Superman planks involve other muscle groups to increase the planks’ intensity.
Plank exercises stand out for their core-strengthening benefits. They’re powerful isometric exercises that boost endurance, strength, and fitness (1). For those aiming to fortify their core muscles to superheroic levels, the Superman plank — likely named for its resemblance to the iconic flying pose of DC Comics’ Superman — is an indispensable part of your workout arsenal.
This article explores the Superman plank in-depth, highlighting its primary benefits and the muscles it targets. It provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to executing this bodyweight exercise with perfect form. Moreover, for those looking to diversify their fitness routine, it suggests intriguing alternatives that target similar muscle groups and enhance strength. Let’s dive in below.
Techniques & Muscles Worked
The Superman plank is a bodyweight exercise that primarily works your abs, obliques, and posterior chain muscles. It also recruits other secondary muscles like the triceps, biceps, and deltoids. This exercise simultaneously challenges your balance, making it great for stability.
Superman planks are challenging to perform, especially if it’s your first time trying them out. One way to progress is to try perfecting a basic plank and holding that position for about 30 seconds before switching to this variation.
Advertisement
This plank variation only requires adequate space. You don’t need gym equipment to perform this exercise anywhere and anytime. However, if you’re looking for more gains, you could use resistance bands or free weights like dumbbells and kettlebells to work your muscles harder. Below are step-by-step instructions highlighting how to do the Superman plank.
Start with your body in a high pushup position.
Keeping your back straight, place your palms on the floor and your toes at shoulder-width length.
Engage your core to prevent your back from dipping. This is your starting position.
Next, lift your left leg while extending your right arm forward. Stay in this position for about three to five seconds, then slowly lower your arm and leg back to the starting position.
Mirror the same movement, lifting your right leg and left arm forward. Stay in that position for the same number of seconds and return to the starting position to finish the rep.
Repeat for as many reps as you desire.
Benefits
The Superman plank is an isometric exercise that works multiple muscle groups. Here is a list of benefits of performing the Superman plank.
Target the Core and Posterior Chain
Performing the Superman plank requires a lot of balance and stability because you almost leave your body weight suspended. This tasks your core and posterior chain to keep the body in line, thus building and strengthening them. Building your core and posterior chain helps prevent injuries like lower back pain. It also improves your posture and helps with equal load distribution throughout the body.
Builds Your Endurance and Strength
The Superman plank recruits multiple muscles isometrically to keep the body in the right form. You’ll feel this exercise intensely after just a few seconds. Holding proper form until the seconds run out will help build muscle endurance and strength.
Addresses Muscle Imbalances
Superman planks are unilateral because the pose emphasizes one side of the body. This means you can use this exercise to identify your weaker side and correct that muscle and strength imbalance.
Better Mind-Muscle Connection
Doing the Superman plank requires a lot of concentration to keep the plank position right. Focusing on the target muscles builds your mind-muscle connection, which research shows effectively builds muscles during resistance training(2).
Advertisement
Better Transitioning to Other Workouts
The Superman plank is an excellent full-body exercise for multiple muscle groups. It also builds and strengthens your core, posterior, and abdominals. When these muscles are stronger, they can improve your form in other exercises like deadlifts, squats, and lunges.
Superman Plank Alternatives
The Superman plank is a strength training exercise that works the whole body. However, it can’t be your only core-building routine; you must vary your exercise to avoid a training plateau. Here is a list of alternative exercises for building your core and upper body strength.
Hang Snatches
The hang snatch is an advanced strength training exercise that works the full body. You raise a barbell from your lower body to fully extend your arms over your head. This exercise also targets the core, posterior chain, and shoulders and works your chest.
Good Morning Squats
Advertisement
The good morning squat is a compound exercise that builds your core and posterior chain. This workout provides the benefit of two exercises in one: good mornings and squats. Aside from working the upper and lower body muscles, good morning squats equally work and strengthen the knee and hip joints, which help with mobility and flexibility.
Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are isometric exercises that work your delts, core, arms, glutes, hamstrings, and quads. They can be done anywhere, just like Superman planks, because they don’t require any equipment. However, add resistance bands to your workout for more strength and muscle gains.
FAQs
How do you do the Superman plank?
The Superman plank requires no equipment but just your body to execute. It’s a pretty laborious exercise, but with adequate practice using the traditional plank, you can easily transition to it quickly. Check out the exercise guide above for a how-to of the Superman plank.
How long should you do Superman plank?
The length of the Superman plank depends on your endurance or strength. However, because each hand requires balance and stability, you can hold it for three to five seconds before switching to the other hand. The exercise guide above provides more details about this.
Advertisement
How do you do the Superman exercise step by step?
The Superman plank is a strength training bodyweight exercise. Your first step is to assume a plank position and then hit the Superman pose. The above article provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide to executing this exercise using the right form.
Follow Generation Iron on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more exercise guides!
References
Park, S. K., Lee, K. S., Heo, S. J., & Jee, Y. S. (2021). Effects of High Intensity Plank Exercise on Physical Fitness and Immunocyte Function in a Middle-Aged Man: A Case Report. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 57(8), 845. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57080845
Calatayud, J., Vinstrup, J., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Brandt, M., Jay, K., Colado, J. C., & Andersen, L. L. (2016). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European journal of applied physiology, 116(3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7
The sun is a welcome addition to our exercise routines come summer – but the novelty of a sunny run or hike can quickly wear off as the temperature climbs. With heatwaves and record-breaking temperatures already this year, it’s important to know the best time to exercise in the heat for the weeks ahead.
Obviously, if you don’t like the heat and would rather be inside, then you can exercise in an air-conditioned gym or studio at any time of day. A good swimming workout is another way to stay cool. However, if you enjoy running, hiking, cycling, or a garden strength training workout, it makes sense to choose the coolest times of day. In the peak of the summer, this is before 10 am and after 5 pm, but the earlier (or later) you can go, the better.
The body reacts differently in the heat, making exercise above 20°C degrees feel harder, even if you’re doing the same workout you did in the cooler months. As the temperature climbs, blood vessels dilate to push blood towards the surface of the skin to cool it down, which means there is less in the muscles. This means your heart has to work harder and beat faster.
Latest Videos From
You also naturally sweat more, which is the body’s way of cooling down. However, important micronutrients called electrolytes are lost in sweat, and if they aren’t replenished (through hydrating foods or electrolyte supplements), it can lead to lower blood volume, triggering symptoms like fatigue, rapid heart rate, and dizziness that extend beyond your workout.
As well as checking the day’s top temperature, you should check the heat index. This indicates how humid it can be, which can be more of a problem than the warmth and can leave you sticky and sweaty before you’ve even pulled on your running shoes.
With that in mind, Brian Maiorano, coach liaison for sports-tech company CORE, has some tips for exercising in the heat. “When the weather begins to really heat up, these are the best ways to train during a heatwave, and to really stay safe,” he says.
Don’t be afraid to sweat: You can gradually adapt to the heat within 4 to 5 days by raising your core temperature in a controlled way. Top athletes call this ‘heat training’, and it’s very effective if you’re careful to not overcook yourself.
Stay hydrated: As well as drinking water, you can douse your head and torso in it to stay cool.
Lower your intensity during the heat: Monitor your heart rate and stick to zone 2 if you’re exercising in the heat. This is 60 to 70% of your maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), and stop at any signs of dizziness, nausea, or headache.
Choose when to do your most vigorous training: During intense sessions, you don’t want the additional stress of heat, so Brian recommends doing it in climate-controlled conditions (like switching your run to a treadmill workout) or choosing the best time to exercise in the heat.
Don’t spend the whole day in an air-conditioned room: “Too much time enjoying the cool air can make you miserable when you are exposed to heat,” says Brian.
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
Kylie Minogue has stayed active her whole life, but, refreshingly, she doesn’t follow a punishingly strict routine to stay fit.
‘I wish I was one of those women who do their exercises first thing in the morning, or run straight to the fitness studio as soon as they get up,’ she told Star Magazine. ‘But unfortunately, I’m just not that disciplined!’
Instead, the ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ singer partly relies on her hectic schedue to keep her moving. ‘I don’t really work out, but I’m constantly on the go,’ she told Express.
‘My guilty confession is that there isn’t [a routine]!…I think I stay in shape with an active (read, exhausting!) lifestyle,’ she continued on Reddit. ‘My fitness is really sporadic. I have to thank my mum for good genes.’
Kylie Minogue’s go-to exercises
Despite her self-professed low-key approach, the global multi-platinum recording artist incorporates several workout methods into her day, preferring mainly low-impact and moderate-intensity exercise.
Advertisement
‘I do Pilates,’ she continued to Star. But she’s careful to keep things balanced. ‘I don’t overdo it,’ she clarified.
‘I like to at the very least do 15 minutes on the Yoga Studio app. I know how to do it without the app but the tone of the woman’s voice and that it’s timed, it goes by so quickly,’ she told WSJ. ‘Then I feel like that’s done and I feel good.’
Often, her exercise of choice also depends on what equipment is available.
‘If there’s a treadmill nearby, I like to do that. We say in my family, “Minogues don’t run.” None of us run. But we like to walk, so that works for me,’ she added. ‘If I’m somewhere where there’s Pilates, I love that.’
Workouts that provide holistic physical and mental benefits are often a favourite.
Advertisement
‘I’ve also tried Gyrotonics; that was really fun,’ she continued, referring to the gymnastics-and-swimming-inspired movement system developed by Julia Horvath in the 80s. Designed to decompress the body, build strength and flexibility, and improve posture, it’s increasingly being adopted by Olympic athletes and celebrities alike.
‘I loved aerobics and I used to do Callanetics,’ she added to Express. Created by classical ballet-trained Callan Pinckney around 40 years ago, Callanetics uses ‘small, precise pulsing movements’ to ‘activate muscles’. ‘I would travel everywhere with this home workout on a VHS tape and put it on in hotel rooms,’ Kylie revealed.
However, being the ‘Princess of Pop’ does mean that the physical demands are considerable, and often her endurance, coordination and overall fitness are put to the test when she’s on stage.
‘I would say my ultimate workout is being on tour. I’m never as fit as when I’m on tour, so I can’t wait to tour again. My body needs it.’
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
Exercise played a pivotal part in Alison Hammond, 51, losing 11 stone. The This Morning presenter hired personal trainer Ellis Gatfield five years ago, and while introducing regular strength training helped her hit her goal, there were a few fitness habits she was also required to quit.
Below, Gatfield shares exactly what she stopped doing, how doing so helped her lose weight and build muscle and her full weekly workout routine.
A quick caveat: sustainable weight loss isn’t driven by exercise or nutrition alone. Movement helps preserve muscle, support metabolic health and improve how your body uses energy, but what you eat still matters. The most effective approach combines smart training with nourishing, realistic nutrition habits you can maintain long term.
@luimancini//Instagram
1. She stopped doing long treadmill sessions
Gatfield says: ‘She never particularly enjoyed traditional cardio, so instead of forcing long treadmill sessions, I focused on raising her heart rate through resistance training performed in a circuit format, using mainly compound movements. This allowed her to get the cardiovascular benefits while also building strength and shaping her body. The biggest mistake from her training before was believing that exercise had to mean long, boring cardio sessions to lose weight. That mindset made training feel like a chore rather than something to enjoy.’
Advertisement
2. She stopped forcing exercise she didn’t enjoy
Gatfield says: ‘Once we shifted to a style of training she genuinely liked, everything became easier. Training stopped feeling forced, consistency improved naturally, and results followed. Enjoyment is often the missing piece in successful weight loss and it’s something I prioritise with all my clients.
‘Strength training played a huge role in Alison’s weight loss because it allowed her to burn calories, build lean muscle, and improve her metabolism, without relying on long or exhausting cardio sessions. Resistance-based circuits kept her heart rate elevated while also improving strength and body composition which is key for long term fat loss.
‘Just as importantly, she genuinely enjoyed this style of training. She loved being able to come in, work hard for 30 minutes, feel accomplished, and get on with her day. That enjoyment made consistency easy, and consistency is where results come from.
‘With Alison, the priority was keeping training effective, enjoyable, and realistic around her schedule. Sessions were always kept to around 30 minutes, which meant they were easy to commit to and never felt overwhelming.’
3. She stopped skipping rest days
Gatfield says: ‘Rest was equally essential [to her results]. Scheduled recovery days helped regulate stress, reduce fatigue, and allow her body to adapt and improve. That balance between training and recovery meant she could show up strong, train with intent, and sustain results long term.
Advertisement
‘For most women, especially those new to resistance training, I’d recommend two-three sessions per week. The focus should always be on learning proper technique, moving well, and recovering properly. More isn’t always better – consistency and quality matter far more.’
Alison Hammond’s weekly workout schedule
According to Gatfield, a typical week in workouts for Alison included:
Monday: 30-minute resistance circuit
Tuesday: 30-minute boxing session
Wednesday: rest or low-intensity walk
Thursday: 30-minute kettlebell circuit
Friday: 30-minute boxing session
Saturday: rest or low-intensity walk
Sunday: rest
One of our most frequently asked questions here at Women’s Health? How to build muscle and burn fat at the same time. So, we asked superstar trainer Oyinda Okunowo exactly how to do it. In this 4-week plan – created exclusively for Women’s Health COLLECTIVE members – you’ll get the workouts and nutrition guidance needed to help you on your way to better body composition. Tap the link below to unlock 14 days of free access to Oyinda’s plan and start training today.
Get the plan
As Women’s Health UK’s fitness director and a qualified Pilates and yoga instructor, Bridie Wilkins has been passionately reporting on exercise, health and nutrition since the start of her decade-long career in journalism.
After earning a first-class degree in journalism and NCTJ accreditation, she secured her first role at Look Magazine, where she launched the magazine’s health and fitness column, Look Fit, before going on to become Health and Fitness writer at HELLO!
Advertisement
Since, she has written for Stylist, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Elle, The Metro, Runner’s World and Red. Today, she oversees all fitness content across Women’s Health online and in print, spearheading leading cross-platform franchises, such as ‘Fit At Any Age’, which showcases the women proving that age is no barrier to exercise.
She has also represented the brand on BBC Radio London, plus various podcasts and Substacks – all with the aim to encourage more women to exercise and show them how. Outside of work, find her trying the latest Pilates studio, testing her VO2 max for fun (TY, Oura), or posting workouts on Instagram.
