Strengthen Your Lower Back NOW!
Hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer from lower back pain, which is a leading cause of not living your life how you want to. This debilitating pain can cause a wide variety of problems and is often very frustrating to deal with on a daily basis.
If this describes you, or you’re worried about developing back pain, read the rest of this. Our handy guide shows you how to relieve low back and strengthen your lower back. No one wants to live with low back pain in the best of times. And we don’t live in the best of times. You need that lower back to function properly.
1) Get A Better Chair
The first key thing you can do to help your lower back is to get a better chair. Now, I realize this isn’t a lower back stretch, and it isn’t going to do much to strengthen those muscles. BUT it’s critical to start in the right place, and the way you sit has a huge effect on your lower back.
The last few years, due to COVID-19, saw record numbers of people start working from home. An unfortunate side effect of this was that many people found they had terrible equipment at home, and their bodies suffered from sitting too long in uncomfortable chairs that didn’t have adequate support in the right places.
So find a chair that supports your lower back, and you’ll have a great start towards better back health!
Bonus points to configure it in an ergonomic way so that your body is aligned properly, reducing stress on pressure points.
2) Walk Regularly
Second, walking or doing other easy cardiovascular exercise is a great way to help your lower back. This is a great way to exercise and stretch your back while also improving blood flow to your bones and muscles.
This lets your back work and get on the road to healing without significantly straining or hurting it. Start small with short walks if you need to, and realize that the goal is just to get your body up and moving. Regular movement is a necessity to stretch and strengthen everything!
3) Stretch Your Hamstrings and Hip Flexors
When you’re ready to get to more specific lower back exercises to help strengthen your back, hamstrings are a great place to start. Although it might sound strange, your hamstrings can actually have a big effect on your back. Everything in your body is interconnected. Hamstrings and hip flexors play a major role in how tight your lower back is.
You can do simple stretches a few different ways. Some stretches are easier on the body than others, so you will want to check with your doctor or therapist if you have a back injury to worry about.
A simple hamstring stretch you can do starts with laying on your back. Lift one leg and put it against a wall or couch, then gently push your knee until it is as straight as possible while still tolerable. Hold this for ten seconds before relaxing, with the goal of holding for longer over time.
A quick hip flexor stretch is the figure four, which starts on your back just like the above stretch. Instead of placing your leg on the wall, however, bring both knees up with feet flat on the ground. Lift one leg and rest the ankle on your opposite knee. Then, Begin to pull that knee into your chest. You should feel an amazing stretch everywhere from your inner hip to hamstrings and even glutes.
4) Bridges And Pelvic Tilts
Bridges and other pelvic exercises are great to help keep your lower back strong. These can help strengthen your back, leg, and glute muscles, which help ensure that your back stays healthy and strong.
To perform a bridge, lie on your back and bend your knees, placing your feet flat on the floor. Then, raise your butt up in the air, forming a straight line between your shoulders and knees. Hold for a few seconds, then relax back down.
The pelvic tilt starts like the bridge, but instead of raising the buttocks, you simply arch your back, pushing your stomach upwards. Raise and lower several times, stretching the muscles, but don’t strain yourself too far!
5) Leg Lifts To Strengthen Your Lower Back
Finally, lateral leg lifts are also great for strengthening your lower back. This exercise will help strengthen the muscles that let you balance and move.
To do this exercise, lie on your side with both legs on top of each other. Then, raise your top leg about a foot and a half and hold it straight and extended for a couple of seconds. Lower it back down, and repeat.
Alternatively, try out some Supermans. Instead of laying on your side, lay on your stomach with your arm stretched out above your head. Slowly raise your arms and legs off the ground, hold, and release. You Should feel your entire back tighten up.
Learn More Fitness Tips!
These exercises to strengthen your lower back are a great place to start, but you shouldn’t stop there! It’s important to exercise and stretch all your muscles regularly in order to prevent further injury or weakness in your muscles.
If you’d like to learn more about exercises you can do to help your lower back or your body in general, contact us! We’d love to help you figure out the right exercise strategy and focus to fit your needs.
Let Us Help You Out
At CONDITIONerd we are here to help you achieve better physical and mental health through exercise. Check out the plans we offer to our customers and see if you could benefit from working with our team. And if you have questions, you can always contact a CONDITIONerd team member.
Personal trainers, like those found here, can help guide you on your pathway towards reaching your fitness goals, whether that is getting bigger, stronger, faster, more lean, or just generally feeling better.
We can get you setup with a periodized workout plan, supplement information, and advice on nutrition to help you reach your goals.
The only thing you need is some motivation and a willingness to change some old habits.
Get into contact with us to find out what membership is right for you. In a CONDITIONerd program, you’ll be surrounded by others who can help you to get where you want to be.
Generally, our clients start to see some pretty awesome changes in 2-3 months time, some sooner.
Remember, the world is crazy. Fitness is Essential.
