Exercises for the Lower Back
Have you ever gone to the gym an seen someone bent over an exercise ball or padded seat, hands clasped behind their heads, swinging up and down as if their upper body is some kind of yo-yo? I have, and I would be lying if I said that I understood this particular “low back” exercise.
The lower back is made up of a number of relatively small muscles whose job is to provide postural support to the abdomen. The nature of these muscles is to provide consistent support for long periods of time: they are endurance muscles. I’m a big advocate for functional training, which means that I like for the exercises I perform during resistance training to reflect movements I might actually make in my every day life. In my mind, exercises for the lower back, specifically, would include holding postural-specific positions; forcing these small muscles to engage. I can’t remember the last time I flexed and extended repeatedly from the back of the pelvis. Perhaps if I were a gymnast…
I stand, sit, and lie down on a daily basis. With each of these positions, and in transitioning from one to another, my lower back muscles are working: tirelessly supporting my upper body for hours at a stretch. They work with the other core muscles (in large part, the abs) to keep me upright; and if the rest of the group isn’t as strong as it needs to be, then the lower back picks up the slack. This extra strain, caused by weak core muscles, is the cause of most chronic low back pain.
If we want to discuss exercises for the lower back, it is important to consider workout that targets all of the core muscles. Weakness in the abdominals results from a lack of use, and translates in many people to lower back pain. Therefore any exercise designed to strengthen the core muscles- crunches, balance exercises, or simply maintaining good posture while performing other movements—qualifies as a low back pain-reducing exercise.
Sometimes taking your cues from someone else’s workout can be a great way to add variety to your own. But it’s always a good idea to understand an exercise before adding it to your routine. If it’s exercises for the lower back you’re looking for, look no further than any basic core strengthening routine. After all, training functionally lets us live functionally. And isn’t that what we’re all really after?