Back Exercises

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• QWhat is a good way to stretch my back?

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  A National Academy of Sports Medicine answered

  A good exercise to stretch the back is the Cat and Camel Stretch. To perform this stretch, get on your hands and knees. Knees should be directly under the hips and the hands should be directly under your shoulders. From this position draw your navel inward and slowly round your back much like a scared cat would. Hold the end position for 3-5 seconds. Then slowly transition to an arched back. Without moving your hips or shoulders slowly drop your ribs toward the ground and arch the back. Hold this position for 3-5 seconds. Repeat this movement for 10 repetitions.  Keep the navel drawn for the entire movement.

   

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• QWhy is core work good for the low back?

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  A National Academy of Sports Medicine answered

  Core work is good for the low back because the low back is actually considered part of the core! The lumbo-pelvic-hip complex, or core, consists of the muscles of the lumbar spine (low back), pelvis, and hip. Strengthening the entire core allows the LPHC to work effectively and efficiently.

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• QWhat is a good stretch to try after I've strained my back?

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  A Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered

  To alleviate back pain, try lying on your back flat on the floor with a small rolled towel under the small of your back. This will stretch out your back muscles. It takes fifteen minutes to realign and stretch your back muscles with this position. Use the time to meditate and you'll be doing your body two goods instead of one.

• QWhat is a standing leg stretch that I can do to loosen my back?

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  A Roshana Golstani, NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answered

  Standing forward bend:

  Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart, hands on hips. Bend your knees a little, exhale and bend forward from the hip joints, not from the waist until you feel the stretch in your lower back. If it feels good, let the arms drop toward the floor or your shins. It doesn't matter if your fingers reach the floor or not the goal is to bend the knees until your chest get very close to your upper thighs. Stay here for a few breaths.

  To come up, bring your hands back onto your hips and elongate the torso and look forward. Then unfold the hip come up on an inhalation with a long front torso.

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• QWhat exercises can I do to keep me from slouching?

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  A National Academy of Sports Medicine answered

  

  Exercises to help improve your posture and keep you from slouching include bridges, planks, and cobras. These exercises help strengthen your postural muscles of your core, shoulder blades, and pelvis.
  
  
  
  

  

  Find out more about this DVD:

  How Do I Perform a Ball Cobra?
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• QHow can I strengthen my lower back?

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  A Rachel Gilmore , NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answered

  Lie on your stomach with your arms straight out in front of you. Lift your right leg and your left arm off the floor as high as you can and hold for 5 sec. rest them back on the floor and lift the left leg and right arm off the floor and hold for 5 sec. repeat on each side 15x. Make sure you are breathing during the entire exercise and focus on using the muscles in your lower back to lift your legs and arms off the floor. Once you have completed the exercise roll over to your back and pull your knees into your chest one at a time and then both together to stretch. Hold each stretch 20-30 seconds.

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• QHow can I perform upper back exercises at home?

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  A National Academy of Sports Medicine answered

  The following exercises are upper back exercises that can easily be performed at home with minimal equipment.  These exercises can be performed with or without dumbbells.  The descriptions provided here incorporate the use of dumbbells.  Start by practicing without weight and then incorporate the use of dumbbells that weigh from 2 to 10 pounds.  Select a weight that will allow you to perform from 10 to 15 repetitions per set for a total of 1 to 3 sets. 

  Bentover Dumbbell Row

  Start

  1.  Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and pointed straight ahead. 

  2.  Draw-in your navel and bend at your waist until your chest is positioned at a 45-degree angle to the ground. 

  Movement

  3.  Extend your arms and let them hang in front of your body with a dumbbell in each hand. 

  4.  Row the dumbbells simultaneously, bringing your thumbs up toward your armpits and keeping the elbows close to the body.  Contract your shoulder blades together and be careful not to arch your back. Hold for 1-2 seconds.

  5.  Return the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat. 

   

  Bentover Dumbbell Cobra

  Start

  1.  Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and pointed straight ahead. 

  2.  Draw-in your navel and bend at your waist until your chest is positioned at a 45-degree angle to the ground. 

  Movement

  3.  Extend your arms and let them hang in front of your body with a dumbbell in each hand. 

  4.  Keeping your elbows straight, bring your arms to the sides of your body in a circular pattern by pinching your shoulder blades together and down.  The arms should be kept straight throughout the entire movement.

  5.  Hold for 1 to 2 seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat.

• QWhat would be a safer back exercise if pull-downs hurt my shoulder?

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  A Anka Ivanisevic, NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answered

  If you are having shoulder pain while pulling to the back of your head, this movement is not recommended. It puts your shoulder joint at a disadvantage and can cause tears. If you have pain pulling to your chest you should see a medical professional to determine if you are healthy enough to lift. You may have muscle strength imbalances that need correction. Proper stretching and muscle inhibition can help. Also, there are many back exercises that do not require pulling down.

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• QWhat specific exercise will increase my back strength?

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  A Mel Mueller - Sharecare Fitness Expert , Fitness, answered

  Here are 2 great exercises you can do to strengthen your back.  You can do these at home or in the gym.  If you are at home and you do not have dumbbells, you can easily use 2 soup cans to get you started. Start out doing a set of 10-12 and work your way up to doing 3 sets of 10-12. 

  Standing Dumbbell Cobra: 2-Arm

  Start

  1.  Stand with your feet pointed straight ahead, draw in your navel and tuck your chin. 

  2.  Bend at your waist until your chest is at a 45-degree angle to the ground. 

  3.  Extend both of your arms and let them hang in front of your body with a dumbbell in each hand. 

  Movement

  4.  Keeping your elbows straight, bring your arms to the sides of your body in a circular pattern by pinching your shoulder blades together and down.  Hold and then return to the starting position. 

   

  Bent-over Dumbbell Row: 2-Arm

  Start

  1.  Stand with your feet pointed straight ahead and draw in your navel. 

  2.  Bend at your waist until your chest is at a 45 degree angle to the ground. 

  3.  Extend your arms and let them hang in front of your body with a dumbbell in each hand. 

  Movement

  4.  Row the dumbbells, bringing your thumbs up toward your armpits. 

  5.  Contract your shoulder blades together and be careful not to arch your back.  Return the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat.

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• QWill pull ups help increase the size of my back?

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  A National Academy of Sports Medicine answered

  Yes, pull ups can help increase the size of your back. But so can pulldown and rowing motions. The key is to apply the correct amount of stimulus to the muscle (sets, repetitions, load), proper rest between training sessions and nutrition that will ultimately help you increase size in your back.