Abs, abs, abs...everybody wants flatter abs. Shoot, if you were being honest, you'd want a flatter belly too. But the road to get there has gotten a lot of people confused.
There are weights, drinks, breakfast bars and more all marketed claiming to help "shrink your belly" and get you "leaner, flatter abs." But, in actuality, there are only two common ways people can truly flatten their abs and sustain it: what you eat and specific exercise.
If you want some ideas on what to eat, you can find them here. But when it comes to exercise, no weight can get flatter abs better than just using your body weight. And there's no better exercise than doing the "Superman" move.
Doing a basic superman workout move requires zero exercise equipment whatsoever. All you need is your bodyweight—and a cape. Okay, just kidding about the cape.
But seriously, the superman workout move is a floor exercise that looks like it sounds. It involves simultaneously lifting your arms and legs off the ground while keeping your core engaged. This move will not only give you abs of steel, but also has some real key benefits:
Lower-Back Benefits
Your lower-back muscles will get some well-deserved attention while doing the superman workout move. Targeting them in this move will not only make them stronger, but also create more flexibility.
Leg Benefits
You'll be seriously thanking the superman next time you see the noticeable gains in your glutes and hamstrings.
Core Benefits
This move may look like it's just focusing on your arms and legs, but your core is a key component of this move. As you lift your arms and legs up into the air, the muscles in your trunk will be isolated. So you'll need to make sure they're engaged.
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How to Do It
There are also plenty of variations you can do to increase or decrease the intensity of this move and keep things exciting. But doing this exercise the right way should be pretty simple, so if it feels complicated, you may not be doing it right.
Here are some step-by-step instructions:
Lie on your stomach with your arms (overhead) and legs fully extended while keeping your head relaxed and spine neutral by looking at the floor in front of you instead of up.
Contract your core muscles to stabilize your spine, while simultaneously raising both your legs and arms a few inches off the ground, keeping your head and neck neutral.
Hold at top for 3–5 seconds.
Gently lower yourself back to the starting position and repeat.
Set/reps for results: Three sets of 10–12 reps should be enough.
READ THIS: Simple Home Workouts to Prepare for Summer
