A: Lie flat on your stomach with arms and legs extended flat on floor.
B: Lift both legs and arms a few inches off the floor; hold 5 seconds and lower. Repeat 10–15 times.
Practice this pose to strengthen the muscles in your core, while reducing your risk of lower-back injury.
Too much, too soon? Lying on your stomach, arch legs upward and place hands along-side face to support your body weight. As you progress, do the move with hands placed near your armpits. In time, alternately lift your extended right arm off the floor while lifting your extended left leg; then left arm, right leg. Finally, do the full Superwoman.
Why do it now? Your lower back, along with the abdominal, hip, and lateral trunk muscles, make up your core. According to a study of college athletes, “when you have weakness in these muscles, there’s a greater tendency to get injured,” says Irene Davis, PhD, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Delaware. “Women are closer to the injury threshold because they tend to be weaker in the core than men.” Strengthening your core helps your entire lower half function more efficiently, and it reduces your risk of lower-back injury.
By Sarah Bowen Shea
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