In case you are suffering from a Low Back Pain problem (Low Back Pain), lower back bodyweight exercises can help. Not familiar with the subject? This article is best to increase your knowledge.
Strengthening your back muscles helps in improving core stability and avoiding unwanted stress on the ligaments and tissues. Various practices may be the root causes for your lower back pain or an unhealthy back.
Sometimes it can be overuse or underuse of the back. Since a large number of Americans are engaged in 9 to 6 sedentary jobs, the population facing these problems range in millions. The people belonging to this group are mainly adults.
Sitting for several hours leads to muscle imbalance and also weakens core musculature. As a result, the lower back becomes vulnerable to injuries and illness. But here is some good news. You can fix this muscle imbalance and have a stronger and healthier back following certain lower back bodyweight exercises.
We have added the exercises and have also added the ways to perform them. But before that, let us highlight the importance of having a healthier lower back and how that helps us in our daily life:
- You must have heard about body postures and its importance. Our lower back plays a key role to maintain the right posture during most of our daily activities.
- Healthy lower back helps against injury prevention during sports or any other activities.
- With a healthy lower back, you feel more flexible and bodily stable.
You can improve your lower back health with some easy exercises we have enlisted here. These are the best and most helpful lower back bodyweight exercises. Please read and understand each step properly and kick start this healthy journey today:
Plank Hold
Holding a plank position is tough, but nothing can give you better core stability than a plank. To do this exercise:
- Lay on the yoga mat upside down, place your elbows straight on the mat and uplift your body with the support for the feet.
- Try to push the floor away through your toes and forearms and bring the body in a straight line. The entire body will take the support of your feet and hands. When you keep the body straight, you will feel the pressure on your abs and back. It will engage your quads, core, and glutes. Perform at least three sets of 30 seconds hold and increase the hold time by 10 seconds every week.
Instruction: Do not uplift your hip along with the upper body. This is a common mistake many do. That way, you will not get any benefit of a plank.
Side Plank
- The next exercise is also challenging but not impossible. It is a proven fact that side planks help in reducing LBP risk factors. This exercise also activates internal and external obliques. To perform this:
- Lay on one side, place your elbows on the mat, and keep the feet stacked together.
- You can keep the other hand in line with your hips or lifted towards the ceiling.
- Complete at least three sets for each side and hold it for 30 to 60 seconds. Or if you fail to hold it for 30 seconds, start with 20-second sets and increase the hold timing weekly.
Instruction: There must be a gap between your body and the floor. If you find it difficult, you can replace the flat surface with an elevated area to reduce the challenge.
Back Extension or Hyperextensions
Hyperextensions may look easy, but you realize it’s pressure points and challenge parts once you do. To perform this exercise:
- Lay your face facing the mat or a bench. Put your hands in, a line straight on the mat and maintain a similar gap between your feet.
- Do not move your feet and if you can tell your partner to hold them or anchor the legs on the end of the bench. Engage the core and uplift only the upper body as much as you can. Do not just collapse while lowering the body down. Control and come down slowly. Repeat the practice for 10 to 15 times for the first round, and complete two more rounds.
Instruction: Do not extend your upper body too high as past 180 degrees when it is higher than your legs’ level.
Glute Bridge
Gluteal muscles play a great role in lower back health. Gluteal muscles support various daily activities like walking, squatting, running, etc. thus, it is crucial to keep this part strong. To perform this exercise:
- Lay down facing the ceiling, keep the hands straight on the floor, and bend your knees, and feet flat on the mat.
- Press your hands and feet together against the floor to uplift the hip and come down slowly. Squeeze the glutes while going up. Repeat it for 10 to 15 times in each set and complete three sets before moving to the next exercise.
Instruction: try to hold the bridge position for one to two seconds before coming down if possible.
Bird Dog or Quadruped
- This exercise may seem boring as it doesn’t doesn’t create tension on the muscles immediately. But you will be drenched in sweat towards the end. It is a low-intensity exercise but very effective for the lower back muscles. To perform this:
- Come to a quadruped position on your mat, slide your right hand forward and left leg backwards, keeping your body stable.
- Lift the hands and legs on the same level to bring it in a straight line.
- Pull down the leg and hands and lift the other hand and legs similarly. Repeat for 15 times for each hand and leg in one set and complete a total of three sets.
Instruction: It is an opposite leg, and hand exercise, so do not lift the same side legs and hands together.