Superman Pull
Quick answer
Superman pulls are a bodyweight back exercise done lying face down: with your chest and legs held off the floor, you pull your elbows from overhead down to your sides, like a lat pulldown. They work the lats, middle back and lower back.
Written by the GymStreak coaching team · Updated
Muscles worked
Primary
Secondary
How to do Superman Pull
- 1
Begin by lying with your chest down on the floor, reaching your arms straight out in front of you. Your legs can be elevated off the ground for increased intensity. This is your starting position.
- 2
Pull your arms back and contract your back muscles while mimicking a pull up motion.
- 3
Reach your arms forward and return to the starting position.
Form cues
- Hover your hands an inch or two off the floor for the whole set.
- Pull your elbows down toward your ribs, as if doing a lat pulldown.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down at the end of each pull.
- Look at the floor just ahead of you so your neck stays long.
- Lift only as high as you can without pinching your lower back.
Breathing: Breathe out as you pull your elbows down to your sides; breathe in as you reach your arms back overhead.
Common Superman Pull mistakes
Cranking the head up to look forward
Keep your eyes on the floor just ahead of your hands so your neck stays in line with your spine.
Overarching the lower back to lift higher
Raise your chest and legs only a few inches and let the effort come from the pull, not from bending your spine further.
Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears
Draw your shoulder blades down toward your back pockets as your elbows come in.
Resting the arms on the floor between reps
Keep your hands hovering throughout, and lower your legs to the floor instead if you can't hold the full position.
Rushing the reps
Take about a second to pull, pause briefly with your shoulder blades squeezed, then reach back overhead slowly.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginners | 1–3 | 8–12 | 60–90 s |
| Muscular endurance | 2–3 | 12–20 | 30–60 s |
Starting ranges in line with the ACSM guidance on resistance training. Pick a load you can lift with good form for every rep, and add weight or reps gradually.
Superman Pull variations and alternatives
Variations
- Superman
Easier starting point: hold the lifted position with your arms overhead, without the pulling action.
- Superman pull with legs down
Keep your legs on the floor to reduce the demand on your lower back while you learn the pull.
- Paused Superman pull
Hold the elbows-down position for 2–3 s each rep to make it harder without equipment.
Alternatives
- Lat Pulldown
Loads the same pulling pattern with resistance you can increase over time.
- Pull-Up
The harder vertical pull once you can handle your full body weight.
- Smith Machine Inverted Row
A scalable bodyweight row for the middle back and lats.
- Hyperextensions
Pick this when you mainly want to train the lower back and glutes.
Superman Pull FAQ
What muscles does the Superman pull work?
The pulling action trains the lats and the muscles between your shoulder blades (the rhomboids and middle traps), while holding your chest and legs off the floor works the spinal erectors of the lower back. The rear shoulders assist the pull, and the glutes help keep your legs lifted.
What is the difference between a Superman and a Superman pull?
A standard Superman is mostly a hold: you lift your arms, chest and legs off the floor and stay there, which mainly works the lower back. The Superman pull adds a lat-pulldown-style pull of the elbows to your sides on every rep, so it also trains the lats and middle back.
Is the Superman pull good for beginners?
Yes. It needs no equipment and the only load is your own arms, chest and legs. If holding everything up is too hard, keep your legs on the floor and lift your chest only slightly. Build up to 12–15 slow, controlled reps before adding pauses or longer sets.
Can Superman pulls replace pull-ups or lat pulldowns?
Not fully. They train a similar pulling pattern, but the resistance is light and hard to increase, so they work best as a home option, a warm-up or an endurance exercise. To keep building back strength and size, add a loaded pull such as pull-ups, lat pulldowns or rows.
Why do I feel Superman pulls in my lower back?
Some lower-back effort is expected, because the muscles along your spine hold your chest and legs up. If it feels pinchy rather than tired, you are probably arching too high: lift only a few inches, gently squeeze your glutes, or rest your legs on the floor. If it causes pain, stop and get it checked by a qualified professional.
Sources
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