Back pain is unfortunately a common issue that people deal with, so here are some lower back exercises to keep in mind when your back is aching!
Tension, pain and aches in your lower back can put a serious damper on your workout routine—and even your daily activities.
If you’re dealing with chronic lower back pain, it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. This health issue impacts hundreds of millions of people around the world, but the good news is that there are many back exercises to help you find relief.
Below we’ll be detailing the common causes of back pain, and some great lower back exercises that our workout specialists can help you out with at the gym!
Common Causes of Lower Back Pain
There’s absolutely no denying just how tough lower back pain can be for countless people, and this is because it often leads to constant pressure and increased injury risks.
Here are some of the most common causes associated with lower back pain:
- Ruptured or Bulging Discs: Our vertebras have spinal discs in between them, which can sometimes bulge and subsequently cause a lot of nerve pain. Bulging or ruptured spinal discs are incredibly serious health issues, which is one of many reasons why it’s so important to maintain lower back strength for your long-term durability.
- Lumbar strains: Lumbar strains occur when someone overworks or misuses their lower back muscles, typically through repetitive movements. These movements include things like awkward body positioning and heavy lifting.
- Bad posture: Standing or sitting for too long with bad posture can eventually contribute to all sorts of lower back pain. The most common type of posture-related back pain that we recognize is related to hunching over a desk for several hours each day.
- Arthritis: A common type of arthritis known as osteoarthritis often leads to lower back pain. Other medical conditions like ankylosing spondylitis can also lead to spinal inflammation and a ton of discomfort in the lower back area.
How Can I Strengthen My Lower Back Muscles?
There are many different exercises and workout routines that can help you strengthen your lower back muscles.
You can always try things like physical therapy, yoga classes, and all sorts of lower back stretches to help relieve your ongoing pain and reinvigorate the muscle fascia around your spine.
What’s important is that you’ll need to find the fitness strategy that works best for your unique needs, and this can be easier said than done when you’re on your own. The good news is that our personal trainers have helped tons of people with lower back pain issues, so they’ll help you better understand what type of back pain you’re going through—and how to properly address it!
Acute Pain vs. Chronic Pain: When To See Your Doctor
It’s also critical for fitness enthusiasts to speak with their doctor when they’re experiencing severe back pain, and this can include chronic or dull back pain.
There are many medical conditions associated with severe, acute pain like spinal stenosis that might require X-rays and other diagnostic tests to verify.
It’s also important to discontinue workouts or other physical activities when you experience severe lower back pain, because this is a red flag warning sign that you should make an appointment with your doctor.
Common Benefits of Strengthening Your Lower Back Muscles
Strong core and back muscles are sort of like the building blocks for your body’s overall mobility and strength, and this is mainly because they support the very essence of your being—your spine.
Some of the common benefits associated with strengthening your lower back muscles include:
- Improving your posture
- Reducing injury and strain risks
- Boosting your stability and balance
Try These Lower Back Exercises When You’re At The Rising Legends Gym!
We’re providing a really great circuit training routine that only takes a handful of minutes to complete, and will go a long way to strengthen your lower back muscles.
Be sure to ask our fitness coaches about the below exercises when you come see us at the gym:
1. Lumbar Rotations
Lumbar rotations focus on your external and internal obliques, lumbar muscles, rotator cuffs and spinal erectors.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Start out by lying on your back and bending your knees. Raise your arms and feet out to the sides around shoulder height.
- Roll your legs to one side, and lower your knees toward the floor. Repeat onto the other side, while keeping your upper body stable and your knees bent.
- Do at least three sets of 10-20 reps.
2. Quad Superman
The quad superman stretch focuses on your abs, lats, glutes and spinal erectors.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Start out on all fours in a tabletop position, and focus on drawing your navel toward your spine by flexing your core.
- Raise and extend one arm out in front of you, and extend the opposite leg straight behind you. Make sure that your extended arm and leg are at shoulder height.
- Lower your extended arm and leg, and then repeat with the opposite stretch.
- Do at least 3-4 sets of 10 reps.
3. Plank With Leg Lifts
This dynamic plank stretch focuses on your abs, spinal erectors, glutes and obliques.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Start out in a lower plank position, and then raise your body off the floor by resting on your forearms and toes.
- Then raise one of your legs off the floor, while making sure that your body stays in a straight line with your back flat and neutrally positioned.
- Lower the raised leg back down to the floor, and then raise the opposite leg.
- Do at least 2-3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
4. Alternating Superman Flutter
This exercise focuses on your glutes, spinal erectors, lats and hamstrings.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Lay face down on the floor, and outstretch your arms and legs off the floor.
- Raise one of your arms up about 6-18 inches off the floor, and counteract this by lifting your opposite leg straight up as far as you can.
- Lower both outstretched limbs, and then repeat the same stretch with the opposite arm and leg—all while making sure that your legs and arms remain straight and your head stays steadily focused on the ground.
- Do at least 3-4 sets of 10 reps on each side.
5. Side Plank Holds
This dynamic plank stretch focuses on your external and internal obliques, glutes, delts and serratus anterior.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Lay on one of your sides by propping yourself up on one of your elbows and keeping your legs straight.
- Raise your body off the floor, while still resting your weight on one foot and your forearm.
- Keep your body as straight as possible for 30-60 seconds, or as long as you can.
- Do at least 2-3 reps per side.
6. Glute Bridge
Glute bridge stretches focus on your abs, hamstrings and glutes.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Start out by lying on your back with your feet flat and your knees bent, and then place your hands down by your sides.
- Raise your hips off the floor and squeeze your glutes as tight as you can, while trying to create a straight line between your shoulders and your hips.
- Lower your back down to the floor, and repeat this stretch for at least 10-20 reps.
Reach Out To The Rising Legends Staff When You Need Help With Lower Back Exercises!
No matter where you’re currently at in your personal fitness journey, it’s important to pay very close attention to your spine and lower back muscles.
We understand just how tough it can be to go through chronic back pain, and our team is here to help you better understand what’s causing your back pain—and ultimately alleviate it through dynamic workout routines.
We look forward to seeing you at the gym!