Loaded Superman, because bodyweight stopped being a challenge.
Keep your neck neutral and lead the lift with your upper back, not your chin.
Holding a dumbbell at arm's length overhead puts the load at the very end of a long lever, so even a light weight multiplies the demand on the spinal erectors as they lift and hold your torso, arms, and legs off the floor. There is nowhere to cheat from face down on the floor, the lower back does the lifting or nothing moves. It is the logical next step once bodyweight supermans stop feeling like work.
Start with the lightest dumbbell you can find, seriously. The overhead position multiplies its effect, and if the weight makes you shorten the lift or hold your breath, it is too heavy.
Both work. A brief hold at the top makes the erectors work isometrically and keeps reps honest, while smooth lifting and lowering builds the movement through its range.
Master the bodyweight version first, then add the dumbbell. If any rep produces pain rather than muscular effort, drop the weight and rebuild without it.
