Is it possible to have a love-hate bond with a fitness movement? This is exactly how I feel about the final exercise in this brand-new 22-minute full-body workout designed by fitness trainer Traci Copeland. The exercise I’m referring to is The Superman, which primarily targets your lower back and the entire posterior chain of muscles. Copeland takes things up a notch by incorporating a stretch band into the routine, intensifying the engagement of your upper back and shoulder muscles. This pose is undeniably demanding, yet it also gives you a sensation akin to that of a superhero.
The Superman marks the conclusion of a five-step sequence, repeated thrice throughout this workout. The routine commences with a warmup and concludes with a cooldown, but the core of the workout involves performing five movements for around 40 seconds each, with a 20-second break in between. All exercises incorporate a resistance band, although Copeland mentions that they can also be executed solely with your body weight.
If you do not possess a flexible workout band, you may consider acquiring one. Resistance bands offer a mild yet equally demanding method of incorporating strength training into your regimen.
“Resistance band workouts offer numerous benefits,” Dannah Eve, a fitness expert and the creator of the DE Method, stated. “As you progress through the motion range of an exercise, the resistance escalates with resistance bands, unlike free weights and weight machines that maintain a consistent level of resistance throughout. This feature makes them a safer and less impactful form of strength training compared to machine or free weight exercises, which may strain your spine, joints, ligaments, and tendons.”
Fit Simplify Resistance Loop Exercise Bands — $12.95
This set of bands includes five different resistance levels to cater to your specific workout needs.
You have the ability to tweak the resistance applied to your muscles by experimenting with various bands and grips. For instance, in the case of the Superman exercise, if I require a mild activation of my shoulder and back muscles, I would opt for a lighter resistance band. However, if I seek a rigorous challenge to engage my upper body by stretching the band apart, I would choose a tighter band.
With resistance band training, the control rests in your hands. Quite literally.
