Get ready to take the pressure off your lower back and let your A stronger lower back? There’s nothing more frustrating than low back pain, and we’re here to help you protect yourself from those terrifying discomforts.
“Today, we will show you some exercises to exercise the muscles around your waist, hope you don’t get lower back pain in the future,” Physical Therapist Daniel Giordano, DPT, PT, CSCS of Custom Treatment , in our latest episode of The Fix.
Watch the video above for an in-depth tutorial on each move, and read on for our brief breakdown of the exercises. 5 exercises to strengthen the waist
Lie on the ground with your stomach on the floor (prone position). Support yourself on your elbows and lift your knees off the ground. Tighten your quads and glutes and continue to push your elbows and lift your chest. Do this five times, holding each plank for 30 seconds. “If you can’t do 30 seconds, start with 10 [or] start with 15 and work your way up,” Giordano said. “We want to make sure we start with isometric core exercises so we can get those core muscles fired up…and not put any stress on your lower back.”
Side panel
This action is also an isometric core position, this time strengthening the oblique muscles. Lie on your side with your feet staggered to avoid stress on your heels. Lift your elbows into a side plank position, keeping your lower hips off the ground and engaging your core. Push past your elbows and pull your shoulder blades back. Again, aim for five sets of 30 seconds of plank, but you can start with 10 or 15 seconds of support and work your way up.
High Board with Knee Drive Hold
In the standard plank position, push the knee up toward the opposite elbow and Hold the dorsiflexion position for three seconds (in this case, that means bending your toes toward your knees). Repeat about eight times on each side, holding for three seconds on top. “The reason we’re doing these isometric holds in this position (via elbow pauses) is that we want to start strengthening your hip flexors,” Giordano says, adding that your hip flexors are vertical stabilizers for the spine. “So we need to make sure that muscle is strong enough so that your core stays strong and takes the pressure off your lower back.”
High plank with tension
Get into a high plank (push-up) position, tighten your glutes and quads, and push with your hands while lifting your chest off the ground. Reach for a sandbag with one arm, place it next to your abs on the other side, and pull it to the other side, keeping your hips as stable as possible. Repeat about eight times on each side. Your obliques will feel it. Keeping your core as tight as possible to reduce stress on your lower back, start with lighter weights and work your way up over time.
Bear Board
On all fours, place your knees under your hips and push through your feet and hands. Lift your knees about 2 inches off the floor and hold for 30 seconds for 5 sets, but you can start with 10 to 15 seconds and work your way up to 30 seconds. “When you do these bear boards, make sure you’re pushing through your hands and feet, keeping your core tight, and engaging all the muscles around your lower back to strengthen that area and take pressure off your lower back,” Giordano says.
Want to continue addressing low back pain in your fitness program? Add these five lower back mobility exercises to your life to improve mobility , thanks later us.
Perri is a New York-born writer; she has BA in Psychology from Columbia University and a Culinary Institute graduate of the Plant-Based Natural Gastronomy Institute, which is now the Natural Gastronomy Center of the School of Culinary Education. Her work has appeared in The New York Post, Men’s Magazine, Rolling Stone, Oprah Daily, Insider.com, Architectural Digest, Southern Living, and more. She’s probably seen Dave Matthews Band in your hometown, and she’ll never turn down a Bloody Mary. Learn more at VeganWhenSober.com.
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