Our lower back can often get put to the bottom of the pile when it comes to training, or worse, forgotten about altogether. It’s only once it's finally throbbing with pain that we decide to give it some well-overdue TLC. To try and reduce this, you need to turn your attention to strengthening your core, and Personal Trainer and Oner Active Athlete, Mia Green has five exercises that can help.
Research in the journal Healthcare has found that our deep core muscles are essential for supporting the lumbar spine and that by strengthening these muscles we can reduce the likelihood of back pain. However, if your lower back is pretty tender, you may be wary about targeting it.
“Keeping active and allowing your body frequent movement daily can be very important in actually making sure the lower back pain doesn't turn chronic or progressively worsen,” says Mia. Basically, sitting around and doing nothing all day can lead to your back becoming stiff as a door and research shows it can weaken the core muscles. Here’s five low-impact exercises Mia recommends to strengthen your lower back…
Bird dog
"This exercise is great for all ages and abilities," says Mia. "It's a go-to back strengthening exercise as it minimizes the movement in your lower back and strengthens the muscles that support the spine. Moving your opposite leg and arms simultaneously also improves balance and stability."
How to:
- Start on an all fours, with your hands underneith your shoulders and knees underneath your hips
- Simultaneously, extend one leg till it’s straight (lifting to no higher than hip height) and extend the opposite arm (lifting no higher than shoulder height)
- Hold for here 3 seconds, then lower back to the starting position and repeat on the other side
Sets/reps: 3 sets for 6 reps on each side
Superman
"This exercise is low-impact, but strengthens the spinal erectors (the deep muscles of the back that run the length of the spine on either side). These support the back and help us bend and twist."
How to:
- Begin in a prone position (lying on your front) with your arms and legs lengthened, make sure your feet are hip-width apart
- At the same time, lift your leg and opposite arm about 3 inches off the floor, also raise the head slightly but do not arch the lower back excessively
- Hold for a second, then lower both back to the floor and repeat on the opposite arm and leg
Sets/reps: 3 sets for 6 reps on each side
Deadbug
"The deadbug is a simple, yet effective exercise targeting your deep core muscles, which help to stabilise and protect your lower back. It can be performed with either just your bodyweight, or you can some weights, like a pair of dumbbells."
How to:
- Lay on your back and bring your legs into tabletop position, with your knees bent and directly over your hips, and raise your arms to the sky so that your fingers are pointing to the ceiling
- At the same time, extend one leg forward until it is fully lengthened and extend the opposite arm backward, so that it is in line with your ear
- Hold here for 3 seconds, before returning back to the starting position and repeat on the other side
Reps/sets: 3 sets of 8 on each side
Plank
"The plank activates the muscles responsible for spine stabilization. It also strengthens your upper body and lower body, particularly the shoulders and glutes, which aid good posture and can therefore alleviate back pain."
How to:
- Lie on your stomach, face down
- Bring yourself up onto your elbows and forearms, making sure to keep your elbows directly underneath your shoulders and your spine neutral
- Hold here for 30 seconds whilst squeezing your abdominal muscles, before lowering yourself back down to the ground to rest
- If this is too easy, you can raise your knees up off the floor and hold the position with straight legs
Reps/sets: 3 sets of 30 seconds
Glute bridge
"A lot of back injuries come from weak glute muscles— which can be caused by sedentary lifestyles— so this exercise will help build up their strength. When our glutes are weak they're unable to support our pelvis and other muscles kick in to overcompensate, such as the lower back."
How to:
- Lay on your back and bring your legs into tabletop position, with your knees bent and directly over your hips, and raise your arms to the sky so that your fingers are pointing to the ceiling
- At the same time, extend one leg forward until it is fully lengthened and extend the opposite arm backward, so that it is in line with your ear
- Hold here for 3 seconds, before returning back to the starting position and repeat on the other side
Reps/sets: 3 sets of 8 reps
Looking for more core exercises to help your lower back? Check out this three-move beginner Pilates workout, from a qualified Pilates teacher, or this 10-minute core routine. Always remember, always consult with your GP if you're struggling with long-term back pain.
