5 Exercises For Lower Back Pain

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Lower back pain is no joke, friends. This often chronic pain affects the majority of people (80% or more) and it can significantly impair your quality of life. To combat the pain, we all need to introduce mobility and back-strengthening exercises into our routines. That’s why we called on our resident Pilates expert, Jenavieve Adams, to show us a few moves. As she puts it, to strengthen and support the lower back, it's crucial to focus on exercises that enhance our flexibility, build strength, and improve stability.

Here are five effective exercises that target the lower back, with instructions and video demos courtesy of Jenavieve!

1. Half Roll-Back

This exercise strengthens the abdominal wall to take pressure off of the lower back.

Instructions:

  • Start with your knees bent and feet flat, with the feet hip width distance. Place the hands behind the backs of the thighs 

  • Drop your chin to your chest and round your spine backwards until your arms are almost straight 

  • Take three breath cycles holding the position. 

  • Bend the elbows to bring your head towards your knees to reset 

  • Repeat for 5 to 8 repetitions 

Modifications: 

  • Flex the feet if you have trouble keeping the feet down 

  • Make your range of motion in the round back smaller, if it feels painful to go the distance back that is suggested 

2. Superman Exercise

This movement strengthens the lower back, glutes, and core, plus it improves spinal extension, and posture.

Instructions:

  • Start lying face down on a mat with arms extended forward.

  • Simultaneously lift your arms, legs, and chest off the ground.

  • Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower back down.

  • Repeat for 10 to 15 reps.

Modifications: 

  • If lifting the arms and legs together is painful, instead take an upper back extension with the feet down 

  • To do so, place hands under shoulders with the elbows pointing up to the ceiling. Separate the feet to hip width and keep the legs long and tops of the feet anchored on the mat. 

  • Press down into the hands to lift the chest and abdominal wall off the floor.

  • Note: your arms should never fully straighten. Rather they should stay bent so that your upper back, abdominal wall, and glutes are working.  

3. Bird Dog

The Bird Dog is great for enhancing core stability and lower back strength, as well as improving balance and coordination.

Instructions:

  • Begin on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.

  • Extend your right arm forward and left leg back simultaneously.

  • Hold for a moment, keeping your back straight and core engaged.

  • Return to the starting position and switch sides.

  • Perform 10 to 15 reps on each side.

4. Pelvic Tilt into Bridge 

The Pelvic Tilt will strengthen your lower back and core muscles and reduce tension in the lower back area. As for the Shoulder Bridge, it strengthens the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, plus it enhances hip flexibility and core stability.

Instructions: 

  • Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, arms at your sides 

  • Flatten your back against the floor by tightening your abdominal muscles and tilting your pelvis upward slightly.

  • Hold for a few seconds, then release.

  • Repeat for 15 to 20 reps.

  • At the end of those 15 to 20 reps of pelvic tilt, lift your hips toward the ceiling until your knees, hips, and shoulders form a straight line.

  • Hold the bridge position for a few seconds before lowering back down.

  • Repeat for 10 to 15 reps.

5. Plank

The plank is one of my favorite exercises! It strengthens the entire core, including the lower back and can improve your overall stability and endurance.

Instructions:

  • Begin in a forearm plank position with elbows beneath shoulders and body in a straight line from head to heels.

  • Engage your core, keeping your back straight and without sagging hips.

  • Hold the position for 20-60 seconds, depending on your fitness level.

Modifications: 

  • Perform Knee Hover instead if the plank is too challenging or painful 

  • Knee Hover - Place hands under shoulders and knees under hips (all fours position). Round the spine up towards the ceiling and lift the knees 2-3 inches off the mat. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 2-3 more times. 

These exercises, when done consistently and with proper form, can help alleviate lower back pain, build muscle strength, and improve flexibility, contributing to better overall back health. 

Give these moves a try and then join us on Patreon to get Jenavieve’s FULL library of Pilates classes and workouts!

xo

Renata