Best Lower Back Exercises to Do at Home
- Christopher Olubela
- Nov 5, 2024
- 6 min read
When it comes to working out at home, lower back exercises are often overlooked. However, strengthening your lower back muscles is crucial for maintaining good posture, preventing injury, and alleviating lower back pain.
Fortunately, there are many exercises you can do at home to strengthen your lower back and alleviate pain. In this article, we'll cover the best lower back exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home.
Including these exercises in your at-home workout routine can help prevent and alleviate lower back pain while improving your overall back health. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine, especially if you have a history of back pain or injury.
Table of Content
Introduction
Table of Content
Top 10 Best Lower Back Exercises to Do at Home
Top 10 Best Lower Back Exercises to Do at Home
In this section, we will show you lower back exercises that you don't need to go to the gym to perform. These lower back exercises are essential for maintaining a healthy and pain-free back.
1. Bird Dog
Bird Dog is one of the best exercises for lower back pain. This exercise involves getting on your hands and knees and extending your opposite arm and leg while keeping your hips level.
Bird Dog is on the list because it helps to strengthen the lower back muscles, improve core stability, and reduce the risk of injury.
How to do the Bird Dog
Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Engage your core and keep your spine neutral.
Keeping your hips level, extend your right arm straight out in front of you and your left leg straight behind you.
Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side.
Continue alternating sides, doing 8-12 repetitions on each side.
Make sure to keep your hips level and your spine neutral throughout the exercise.
2. Superman
Superman is another excellent exercise for strengthening the lower back muscles. This exercise involves lying on your stomach and lifting your arms and legs off the ground while squeezing your glutes and lower back muscles.
It's also a low-impact exercise that can be performed anywhere, making it an excellent choice for those with limited mobility.
How to do the Superman
Start by lying face down on the floor, with your arms stretched out in front of you and your legs straight behind you.
Keep your neck in a neutral position, with your gaze towards the floor.
Engage your core and lift your arms, chest, and legs off the floor, keeping your back flat and straight.
Hold this position for 10-15 seconds, then lower yourself back down to the starting position.
3. Good Mornings
Good Mornings are a great exercise for improving lower back strength. This exercise involves standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell across your shoulders, and bending forward at the hips while keeping your back straight.
Good Mornings are on the list because they target the lower back muscles, as well as the glutes and hamstrings, making it an effective exercise for lower body strength training.
How to do the Barbell Good Morning Exercise:
Start by setting up a barbell on a rack or other stable structure, just below shoulder height.
Grab the barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip.
Stand in front of the bar, keeping your back straight and core engaged.
Bend at the hips, lowering your torso until it's parallel to the floor.
Pause at the bottom of the movement, then stand back up to the starting position.
Keep your head up and your neck neutral throughout the movement.
4. V-sit
V-sit is a great exercise for improving core strength and stability. This exercise involves sitting on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you, lifting your legs and upper body off the ground while forming a V shape with your body. V-sit is on the list because it heimprove posture.
How to do the V-Sit Exercise
Start by sitting on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Lean back slightly and lift your legs until they're parallel to the floor.
Bring your torso up so that your body forms a "V" shape.
Engage your core to hold this position for 8-12 seconds.
Return to the starting position and repeat.
5. Glute bridge
Glute Bridge is another excellent exercise for strengthening the lower back muscles. This exercise involves lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, lifting your hips off the ground while squeezing your glutes. Glute Bridge is on the list because it helps to improve flexibility.
How to do the Glute Bridge Exercise
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Place your arms by your sides, palms down.
Press your heels into the floor and raise your hips off the ground until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
Repeat for the desired numbers of rep.
6. Plank
Plank is a great exercise for improving core strength and stability. This exercise involves getting into a push-up position and holding your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Plank is on the list because it helps to strengthen the core muscles and reduce the risk of injury.
How to the Planks Exercise
Begin in a high plank position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Keep your core engaged and your spine neutral.
Squeeze your glutes and quads to engage your lower body.
Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until you feel your form start to break down.
Make sure to keep your core engaged and your spine neutral throughout the exercise.
7. Cobra
Cobra is another great exercise for improving lower back strength. This exercise involves lying on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders and lifting your chest off the ground while squeezing your lower back muscles.
Cobra is on the list because it helps to stretch the lower back muscles.
How to do the Cobra Exercise
Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders, palms down.
Engage your core and lift your chest off the floor, keeping your hips down.
Look straight ahead and press your shoulders down and back.
Hold for 8-12 breaths.
Lower yourself down slowly.
You can modify this pose by placing your forearms on the floor instead of your hands.
8. Cat cow
Cat Cow is a great way to improve spinal flexibility and reduce lower back pain. This exercise involves getting on your hands and knees and arching your back up towards the ceiling while exhaling (Cat pose), and then lowering your back towards the floor while inhaling (Cow pose).
How to do the Cat/Cow Stretch
Start in a tabletop position on all fours.
Inhale and arch your back, lifting your head and tailbone toward the ceiling.
Exhale and round your back, tucking your tailbone under and lowering your head toward the floor.
Repeat these movements slowly, moving with your breath.
Keep your core engaged and your spine long.
You can keep your gaze down toward the floor or up toward the ceiling.
9. Partial Crunches
Partial Crunches are a great exercise for those with lower back pain. This exercise involves lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and lifting your head and shoulders off the ground while squeezing your abdominal muscles.
Partial Crunches are on the list because they help to strengthen the core muscles, improve posture, and reduce the risk of injury.
How to do the Partial Crunches
Lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Place your hands behind your head, and keep your elbows bent and pointing out to the sides.
Engage your core and lift your shoulders off the floor until your upper back is off the ground.
Pause for a moment, then lower yourself back down to the starting position.
Repeat 10-15 times.
10. Lying lateral leg raises
Lying Lateral Leg Raises are a great exercise for improving hip and lower back strength. This exercise involves lying on your side and lifting your top leg towards the ceiling while keeping your hips level.
Lying Lateral Leg Raises are on the list because they help to strengthen the lower back muscles and improve posture.
How to do the Lateral Leg Raise
Lie on your right side with your head resting on your head resting on your right arm and left leg straight on the floor.
Place your left hand on your left hip.
Lift your left leg up as high as you can without bending your knees.
Lower it back down with control.
Repeat for 8-12 reps.
Switch sides and repeat on the other leg.
Conclusion
The best lower back exercises to do at home are those that require minimal equipment and target the key muscles that support the spine. It's important to perform these exercises with proper form and listen to your body's limits. With consistency and dedication, you can effectively strengthen your lower back and enjoy the benefits of a healthy, pain-free spine from the comfort of your own home.
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