Superman
The superman is a prone extension exercise in which you lie face down and lift both arms and both legs off the floor at the same time. It trains the spinal erectors, glutes, and rear shoulders, and it is the only core exercise in the NSW progression that is programmed in low reps rather than long holds or high counts.
How to Perform It
Lie face down with your legs straight, feet together, and arms straight and extended overhead. Keeping the arms and legs straight, lift both hands and both feet several inches off the floor and hold for three to four seconds. Relax for one to two seconds and repeat. Keep your neck in line with your spine by looking at the floor rather than lifting your chin. The guide describes a variation for a more controlled version: lift one hand and the opposite foot several inches off the floor, hold for three to four seconds, return to the start, then lift the other hand and foot, alternating opposite pairs.
Why It Matters for BUD/S
Almost everything else in the program flexes the trunk or holds it still. Sit-ups, planks, and push-ups all load the front of the body. The superman is the direct counterbalance, strengthening the muscles along the back of the spine and the glutes that hold the body in extension. That extension strength keeps the lower back from rounding while carrying a boat or a log, keeps the hips high in the water, and offsets the forward pull of high-volume sit-up training. The guide lists spinal-region strength as one of the two areas core training must develop, and the superman is its main tool for that region.
Where It Sits in the 26-Week Plan
Supermans appear on the four core days each week. The prescription does not climb in a straight line. Weeks 1 through 6 call for 2 sets of 10 reps, weeks 7 through 11 for 3 sets of 8, weeks 12 through 16 for 2 sets of 12, weeks 17 through 21 for 3 sets of 10, and weeks 22 through 26 for 3 sets of 12 reps. The total per session moves from 20 reps to 36 reps across the program, with the set count and rep count trading places between blocks. Each rep includes a three to four second hold, so a set of 12 is a sustained effort even though the number looks small.
Prescription by program week
| Weeks | Sets x reps |
|---|---|
| 1-6 | 2 x 10 reps |
| 7-11 | 3 x 8 reps |
| 12-16 | 2 x 12 reps |
| 17-21 | 3 x 10 reps |
| 22-26 | 3 x 12 reps |
Lift from the glutes and upper back, not by cranking the neck. A few inches of clean lift with a full hold beats a high lift with a dropped hold.
Related Terms
Core exercises in the NSW preparation program target the trunk stabilizers — abdominals, obliques, lower back, and hip muscles — through a progressive rotation of planks, bridges, bird dogs, supermans, and side planks. These exercises build the trunk stability that supports every movement in BUD/S, from running to swimming to log PT.
The back hyperextension is performed on a 45 degree or horizontal bench, hinging at the hips to lower the torso and then raising it back to a straight line with the legs. It builds the spinal erectors, glutes, and hamstrings and is listed in the NSW guide's lower body exercises.
The bird dog is a quadruped core exercise in which you extend one arm and the opposite leg while keeping the torso still. The NSW guide names it, with the bridge and plank, as one of the core exercises to add to regular push-ups and sit-ups, and it programs the movement as alternating reps.
Sit-ups are a core calisthenics exercise and one of the five scored events in the Physical Screening Test (PST). In the NSW preparation program, sit-up training follows the same progressive volume model as push-ups — daily targets scale based on the candidate's most recent PST max to maintain consistent overload.
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