Many people hold stress in their lower backs. In this video, personal fitness trainer Joel Harper demonstrates some stretches and exercises that will help release that pent-up lower-back tension.
Back Exercises
Vertical pulls, horizontal pulls and back rows are all examples of exercises that target the back. Improve your posture and strengthen your back muscles with a wide variety of exercises and equipment.
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answered
Lie face down on a stability ball, with the ball placed under your stomach. Straighten our legs, keep your feet hip-width apart and toes pointed down at the floor. Place your arms across your chest and bend forward at the waist. Draw-in your navel, contract your glutes and tuck-in our chin. Keep your legs straight and rotate to one side as you raise your upper body until it is in line with your legs. Rotate back to the center and then return to the starting position. Repeat, rotating in the opposite direction.
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Joel Harper - Elite Trainer , Fitness, answeredSee All 2 Answers
The criss cross stretch is an easy stretch for your back, abs and hips. It feels great. I do this a lot while I am sitting on the ground.
Sit with your legs crossed in front of you. Keeping your torso upright and the top of your head in line with your tailbone take your right hand to your left knee and place your left hand on the ground behind you and slowly twist. Remember that you want to stretch only to where it feels good. Take two deep breaths and switch sides four times. For a more advanced stretch, sit in lotus position (which is legs crossed with ankles on top of your crossed legs). -
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Dr. Gerald M. Silverman , Chiropractic Medicine, answeredSee All 3 AnswersRegardless of what you may have heard, it doesn't really matter what exercise you do, as long as you get some movement and stimulation into your spine. If you have been sedentary for a while, a modest walking program -- perhaps a ten- to fifteen-minute daily stroll -- is a great place to start. Each week, try to extend your time by a few minutes, until you can comfortably walk thirty minutes without stopping. The goal is to effectively exercise your spine without stressing yourself physically or mentally. I recommend you go about it in a relaxed manner. If you eventually feel like picking up the pace, it should help your cardiovascular system, but the faster rate will make no difference to your spine.
The major reason people stop exercising is boredom, so it is a good idea to select two or three different routes for your walk. Anything you can do to help change the program will help keep your interest. If you are like most people, once you start enjoying the benefits of exercising, you'll actually look forward to doing it. Other great exercises for your spine include swimming, dancing, moderate jogging, tai chi, yoga, or Pilates. All of these routines are excellent daily activities to help avoid chronic pain and maintain good spinal health. Although they do not take the place of the directed stretching or range of motion exercises, they are beneficial supplements. -
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Joel Harper - Elite Trainer , Fitness, answeredSee All 2 Answers
With the knee drop stretch you don't even have to leave the warmth of your bed to stretch your lower back and hips. It is good to get in the habit of taking two minutes and doing this every morning because sometimes your hips and back are tighter than you realize.
Lie on your back with your feet flat on the ground or bed and your knees up. Interweave your hands and put them behind your head and use them as a pillow. Drop your knees down to the left and relax them there. Only go as far as it feels comfortable. Imagine your muscles being massaged from the inside out. Hold for five deep breaths as you feel your body melt into the floor or bed. Bring your knees up and drop to the right side. Really breathe into the area you feel tension and let it evaporate. You have no reason to carry any tension in your body. -
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Joel Harper - Elite Trainer , Fitness, answeredSee All 4 AnswersThe Ladybug Reach lengthens chest, neck, and arm muscles.
While standing place your fingers on your shoulders and bring your elbows to your sides shoulder height. As you inhale, reach back with one arm, making an arc with your hand. Follow the moving hand with your gaze. Focus on opening your chest. Exhale and bring your fingers back to the top of your shoulder. Alternate sides, 5x each arm. -
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National Academy of Sports Medicine answeredSee All 4 AnswersTo properly perform a dumbbell row, stand with your feet pointed straight ahead and shoulder-width apart. Bend at your waist until your chest is at a 45 degree angle to the ground. With a dumbbell in each hand, extend your arms and let them hang in front of your body. Bend the elbows and pull the dumbbells up by trying to bring your thumbs toward your armpits, while at the same time squeezing your shoulder blades together being careful not to arch your back in the process. Slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat.
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See All 2 AnswersYour lower trapezius muscle is a muscle that helps to control your shoulder blade. More specifically it helps to pull your shoulder blade down and in towards your spine. It also works when you raise your arm above your head to control the speed of movement of the shoulder blade (scapula) to maintain shoulder stability.
Here are 2 exercises that you can use to strengthen your lower trapezius:
1. Stability ball scaption (lay on your stomach on a stability ball, take light dumbbells and with your thumbs up, lift your arms at a 45 degree angle "v" position. Lower slowly and repeat)
2. Stability ball cobra (laying on your stomach on a stability ball start with light dumbbells in front of you and then bring your arms up and back towards your sides and spine until the dumbbells are even with your hips....slowly lower and repeat)
Exercise tips:
1. Perform 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions
2. Go slow and focus on squeezing your shoulder blades down and back -
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Joel Harper - Elite Trainer , Fitness, answeredSee All 3 AnswersThis will strengthen your legs, hips, and buttocks. Hold onto a chair for balance. Lift your right leg forward, toe pointed, until it's high enough to give you a little challenge. Pause. Then bring your right leg back to the starting position with flexed foot and then lift it to an angle (2 o'clock) with pointed toe. Pause. Repeat 10x and then switch legs. Try to keep leg straight and only lift as high as you can without tucking your pelvis under or feeling discomfort in or near your hips. Keep the natural arch in your lower back at all times.
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Keith Chittenden , NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answeredSee All 5 AnswersThere are several good exercises to strengthen the lower back. One is called a Ball Cobra. You can use a physio-ball (inflated ball sold at most department stores). Lay on the ball so you are facing the floor and the ball is against your lower stomach/upper thighs. Keep your arms parallel to your trunk with your palms facing the ceiling. Slowly raise your upper body off of the ball about 5-6 inches keeping your head in a neutral position. Hold for about 1-2 seconds and slowly return to the ball. If you don't have a ball you can lie on the ground keeping the head in a neutral position and feet against the wall. Do 2 sets of 15 reps for the best results.