Unbelievably, your lower back provides your body with the ability to hold your spine upright. Now, how does it do just this? To better explain I will dive deep into the structure of your lower back and what movements you could do to improve your lower back pain.
Before you begin, keep in mind there are different conditions from where your lower pain could have manifested. In any case, it is important to ensure you practice these movements with the intention to strengthen your lower back by using the correct form. Take your time to perform the movements, and move under control.
Let us get you started with two movements that you could perform on the ground. If that does not work, we have non-floor-based movements available, but they will be covered in a separate article. Our first movement will be the famous “glute bridge”, check Figure A for reference, this movement is the go-to exercise when it comes to strengthening or improving your lower back pain. Make sure to have a mat ready or something soft for you to lie on. Lie on the ground flat on your back, keep your knees bent, with your feet flat on the ground. This is what we will call the starting position. Next, keep your hands, palms faced down, against the ground, with your arms extended at your sides. From here go ahead and maintain pressure on the floor with your hands. Once you feel that strength in your hands and arms, move your hips up into the air. As you move those hips up make sure to tighten up your butt cheeks, “the glute muscles.” When your hips reach the top, and those hips are in extension, hold the position for at least 2 seconds. Practice tightening up those muscles with your mind powers, it will strengthen your glutes and hamstrings. Work on it.
As promised, here is the next movement, lying prone leg lifts. This movement will have to be done on the floor to ensure you are able to isolate the butt muscles. Lying face down will help you feel the muscles that allow you to perform the movement pattern. Check Figure B as reference, you will lie face down on a comfortable surface such as a mat or towel. Have your elbows bent and under your rib cage, this position is ideal to help you from arching your lower back unnecessarily. After placing your bent elbows under your rib cage, stiffen your knees and don’t allow your knees to bend as you lift that leg up as high as comfortable. Move slow and under control when lifting your leg. This will help you feel the gluteal muscles working to sustain the leg up in the air. Keep your opposite leg on the floor and push those toes against the ground. This will give you have an opposing force against the ground that will help you perform a leg lift on the opposite leg. Focus on tightening the glute as you lift one leg up at a time. Subscribe to recieve more on lower back strenghening.
