Strengthening Lower Back?

Larianne

Is there any specific exercises that would help strengthening the lower back?

Weights or something like Yoga or Pilates?

Thank you for your help. (sorry if something like this has been posted before, I couldn't find any related threads)

telemachus

I'm sure someone will come along with a few more specific exercises but one of the central weightlifting ones for the lower back would be deadlifts . Start with just the bar at first for a few weeks to try and get the form right and slowly move up from there, you might need to prop the bar up on something though to replicate the starting hight you'd get with plates on.

EileenG

Also, hyperextensions. Home (or starting) versions are bird-dog and supermans.

Reyman

If you're getting lower back trouble, it's likely you'd also benefit from strengthening your abdominals. Do crunches, planks or similar to tighten up this area and protect your back

Colm_OReilly

Squats and deadlifts should be your first port of call, and unless you've a massive, massive imbalance, these should be all you need.

brettmirl

I suffer from a lot of lower back problems and my physio has reccomended doing pilates.

As Reyman has also pointed out, working on your stomach muscles will also help to keep is supported from both sides.

neil_hosey

i have lower back problems since i was 16 from a hurling injury.. My doc at the time warned me to steer clear of squats and dead lifts. Obviously everyones case is different, but i think your first port of call should be to see your GP/Physio and get them to make up a gym schedule for strengthening your back.

Depending on what your aims are; weight lifting/football/hurling/generally improve the back discomfort (i know how bad it can get! ) , you should seek advice first .


I was given stretching exercises by my doc which i still do when going to the gym. I will try find a link for them on the net and post here.

old boy

reverse deadlifts, lift from behind your back, however it is most important that you spend a lot of time developing the core of you body

who007

think the cobra position in yoga?

cuculainn

Larianne wrote: »

Is there any specific exercises that would help strengthening the lower back?

Weights or something like Yoga or Pilates?

Thank you for your help. (sorry if something like this has been posted before, I couldn't find any related threads)

Doing back extensions on the stability ball is a good excerise to start with as it is just your body weight resistence..... do these in conjunction with ab excerises.

Its very important if you have back trouble not to agrigate it more with the excerises.....

If you are looking for a weights excerise try the "straight leg bend knee"(may have name wrong) excerise done with the bar....its excellent

Roper

Have to disagree with some of the comments above.

If you have a sore or weak back, it is NOT a good idea to focus on your abdominals, especially with exercises like crunches which are about one of the worst exercises you could possibly do for a bad back.

If the problem is back pain, see a professional. If the problem is back weakness, see a good trainer. Sorry to put it that way but in truth when dealing with the lumbar region, you really can't take internet advice you need to have someone looking and checking your form.

chrism2007

deadlifting hits the lower back the most for me. id definitely recommend them

thats if its not a serious problem you have. probably better to see a doctor in that case

g'em

Roper wrote: »

If you have a sore or weak back, it is NOT a good idea to focus on your abdominals, especially with exercises like crunches which are about one of the worst exercises you could possibly do for a bad back.

+1

Roper wrote:

If the problem is back pain, see a professional. If the problem is back weakness, see a good trainer. Sorry to put it that way but in truth when dealing with the lumbar region, you really can't take internet advice you need to have someone looking and checking your form.

+2

OP is there a particular reason you want to strengthen your back? Are there any weaknesses in it that you know of?

brettmirl

Roper and G'em agree with you...but a physio can you give you exercises to help all the core muscles, including the stomach muscles. I'm not talking about 6-pack stuff, sit ups, etc here.

I'm suffering from the effects of a prolapsed disc at the moment. LOTS of muscle spasm too. My physio gives me exercises to do for my stomach muscles (can't remember what exact muscles they are doing - some latin name!) but they are very easy ones to do that don't put any pressure or stress on the spine or back muscles...but it all helps in keeping my spine supported.

Again, as most other people on the thread have said, go see a professional if you need advice.

You can find a physio in your area here - http://www.iscp.ie/ or else get a referral from your GP.

g'em

mick_irl wrote: »

Roper and G'em agree with you...but a physio can you give you exercises to help all the core muscles, including the stomach muscles. I'm not talking about 6-pack stuff, sit ups, etc here.

Oh absolutely - core work is most often vital for strengthening the lower back; supermans, planks, side leg-raises etc. Crunches will just put unnecessary strain on the back though and if someone is looking for back exercises for injury rehab then they're definitely better off going to see a physio.

Reyman

g'em wrote: »

+1


OP is there a particular reason you want to strengthen your back? Are there any weaknesses in it that you know of?

Just to clarify this. I think the OP may be working somewhere like the Health Service and is having back trouble shifting patients around (later edited). OP please correct me if I'm wrong.

As you know people have got a lot heavier in the last 10 years - not to worry it's all lean muscle!

Larianne

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes, I work as a healthcare assistant so I do a lot of bending (bending down to put on shoes or when washing patients etc.) - can't lift, not allowed and I do follow proper manual handling techniques.

I'm looking for exercises to make my lower back muscles stronger so I don't end up with a lot of back pain which I know can happen with this type of work.

I'm familiar with dead lifts, planks and squats so I will focus on them more now. I don't know a lot of the other techniques mentioned but I'll look up them up and also speak to one of the trainers at the gym.

How does one do reverse deadlifts? EDIT: ooh I see now. ..