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Lower Back Strengthening Exercises

Performing lower back strengthening exercises is one way to help strengthen the muscles and prevent back injury.
We use our back muscles constantly with our everyday tasks like lifting, twisting and just plain walking.

Strengthening the core muscles helps support and stabilize your spine, pelvis and shoulders and minimizes lower back pain. The core muscles run the entire length of your torso and the major muscles included in the core include your back muscles, abdominal muscles and hip flexors.

Often people will strengthen and stretch their abdominal muscles and hip flexors but forget to strengthen their back. You need to include your back muscles in your strength training routines so that you are properly strengthening the entire core area.

If you are just starting out with strengthening your back, take it slow at first so as not to cause too much strain and stress. You want to prevent injury, not create injury.

So steady and slow until you get the hang of it and start to strengthen the back muscles.

Here are some back strengthening exercises with instructions and illustrations to make sure you are doing them correctly.

Lower Back Strengthening Exercises #1

Alternating Quadruped Lift Lower Back Exercise

Place your hands and knees on the ground keeping your back straight.
Now reach your right arm straight out in front of you and at the same time lift your left leg straight out behind you.
Repeat this move, alternating sides, for 8 to 16 repetitions.

To see an illustration of this lower back exercise, click on the free fitness video below.

Lower Back Strengthening Exercise #2

Alternating Superman Lower Back Exercise

This exercise can be done on the floor or using a bosu ball.

Lie flat on the floor (or on the bosu ball) with your arms straight out in front of you and palms facing each other.
Now lift your head and your right arm and at the same time lift up your left leg.
Repeat this while alternating sides for 8 to 16 reps.

To see this exercise illustrated, click on the exercise video below.

Lower Back Strengthening Exercise #3

The Bridge Lower Back Exercise

This exercise can be done just using your own body weight or you can add additional resistance by using a dumbbell weight.

Lie flat on your back.
Bending your knees, place your feet flat on the floor.
Now lift your hips and lower back up off the floor, contracting the lower back muscles.
Repeat this move for 8 to 16 repetitions.

Click on the free fitness video below to see this back strengthening exercise illustrated.

In addition to these lower back strengthening exercises, be sure to also strengthen the upper back.

Related Articles

Back Stretching Exercises
Strengthening your back is only one step to helping minimize back injury. You also want to stretch and lengthen the back muscles with back stretching exercises.

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