Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Modified Superman exercise is time-efficient
It should come as no surprise that “lack of time” consistently ranks as the No. 1 reason cited for failing to meet physical activity standards. For as long as I’ve been in the fitness business, that’s always been true. When I’m planning programs, I try to think through every decision, whether it’s operational or individual, using the lens of the exerciser who has very little time.
And that’s what this week’s column focuses on. I’ll present a few tips for maximizing your time in the gym while achieving the results you desire. Plus, I’ll introduce an extremely time-efficient movement that’s a great match for the busy professional.
There are plenty of ways to maximize time efficiency without sacrificing program quality. For instance, let’s assume the primary goal of the exercise program is weight management and body composition improvement. People with these goals need to focus on maximum caloric expenditure while doing strength training, cardiovascular training and some basic flexibility exercises.
Let’s also assume the exerciser only has 45 minutes to complete each workout. Given this set of variables, I’d look at 5 minutes for a cardiovascular warmup followed by 35 minutes of interval training that includes strengthening and cardio activities. The final 5 minutes would include light stretching. To get the most out of this workout structure, I’d recommend wearing an activity tracker that includes a heart-rate monitor.
Achieving maximum caloric expenditure isn’t complicated. It requires working at relatively high intensity levels (75% to 85% of maximum heart rate) for sustained periods of time. When the heart rate drops, caloric expenditure drops with it. So, the goal for this particular program should be to average a high heart rate throughout the 35-minute work period.
But it’s not realistic to assume that everyone can sustain high heart rates throughout an entire work period.
This is why interval training
is so helpful. Interval training lets people recover for short, 1- or 2-minute periods between bouts of high-intensity exercise. A good interval training program can have many different structures, but a 3:1 ratio of high intensity to low-intensity activity isn’t uncommon.
For the low-intensity periods, I recommend strength training for large muscle groups. The back, chest and legs are always good candidates. The goal is to continue working but allow the heart rate to slow and thus provide some recovery for the cardiovascular system before the next high-intensity block.
This week’s exercise is a great option for that low-intensity interval period. The Superman Overhead Press is done on the floor, so there’s very little cardiovascular requirement — but the benefits to the upper back and shoulders are enormous.
1. Select a light pair of dumbbells and lie face-down on an exercise mat. Place your forehead on the mat and extend your legs.
2. While holding the dumbbells, position your shoulders and elbows at 90 degrees — as you would in the starting position of a normal overhead press in the seated position.
3. Lift the dumbbells and arms off the floor a few inches. You’ll feel the upper back muscles engage.
4. Extend your arms to press the dumbbells past your head slowly, without lifting the head off the floor.
5. As you reach full extension, slowly reverse direction — but do not allow the dumbbells to touch the floor.
6. Continue moving the dumbbells forward and back while hovering them off the floor for 10 repetitions.
The Superman Overhead Press combines the benefits of a traditional Superman exercise with a rotator cuff movement. It’s an awesome addition for those looking to get the most out of their workout time because so many muscles are activated at the same time and yet without requiring much work from the cardiovascular system.
In this way, it’s perfect for the low-intensity part of an interval training program. Enjoy! Matt Parrott has a doctorate in education (sport studies) and a master’s in kinesiology and is certified by the American College of Sports Medicine.