs off the ground along with your upper body.
Keeping a good mental focus on engaging the glutes while you do this exercise will really bring it home and you’ll feel it in your butt.
Best Butt Exercise #21: Supermans
I know I said you could do these from the comfort of your own bed, but for starting out and learning the move you’ll want to be on a firm surface like the floor. The video below shows how to do the superman exercise, but note that you’ll want to be doing the version shown with lifted legs to get into your glute muscles.
How to Do the Move
Lying face down on the floor, place your arms in front of you overhead.
- Engage your back muscles and lift your torso, arms and head off the ground.
- At the same time as you lift your torso, engage your glutes and lift both legs so your thighs are about 1-2 inches above the ground.
- Squeeze those glutes! Pointing your toes and lifting through your heels will also help engage the glutes.
- Hold briefly at the top, then lower both your upper body and legs to the ground. This is one rep.
Perfecting Your Form
- Keep the core tight when doing this exercise. Perform it on a firm surface until you get the hang of it.
- Your head and neck should be kept in a neutral position throughout the exercise.
- To ensure you really work the glutes, concentrate hard on engaging the muscles using mental focus. The higher you lift your legs, the more you should feel it in the glutes.
Reppin’ It
These are a great exercise for back and butt, so feel free to do as many as you like! You can do these as reps (raising and lowering up and down), or alternatively I also like to mix it up a but and hold for as long as possible at the top.
Try for 15 reps, followed by 30 seconds of holding in the superman position. Adding a little ‘paddling’ motion during this hold (wave your alternating arms and legs up and down slightly while both butt and back muscles are contracted tight) will add the finishing touch to really fatigue those muscles and leave you with a good afterburn.
Of course, you can always add ankle weights (my favorite) to add that extra challenge to your glutes!