Lower back strengthening exercises

Lower back strengthening exercises are a great way to make your lower back powerful to do all your day-to-day activities with ease and reduce the risk of lower Back pain and risk of injury.

Introduction:

• The lumber region is considered a low-back area.
• The lower back area supports much of the weight of the upper body.
• Like any other muscle, unless we actively work the muscles of the low back, they are going to weaken over time.
• Weak muscles, especially those in your lower back, can sometimes lead to back pain or injury.
• Weak lower back muscles may lead to low back pain which may interrupt your daily living activities.
• Strengthening exercises of the low back may help to prevent this kind of problem (e.g.low back pain) or help to recover from any low back conditions.
• The goal of lower back strengthening exercise is to condition the muscles to better support the spine and withstand stress, which can lead to back pain relief.
• A strong low back helps prevent injuries and pain at low back region during motions such as bending forward and picking up items.

Health benefits of lower back strengthening exercises:

The followings are the health benefits of lower back strengthening exercises:

• Reduces tension on the spinal discs and joints
• Better spinal alignment and improved overall posture.
• Ease motions that may cause pain, such as bending, twisting, or lifting.
• Increases spine stability, decreases your chances of getting injured and improves function.
• Increases strength of weak back muscles.
• Prevent low back pain.
• A better fitness level helps to improve your performance in sports or other related activity

Different types of lower back strengthening exercises:

• Bridges
• Drawing-in maneuver
• Lying lateral leg raises
• Supermans
• Swimmers
• Partial curls
• Bird dog
• Forearm plank
• Cat cow
• Dumbbell-free renegade rows
• Pilates half rolldown
• Side forearm plank
• Deadbug
• Good morning
• Barbell Deadlift
• Wall sits

Bridges:

• Lie on the ground with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• With your hands placed by your sides, press your feet into the ground as you slowly lift your buttocks off the ground until your body is in one straight line. Keep your shoulders on the floor. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds.
• Lower down.
• Repeat 15 times.
• Perform 3 sets. Rest for 30-60 seconds between each set.

Drawing-in maneuver:

• Lie on the ground with your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Relax your hands by your sides.
• Take a deep inhale. Breathe out and pull your navel in toward your spine, engaging your abdominal muscles without tilting your hips.
• Hold for 5 seconds.
• Repeat 5 times.

Lying lateral leg raises:

• Lie on one side, keeping your lower leg slightly flexed on the floor.
• Engage your core muscles by drawing your navel in toward your spine.
• Lift your top leg without moving the rest of your body.
• Hold for 2 seconds at the top. Repeat 10 times.
• Repeat on another side. Perform 3 sets on each side.

Supermans:

• Lie on your stomach with your arms extended out in front of you and your legs straight(face facing the floor).
• Raise your hands and feet off the ground approximately 6 inches, or until you feel a contraction in your lower back.
• Engage your core muscles by slightly lifting your navel off the floor. Reach away with your hands and feet. Ensure to look at the floor during this exercise to avoid neck strain.
• Hold for 2 seconds.
• Return to starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Swimmers:

• Swimmer’s exercises are alike to the superman exercise, you’ll begin by lying down on your stomach. This time, instead of reaching up both arms and legs simultaneously, you’ll raise the right arm and the left leg off the floor, and then alternate.
• Make sure to pull the abdominal muscles in the entire time.
• Perform 10 repetitions on each side.

Partial curls:

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor, keeping your knees flexed.
• Cross your hands over your chest.
• Take a deep breath. While you exhale, engage your abdominals by pulling your belly button in toward your spine.
• Slowly lift your shoulders off from the floor a few inches.
• Try to keep your neck in line with your spine instead of curving, to avoid pulling up with your neck.
• Return to starting position.
• Repeat 10 times. Perform 3 sets.

Bird dog:

• Begin in a tabletop position with hands flat on the floor below your shoulders and knees directly below your hip
• Engage your core and try to keep your hips stable while you extend your opposite arm and opposite leg out.
• Hold for a few seconds, maintaining your balance.
• Return back to the starting position.
• Repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
• Continue alternating for 8-10 repetitions on each side.

Forearm plank:

• Start on your hands and knees on the floor. (face facing the floor)
• Line your shoulders up over your wrists.
• Come down onto your forearms and draw your knees back a few inches.
• Pull your belly button in toward your back, tuck your toes under and lift your legs up off of the floor.
• Squeeze your quads and outstretch your heels toward the back.
• If you have a mirror, check yourself out to make sure that you’re in one straight line! Engage your core, maintaining a straight spine.
• Hold the position for 30 seconds. Rest, then repeat.

Cat cow:

• Begin on your hands and knees with your hands flat on the floor below your shoulders and knees directly below your hip(tabletop position).
• Move into a cow by breathing in, dropping your stomach toward the ground, and looking up toward the ceiling, arching your back.
• Exhale as your move into cat pose, pulling your navel toward your spine and rounding your back up toward the ceiling.
• Let your head drop toward the floor.
• Repeat 8-10 times.

Dumbbell-free renegade rows:

• Start in a high-plank position.
• Engage your core before lifting one of your hands off of the floor, pulling your hand up to your shoulder, and hugging your elbow toward your side to engage your upper back.
• Back to the beginning position, then repeat the movement with the other arm.
• Complete 8-10 repetitions on each arm.

Pilates half rolldown:

• Seated on the ground, bend your knees. (For making the exercise more challenging, extend your legs.)
• Then, reach your arms in front of you with relaxed shoulders.
• Pull the belly button in toward the back and slowly roll down onto your low back.
• Hold for a few seconds and then slowly roll back up to the beginning position.
• Repeat 8-10 times.

Side forearm plank:

• Start with a forearm plank position, then rotate your body to the left, balancing your weight on your right forearm and the edge of the right foot.
• Reach your left arm and extend into the air, keeping the elbow flexed.
• Stack your left foot on top of the right and pull your right side up away from the floor to work the entire right side of your body.
• back to the forearm plank position and repeat the same on the opposite side.
• Continue alternating sides, performing 8-10 repetitions on each side.

Deadbug:

• Lie on your back with your knees flexed and feet raised with your arms straight up over your chest.
• Lower one leg straight down toward the floor, keeping the other leg steady.
• Raise your leg back to the upright position and repeat with the opposite leg.
• Alternate sides with each rep.

Good morning:

• The individual’s feet should be should-width apart. If you utilizing a weight, mount the barbell on the shoulder.
• Hinge the hip, bend the knees, and lower abdomen towards the ground, until it is parallel.
• The spine must remain straight during the movement.
• Once parallel, push through the feet and then back to the starting position
• Complete at least three to five sets with 8 to 12 repetitions

Barbell Deadlift:

• Begin with a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend the hip to hold the bar. It should be a mixed grip meaning one hand holds from the highest and the other from below.
• Push hips backwards, and it should look like a half-squat position with a back straight.
• Tighten the back, engage in the core muscles, and take a deep breath.
• Lift up the barbell. Assure it is close to the shin and knees. Stand straight.
• Hold the position for 2-5 seconds and gradually lower the barbell on the ground without arching the back

Wall sits:

• Lean against the wall. The back should be straight against the wall.
• Slowly slide down till your knees are slightly bent. It should create tension in the lower back.
• Hold the position for close to 10-15 seconds
• Slowly, slide back up.

Precautions:

• Don’t hold your breath during any exercise
• If the person has a history of any back problems, consult a doctor or a physical therapist before proceeding.

When you should avoid these exercises:

• If you feel any pain during performing any of the exercises
• Any recent surgery
• Any recent injury

FAQ: