Back Workouts: 5 Exercises to Work into Your Lower Back

To help strengthen your back muscles, make lower-back workouts part of your regular fitness routine. Deadlifts, squats, and back extensions are just a few ... Skiptocontent FREESHIPPINGFORORDERSOVER$99|USONLY PRODUCTS STACKS BLOG SERIES COLLECTION BackWorkouts:5ExercisestoWorkintoYourLowerBack byPS tlb-nutrition Tweet Share Share Alltoooften,gym-goersfocusonvanitymusclesatthegym.You’llstriveforbulgingbiceps,six-packabs,andachiseledchestwhileneglectingsomeofthemostfundamentalmusclegroupsofthehumanbody—likeyourback.Tip:Don'tskipyourbackworkouts! Sure,noonestrutsaroundthegymsaying,“Nicelowerback,bro.”Butperforminglowerbackworkoutshasmanybenefitsintermsofhealthandathleticperformance.Wanttostayinjury-freewhiletrainingforthemarathon?Trainyourlowerback.Wanttoimproveyourone-repmaxinsquats?Trainyourlowerback.Wanttobeabletopickstuffoffthefloorwhenyou're90?Trainyourlowerback. Thisarticlewillteachyouaboutthemusclesofthelowerback,thebenefitsofstrongbackmuscles,andthebestbackexercisestoperformatthegym. LowerBackAnatomy:UnderstandingtheLowerBackMuscles Numerousmusclesmakeupyourlowerback.Here,wediscussthetwomainmusclegroups:thetransversospinalismusclesandtheerectorspinae. TheTransversospinalisMuscles AccordingtoStatPearls,threelayersofmusclesmakeupyourtransversospinalismuscles,includingtherotatores,multifidus,andsemispinalis.Thesemusclesgoallthewayupyourspine.Theirpurposeistorotateandextendyourvertebralcolumn. TheErectorSpinae Threetypesofmusclemakeupthisgroup—theiliocostalis,longissimus,andspinalis.Theerectorspinaeworksasanopposingforcetoyourabdominals,preventingthemfromoverworkingandhelpingtostraightenyourspine.Forexample,ifyoubendovertopicksomethingup,theerectorspinaehelpsraiseyoubacktoyourstartingposition.   HealthBenefitsofaStrongBack Thelumbarregionissituatedaroundthelowerhalfofthetorso,makingupyourabdominalmusclesandlowerback.Thisregionsupportsthemajorityofyourbodyweight,whichiswhylow-backpainissocommon—andwhyperforminglower-backworkoutsisimperativetoyourhealthandfitness LowerBackWorkoutsCanPreventInjuries Thetopbenefitoftrainingyourlowerbackisinjuryprevention.Lower-backpainisoneofthemostcommonailmentsimpactingathletesandsedentaryindividualsalike.Lower-backpaincanbecausedbypoorposture,asedentarylifestyle,sittingatadeskforextendedtimes,oroverusingunderdevelopedmuscles(whichiswhyyoushouldneverfocusonjustvanitymusclesatthegym).  LowerBackWorkoutsCanIncreaseAthleticPerformance  Havingastronglowerbackcanalsohelpyouimproveyourperformanceinthegymandinsport. Stronglower-backmusclescanimproveotherupper-andlower-bodylifts,includingdeadlifts,squats,andevenyourbenchpress.Inaddition,strongbackmusclescontributetoastrongcore,whichimprovesyourathleticismandoverallqualityoflife.  AccordingtoHarvardHealthPublishing,strongbackmusclesallowyoutotwist,turn,bend,andstraightenyourtorso.Thisisnecessaryforbotheverydaytasks,likepickingupalaundrybasket,andathleticmovements,likeswingingagolfcluborbaseballbat. 5BackExercisesforYourLower-BackWorkout Below,you’llfindfiveofthebestbackexercisestoincludeinyourworkoutroutine.Theseincludecompoundexercises,isolatedlower-backexercises,andstretches.  1.TheCatStretch  Toperformacatstretch,placeyourhandsandkneesonthefloor,soyou’reinatabletopposition.Pushyourupperbackintotheairsoyouhaveahunch-back.Holdfor20-30seconds,thendropyourstomachandlower-backmusclestowardthefloor,hyperextendingyourspine.Holdfor20-30secondsandrepeat. 2.Deadlift  Adeadliftcanbeperformedwithdumbbells,kettlebells,orabarbell.Thebelowinstructionsguidesyouthroughadumbbelldeadlift. Standwithyourfeetshoulder-widthapartandyourarmsatyoursides,onedumbbellineachhand.Rollyourshouldersbackanddown,braceyourcore,andtuckyourchin.Pushyourbuttdirectlyback,slightlybendingyourknees,whilebringingthedumbbellsclosertotheground.Keepyourbackperfectlystraight(donothunchover).Whenyoureachyourendrangeofmotion,returntoastandingposition.  3.GoodMornings Ifthisisyourfirsttimeperformingagoodmorning,youcandothisexercisewithaPVCpipetopreventinjury. Grabalightbarbellandplaceitonyourtraps(asifyouweregoingtoperformabacksquat).Pushyourbutttowardthewallbehindyou,keepingyourbackstraight.Beingcarefulnottohunchyourback,trytobringyourbackparalleltotheground(nevergobelowparallel).Youshouldfeelasignificantstretchinyourhamstrings.Returntoyourstartingposition.  4.GobletSquat  Agobletsquatcanbeperformedwithakettlebelloradumbbell.Thebelowdescriptionguidesyouthroughadumbbellgobletsquat. Standwithyourfeethip-widthapart.Holdthebellofthedumbbelldirectlyunderneathyourchin,withthesmallplaterestingonbothpalmsforsupport.Keepyourshouldersrolledbackanddown,absbraced,andelbowstuckedinnearyoursides. Pushyourbuttback,andlowerintoasquatposition.Ifyouareextremelytight,youmayneedtotakeawiderstance.Whenyoureachparallel,useyourglutesandquadstoreturntoastandingpositionasyoupressyourkneesout.  5.BackExtension  Toperformthisexercise,youwillneedtouseahyperextension(backextension)machineatyourgym.Ifyoudonothaveaccesstoahyperextensionmachine,performingsupermansworksasanexcellentsubstitute. Enterthehyperextensionmachinefacedown.Thetoppadshouldsitjustbelowyourhipbone,withthelowerpadssittingjustaboveyourAchillestendon,lockingyouin.  YoucancrossyourarmsoveryourchestinanX,orplacethembehindyourhead(whicheverpositionyouchoose,besurenottohunchyourupperback).Rollyourshouldersbackanddown,andbraceyourcore.LoweryourupperbodytowardthegrounduntilyourbodycomesintoaninvertedV.Now,squeezeyourbackmusclestobringyourupperbodybacktoitsstartingposition,soyourentirebodyformsastraightline.Becarefulnottohyperextendyourback. 4CommonTrainingMistakesinBackWorkouts Ifyou’relookingtoincreasestrengthinyourlowerback,educateyourselfonthesecommonlower-backtrainingmistakes: 1.HavingPoorPosture  Whenperformingalower-backexercise,it’seasytohunchyourback.Ifyouhavepoorupper-backposture,yougreatlyincreaseyourriskofinjury. Remembertorollyourshouldersbackanddownduringanybackexercise,andalwayssqueezeyourcore.Inaddition,performingupper-backexercises,suchasfacepulls,scapularretractions,anddumbbellshrugswillstrengthenyourupper-backmuscles,preventingthemfromhunching.  2.LiftingTooHeavyofaWeight  Liftingwithlightweightsandproperformisfarmoreimportantthanliftingheavyweightswithhorribleform. Remember,lower-backinjuriesareoneofthemostcommoninjuriesintheweightroom.Thebestinjury-preventionstepyoucantakeistoperfectyourformbeforeloadingthebarwithweight.  3.SkippingtheWarm-Up Youshouldwarmuppriortoanystrengthtrainingsession.  Startwithadynamicwarm-upofhighknees,glutekicks,andkaraoke.Moveintobackstretchessuchasacat-cow.Lastly,performbodyweightversionsoftheaboveexercises,goodmorningswithaPVCpipe,orbodyweightsquatsanddeadlifts.  4.NotRestingEnoughBetweenSets  Whenperformingheavylifts,suchasdeadliftsandsquats,take2-3minutesbetweensets.Thisallowsyourmusclesenoughtimetorecover.  Inaddition,besuretogiveyourselfenoughrestbetweenyourworkouts.Consumingapost-workoutrecoveryshakewithwheyproteinpowderwillhelpyourmusclesrecoverfromaheavylift. PerformBackWorkoutstoIncreaseAthleticismandQualityofLife  Yourlower-backmusclesareessentialtoyoureverydaylife.Youuseyourbackmusclesfordailytaskslikepickingupalaundrybasket,swingingabaseballbat,andgrabbingagroceryitemoffthehighshelf.Yourlower-backmusclessupportyourbodyweightandbalanceyourcore,literallyholdingyourbodyupright. Tohelpstrengthenyourbackmuscles,makelower-backworkoutspartofyourregularfitnessroutine.Deadlifts,squats,andbackextensionsarejustafewexercisesthatcanhelpstrengthenyourlowerback. Lower-backpainisacommonfitnessinjury,sothereareafewprecautionstotakeduringlower-backworkouts.Alwayswarmup,startwithlighterweights,andpracticeproperform.Lastly,besuretorecoverwith100%Grass-FedWheyProteinafteryourworkouttohelpyourmusclesrepairandregrow. 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