Single legged Superman
Starting
Position
- To start the single
legged superman exercise on the ball kneel on the floor and
stretch forward over the exercise ball until you are lying
prone over the ball with chest slightly raised, waist centred over the
top of the exercise ball.
- Hands
rest lightly on the floor in front of you.
- Tighten your
abdominals as you learned through
the
abdominal hollowing exercise.
Action
- Raise
both arms in front of you to shoulder height.
- At
the same time, raise one leg.
- Hold for 5
seconds.
- Lower
your foot to the floor
and raise the other foot.
Prime
Movers
- Back Extensors,
glutes, shoulders
Physio
Tips
- Keep your chin tucked
and look at the floor at all times.
- To maintain neck
stability throughout this exercise and avoid neck strain, press your
tongue on the roof of your mouth, and hold an imaginary grapefruit
between your chin and your chest to engage deep neck flexors.
- Try
to avoid side to side movements as well as twisting.
- The
goal is to maintain
your neutral position.
- If you
are having trouble with balance, go back and work on
superman on the floor and
then Superman
on the exercise ball.
- Remember, you should
have no pain performing this ball exercise. If you experience neck,
shoulder, or back pain, consult your physical therapist.
Progression
You can make this ball exercise more challenging by doing any of the
following:
Repeat this ball
exercise 6
times on each leg.
Repeat this ball
exercise 10
times on each leg.
Repeat this ball
exercise 15
times on each leg.
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