Back Workouts – Low Back Pain, Yoga and More

Back workouts are typically not high on the “to do list” when people actually get to the gym. People will literally arm wrestle for their favorite treadmill or elliptical trainer because EVERYONE comes in for a cardio workout. Unfortunately, it’s a different story when you make your way to the chin up bar or lat pulldown machine … you may actually hear the sound of crickets (depending on the time of day). Given the fact that back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide (according to the Global Burden of Disease 2010) you would think there would be a constant line up for the Hammer Strength High Row machine or Back Extension machine.

There are a few theories as to why people don’t naturally gravitate to training the back:

• Because the majority of our movements are in front of the body, the muscles on the posterior (back) side of the body are weaker because they are utilized less frequently.
• We tend to prefer training muscles that we can see in the mirror (i.e., chest, biceps, front deltoids, quadriceps, abdominals).
• Because we can’t see the muscles working (in the mirror) it’s harder to stay motivated to work hard through the sets and repetitions.
• You don’t often hear compliments like, “Nice back!”. The coveted compliments focus on the chest, biceps (arms), and abdominals (“six pack”).

Regardless, you are here because you are one of the few who are motivated to train your back and add more exercises to your workout repertoire. Although most people walk onto the workout floor to either lose weight or build muscle, when it comes to strengthening the back, one of the primary motivators for seeking a back workout program is because someone is experiencing acute or chronic back pain.

So …  if you are wondering how to lose back fat (or more specifically, how to get rid of back fat) this article is not the one for you (but that gives me an idea for a future post on TodaysFitnessTrainer.com)!

Motivated by Back Pain

Back pain isn’t something that happens overnight. It is typically the result of many years of movements that cause muscle imbalances in the torso that create pain in the lower back and/or hips. This pain may take time to appear but it can change your life in an instant! This is fortunate for chiropractors as they are often the first place people look because they’ve been told this is how to relieve lower back pain immediately. According to the American Chiropractic Association:

• Half of all Americans (who are actively working) admit to having symptoms of back pain each year.
• One of the most common reasons for missed work is because of back pain.
• Back pain is the second most common reasons for visits to the doctor’s office (upper-respiratory infections is number one).
• Most cases of back pain are not caused by serious conditions (i.e.,inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture or cancer). They are considered “mechanical or non-organic”.
• Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on managing and/or treating back pain.
• It is estimated that as many as 8 out of 10 people will experience a back problem at some time in our lifetime (and upwards of 10 percent of these people will suffer from chronic low back pain lasting three months or longer).

This may work for a short time but it’s only a band-aid to the underlying problem … weak lower back and core muscles. In the end, people just want to know:

• How to relieve back pain
• Back pain exercises
• Stretches for back pain
• How to strengthen lower back muscles
• Back strengthening exercises

Regardless of whether you are new to the idea of exercise or you are your typical “gym buff” who goes to the gym at least four times a week, we are all at risk of lower back pain (acute or chronic). The questions listed above are most likely ones you’ve asked yourself at some point in time (or SHOULD ask yourself from time to time).

Lower Back Muscles – Overview

The spine is made of 33 individual bones (i.e., the vertebrae) stacked one on top of the other. The vertebrae are held together by ligaments and muscles that keep them aligned (and pain free). The main function of the lower back (i.e., lumbar spine) is to bear the weight of the upper body. The five lumbar vertebrae (numbered L1 to L5) are much larger in size in comparison to vertebrae in other areas of the spine so that they can absorb the stress of lifting heavy objects or bearing large amounts of weight using the upper body.

Strong muscles and bones, flexible tendons and stable ligaments contribute to a healthy spine for good quality movement and function. A healthy spine is vital if you want to live an active life without back pain.

A complex group of muscles work synergistically to support the proper function of the spine (i.e., forward, backward and sideward bending, twisting and standing upright). The muscles that allow for these movements include extensor muscles (located on the back side of the spine; assist with upright standing and lifting objects), flexor muscles (located on the front side of the spine; assist with flexing forward) and the obliques (located on the left and right sides of the spine; assist with spinal rotation and maintaining good posture).

What are the “Erector Spinae” Muscles?

Fitness instructors and personal trainers love throwing out the word “erector spinae” when they are putting you through a killer core workout. The majority of people believe the erector spinae is a single muscle but it’s actually a group of muscles and tendons (Iliocostalis, Longissimus, and Spinalis) that is located along both sides of the spine and runs all the way from the base of the skull to the pelvis. These muscles and tendons work together to provide the resistance required to control actions that involve bending forward at the waist in addition to extending the spine (when it is in a flexed forward position) to return the back to the erect and upright position. The erector spinae muscles include:

• Longissimus Thoracis (extension, lateral flexion of vertebral column, rib rotation)
• Iliocostalis Thoracis (extension, lateral flexion of vertebral column, rib rotation)
• Spinalis Thoracis (extends vertebral column)

Other Lower Back Muscles

In addition to the erector spinae, there are other muscles that provide stability to the lower back through a wide range of movements.

• Iliocostalis Lumborum (extension, lateral flexion of the vertebral column and rotation of the ribs)
• Interspinales (extends the vertebral column)
• Intertransversarii Lateralis (lateral flexion of the vertebral column)
• Intertransversarii Mediales (lateral flexion of the vertebral column)
• Longissimus Lumborum (extends and rotates the vertebral column)
• Multifidus (extends and rotates the vertebral column)
• Psoas Major (flexes thigh at the hip joint and the vertebral column)
• Quadratus Lumborum (lateral flexion of the vertebral column)

An imbalance of strength between any of these muscles, as it relates to the erector spinae and abdominal muscles, can result in lower back pain (either acute or chronic). Now that you have a better idea of the muscles involved with the lower back we can now look at the right exercises to prevent, manage or reverse lower back pain.

Understanding Lower Back Pain

Back muscles, like any other muscle in the body, require adequate exercise to maintain strength and tone. Deep back muscles and abdominal muscles are typically left inactive and unconditioned as other, larger and more dominant, muscles take over common movements (i.e., walking and climbing). These muscles require focused and targeted work on a regular basis, just like the other muscles you workout at the gym, otherwise they weaken over time.

The lower back is a target for overuse injuries and pain because it has to essentially support all the weight of the upper body. The discs that layer in between the vertebrae eventually experience wear and degrade over time, making the back even more susceptible to injury. In addition, the heavier the upper body … the greater the risk of disc degeneration, lower back injury and pain.

Common causes of low back pain include:

• Overuse injuries and stiffness (which typically goes away after a few days)
• Degenerative discs (wearing away of the cushioning effect of the discs)
• Herniated discs (center of the disc bulges; aka. “slipped disc”)
• Disc tear (on the outer layer of the disc)
• Spondylolisthesis (when vertebrae slide forward and on top of another)
• Vertebral fractures (caused by osteoporosis – aka. “brittle bones”)
• Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine space around the spinal cord, which puts pressure on nerves; typically a result of osteoarthritis)
• Scoliosis (abnormal curvature of the spine)

Relieving lower back pain (or preventing it from even occurring) begins with minimizing the stress on the lower back and hips. This is done by stretching the muscles that are naturally tight and pulling the spine in one particular direction. At the same time, strengthening the muscles that oppose the tight muscles can alleviate the stress on the back and/or hips. In the end, it’s all about finding a balance between the front, back and sides of the spine and maintaining a neutral posture. This is accomplished by incorporating lower back strengthening exercises and stretches for lower back pain.

Lower Back Pain Stretches

If you look at the most popular stretches for lower back, to improve flexibility in the lower back and hips, you will often times find a list of yoga poses for back pain. Although not all yoga are recommended for someone experiencing pain in the lower back or spine there are certain types of yoga for back pain relief and exercises specific to relaxing the tight muscles that cause the pain. Below is a list of exercises from yoga that are good options for lower back stretches.

• Child’s Pose
• Happy Baby
• Pigeon Pose
• Cat-Cow Pose
• Standing Forward Bend
• Supine Spinal Twist

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose is a resting and restorative posture known to relieve tension in the back, shoulder, neck, and hip. It is also commonly used as a resting posture during a yoga series/class.

1. Start by kneeling on the floor (or yoga mat).
2. Place your hands down on the floor in front of your knees, touch the big toes together and spread the knees mat width apart and sit back down on your heels.
3. Bend forward at the hips and lengthen your torso in between your thighs (hips stay in contact with heels at all times).
4. Extend the arms forward as you sink your shoulders closer to the floor.

Happy Baby

Happy Baby is an active posture that gently stretches both the groin and the lower back (lumbar spine).

1. Lie on your back.
2. Bend your knees and bring your thighs to your belly.
3. Grip the outsides of your feet (with the corresponding hand). If you have difficulties reaching your feet you can use a yoga strap around the middle arches of the feet.
4. Pull on the feet to bring the knees outwards towards the armpits (keep hips close to the floor at all times).
5. Hold for five to ten breaths before returning to the starting position.

Pigeon Pose

Pigeon pose is a hip-opening posture that stretches the hip rotators, hip flexors and glutes.

1. Starting in Downward Facing Dog, bring the feet together and raise the right leg up to the ceiling (to create a straight line from the arms, through the torso, all the way to the heel).
2. Bend your right knee as you bring that knee to the floor outside the right hand (placing the outside of the left foot to the floor, located in a comfortable position between the left hip and left hand). The more flexible your hip the more parallel the shin will be to the front of your mat. Untuck the back toes and fully extend the leg straight back.
3. Square your hips and shoulders towards the front of your mat.
4. Walk the arms forward as you lengthen the spine and lay the torso on top of the front leg.
5. Hold for five to ten breaths before returning to the starting position.
6. Repeat the posture with the left leg forward.

Cat-Cow Pose

The combination of the Cat Pose and Cow Pose provide a gentle warm up for the spine in a vinyasa (movement synchronized with breath) flow.

1. Starting in Table Pose (knees and hands directly below the hips and shoulders), inhale to simultaneously lift your sit bones upward as you open up the chest and lower the abdomen closer to the floor (Cow Pose).
2. Exhale to simultaneously tuck the tailbone under as you drop the head down and raise the center of your thoracic spine up towards the ceiling.
3. Alternate in between Cat Pose and Cow Pose as your rhythmically breathe.
4. Repeat the series for a total of five to ten breaths.

Standing Forward Bend

Standing Forward Bend is a restorative posture that lengthens the hamstrings and activates the muscles of the inner thighs.

1. Stand upright with your feet together and your hands at your sides. Bend your knees slightly and fold your torso over your legs as your hands follow the length of your legs towards the floor.
2. Place your hands on your shins, your feet or on the ground in front of you (depending on your flexibility).
3. Inhale and extend your chest to lengthen your spine. Keep your gaze directed forward.
4. Exhale and gently press both legs as close to straight as possible (without hyperextending). Lift the kneecaps and gently spiral your upper, inner thighs back.
5. Inhale to prepare.
6. On an exhalation, extend your torso down without rounding your back. Stay long throughout your neck, extending the crown of your head toward the ground. Draw your shoulders down your back.
7. Repeat the series for a total of five to ten breaths.

Supine Spinal Twist

Supine Spinal Twist is a restorative posture that stretches the glutes and relaxes the spine.

1. Start by lying on your back (legs fully extended).
2. Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet on the mat.
3. Lift the hips an inch off the floor and shift them to your right (approximate one to two inches).
4. Draw your right knee into your chest and fully extend the left leg to the floor.
5. Using your left hand, guide your right knee over and across to the left side of your body.
6. Open your right arm to the right side in line with your shoulder as you keep your left hand on your right knee.
7. Turn your head to the right and focus your gaze over the right shoulder.
8. Hold for five to ten breaths before returning to the starting position.
9. Repeat this using the left leg.

Exercises to Strengthen Lower Back

If you want to know how to strengthen lower back muscles (and alleviate pain and discomfort) you can look to yoga again! Similar to the recommendation for yoga postures to improve flexibility of the lower back, there are also yoga postures that are used to strengthen lower back muscles. These are great exercises for lower back pain that can be done in the convenience of your own home.

• Triangle Pose
• Staff Pose
• Downward Facing Dog
• Upward Facing Dog
• Locust Pose
• Bridge Pose

Triangle Pose

Triangle Pose is an active posture that challenges the entire body, strengthening and stretching upper and lower body muscles while stimulating the abdominal organs.

1. Start by standing upright in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Exhale to step the feet three to four feet apart. Then raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them out to the sides at shoulder height (palms are facing down).
2. Inhale to turn your left foot slightly inwards and rotate your right foot out 90 degrees to the side (both heels should be in line with one another). Turn your left foot in slightly to the right and your right foot out to the right 90 degrees. Press your feet firmly into the floor as you turn your right thigh outward (the right knee cap and right ankle are stacked). Turn the palms to face forward)
3. Exhale and reach your right arm forward, directly over the plane of the right leg, to extend your torso to the right (like your legs are frozen in cement and you are reaching to torso to grab something just out of reach).
4. Without changing the position of your torso (in between “two panes of glass”), place your right hand on your shin, ankle, or the floor outside your right foot. Stretch your left arm toward the ceiling, in line with the tops of your shoulders (head should be in a neutral position in line with the spine).
5. Hold for five to ten breaths before returning to the starting position.
6. Repeat this using the left leg.

Staff Pose

Staff Pose is an active pose that strengthens back muscles and improves overall posture.

1. Sit on the floor with your legs together and extended in front of your torso. Place your hands on the floor right beside the hips (as a gauge for proper upright alignment of the torso).
2. Shift your weight slightly forward to the front of the sitting bones, activate the thighs by pressing them down against the floor, rotate them slightly towards one another, and flex your feet as you press the heels away.
3. To check for proper alignment you may want to sit up against a wall (tailbone and shoulders touch the wall but head and lower back do not).
4. Imagine your spine as vertical column running through the center of your torso, rooted firmly to the ground, and energize from the tailbone to the top of the head. Hold the pose for one minute or longer.
5. Hold the pose for five to ten breaths (or longer if desired).

Downward Facing Dog

Downward Facing Dog is an active posture that strengthens the arms and legs and stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches and hands.

1. Start on your hands and knees (hands slightly forward of the shoulders and knees directly below the hips). Spread the palms, index fingers parallel and thumbs pointing to one another, and tuck the toes under.
2. With the hands firmly rooted into the floor, exhale to extend the legs and lift your knees away from the floor.
3. Inhale to lengthen through the spine and exhale to press the hands into the floor (pressing the base of the palm and both index fingers down) and lift the sitting bones up towards the ceiling. Exhale to press your heels down towards the floor. The goal is to have the knees fully extended and heels all the way to the floor.
4. Hold for ten to fifteen breaths and then bend at the knees to release into Child’s Pose.

Upward Facing Dog

Upward Facing Dog is an active posture that strengthens the spine, arms and wrists and stretches the chest and lungs, shoulders and abdomen.

1. Start by lying prone (face down) on the floor with legs fully extended (tops of the feet on the floor). Bend at the elbows and place the hands flat down right beside the chest (elbows pointed up towards the ceiling like grasshopper legs, forearms perpendicular to the floor and palms flat on the ground).
2. Inhale to press your hands down and back, as if you were trying to push yourself forward along the floor. Then simultaneously straighten your arms, raise your torso up, press the top of your feet into the ground and raise your knees a few inches off the floor. Keep the thighs engaged (and slightly turned inward), the arms firmly pressed down into the floor and elbow creases facing forward.
3. Firm the shoulder blades against the back and puff the side ribs forward. Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back. Look straight ahead or tip the head back slightly, but take care not to compress the back of the neck and harden the throat.
4. Hold for three to five breaths (15 to 30 seconds) before returning to the starting position.

Locust Pose

Locust Pose is an active posture strengthens the muscles of the spine, buttocks and arms, stretches the shoulders, chest, belly and thighs and stimulates the abdominal organs.

1. Start by lying prone (face down) on your mat with your arms alongside the torso, palms facing up and forehead resting on the floor. Press the hips into the ground (by contracting the glutes), turn the big toes inward as you energize through the thighs.
2. Exhale and lift your head, upper torso, arms, and legs up off the floor. Your weight will be resting on the flat spot below your lower ribs, abdomen and the front of your pelvis. Keep the legs straight and big toes turned toward each other at all times. Raise both arms parallel to the floor and actively reach back towards the feet.
3. Hold for five to ten breaths (30 seconds to 1 minute) then release on an exhalation.

Bridge Pose

Bridge Pose is an active posture that stretches the chest, neck and spine, calms the brain and helps alleviate stress and improves digestion.

1. Start by lying on your back (you may want to place a folded blanket or towel under your shoulders to protect the neck) with legs fully extended and arms at your sides (palms facing up). Bend at the knees and place your feet flat on the floor (hip-distance apart) with heels as close to the sitting bones as possible.
2. On an exhale, press your feet and arms into the floor, roll the tailbone upward toward the ceiling and lift the glutes off the floor. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel as you interlock the fingers below the hips and extend through the arms (rest your weight on the tops of your shoulders to avoid pressure on the neck).
3. Lift your glutes until the thighs are close to parallel to the floor. Keep the knees directly over the heels, press the heels in the floor and continue to lengthen through the spine. Raise the chin slightly away from the chest and broaden through the chest and shoulders to alleviate pressure on the head and neck.
4. Hold for five to ten breaths (30 seconds to one minute). On an exhalation, roll the spine down slowly (one vertebrae at a time) back onto the floor.

Exercises for Low Back Pain (in the Gym)

Whether you are a gym buff or a yogi who lives in an ashram, back pain does not discriminate and the universal recommendation is exercise for lower back pain prevention and to regain proper function. If you are looking for more traditional exercises that you can do at the gym (using your own bodyweight and additional weight) you will find a list of safe and effective exercises below.

• Deadlift
• Good Morning
• Back Extension (with Stability Ball)
• Bird Dog
• Superman
• Plank (on elbows; on hands)

Deadlift

When it comes to low back exercises seen at the gym, the deadlift is at the top of the list. This exercise, when done properly, targets the muscles of the lower back, glutes and hamstrings to open up the hips and promote a more upright posture.

1. Choose a weight (barbell) that is suitable to the number of sets and repetitions for the exercise.
2. With the barbell on the ground, with feet hip distance apart, stand with the middle of your feet directly underneath the bar.
3. Flex forward at the hips and grab the bar (palms facing down and back), just slightly wider than shoulder width (narrow grip).
4. Keeping arms fully extended and back flat (neutral spine), bend at the knees to lower the hips down to a point where the shins touch the bar.
5. Inhale to prepare (and engage the core muscles).
6. Exhale as you lift the chest, straighten the back, keep shoulders away from the ears and pull the bar up as you straighten the legs to a standing position (the bar remains close to the body at all times). Inhale to hold.
7. Exhale as you return to starting position (maintaining straight back and bar remains close to the body all the way to the floor).

Good Morning

Sometimes lower back exercises may look intimidating, especially if you’re watching someone doing it improperly at the gym. This exercise is certainly one of the most misunderstood exercises and definitely looks more challenging than your typical dumbbell rows. In fact, very few women attempt this exercise as there is the misconception that these are lower back exercises for men only.

1. Choose a weight (barbell) that is suitable to the number of sets and repetitions for the exercise.
2. With feet hip-distance apart, place the bar across the back of the shoulders with hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart on the bar.
3. Keeping the knees slightly bent and back flat at all times, inhale to bend forward at the hips and lower the weight down to a position in line with the hips (do not go any lower than this).
4. Exhale to extend at the hips (using the lower back, glutes and hamstrings) and return to starting position.

Back Extension (with Stability Ball)

Now we move into exercises for the lower back that use a person’s body weight (no additional weight is required). The back extension on a stability ball is one of the most recognized exercises for low back pain, primarily because it provides less impact on the lower back, builds strength and respects the limited mobility that may come from low back pain. This exercise is especially helpful in promoting increased range of motion of the spine in addition to strengthening the extensor muscles of the hip (i.e., erector spinae, glutes and hamstrings).

1. Choose a stability ball that is the appropriate size for your height.
2. Facing down, place the stability ball underneath the hips, flex your feet and place them slightly wider than hip distance on the floor.
3. Relax the body over the shape of the stability ball as you extend your arms above the head (biceps stay at the ears at all times).
4. Inhale to prepare (and engage the core muscles).
5. Exhale to press your feet into the floor and hips into the stability ball as you extend at the spine and raise the torso off the ball. Inhale to hold the position.
6. Exhale to return to the starting position.

Bird Dog

Twisting movements (where the spine is very unstable) can cause significant pain. The bird dog pose is a stabilizing exercise designed to train the low back (aka. “lumbar spine”) during upper and lower extremity movement. This is one of the most essential exercises for lower back mobility and stability.

1. Starting on your hands and knees get into a tabletop position (hands directly below your shoulders and knees directly below your hips).
2. Inhale to prepare (and engage the core muscles).
3. Exhale to simultaneously raise the right arm up and forward (so the bicep is in line with the shoulder) and the left leg extends backward and up (so leg is fully extended and heel is in line with the hips). Inhale to hold the position.
4. Exhale to lower the right hand and left knee back to starting position.
5. Repeat this with the left arm and right leg.

Superman

Although it may not look like much, the Superman is one of the more challenging lower back pain exercises. This is because the lower back muscles are isolated and must do all the work to raise the upper and lower body off the floor.

1. Lie face down on the ground with arms extended by the ears, shoulder width apart (with fingers pointing forward), and legs hip distance apart with shoelaces facing down.
2. Inhale to prepare (and engage the core muscles).
3. Exhale to simultaneously raise the torso (including the extended arms) off the floor as you raise both legs up off the floor (legs are fully extended and stay hip distance apart). Inhale to hold the position.
4. Exhale to return to the starting position.

Plank

The plank exercise is considered one of the most challenging core exercises as all muscles of the body are engaged when this exercise is done properly. This total body “bracing” and coordination of all small muscle groups is what makes the plank one of the essential low back pain exercises.

1. For a plank on the elbows, start by lying face down on the ground with feet together, toes tucked under, and elbows and palms on the ground (forearms and fingers are shoulder distance apart and pointing forward). For a plank on the hands, start by lying face down on the ground with feet together, toes tucked under, and hands directly below the shoulders.
2. Inhale the prepare (and engage the core muscles).
3. Exhale to raise the hips off the ground, creating a straight line from the heels through the hips to the top of the head. Continue to breathe as you hold this strong position.
4. Once the time is completed, lower back down to starting position.

Back Workouts for the Gym

For those of you out there with healthy backs and curiosity about new ways to challenge your upper and lower back muscles … there are a wide variety of options! Unfortunately, most people are familiar with only about five or six of them (i.e., lat pulldown, seated row, deadlift, good mornings and back extension).

Training the back muscles involves pulling movements against resistance and extending at the spine (i.e., going from a forward bent position to upright or from upright to a hyperextended position). Although many people get comfortable doing two or three exercises, using the same equipment every time, it’s easy to challenge the body in new ways just by switching up dumbbells for barbells or by changing the angle by a few degrees (i.e., hips bent to 135 degrees doing an upright dumbbell row versus the traditional 90 degrees).

If you aren’t interested in seeking the one-on-one help of a personal trainer but would like to access workouts that are safe, effective and will help you gain strength to your upper and/or lower back muscles a great resource (which offers the best of both worlds) is WorkoutBOX.com!

WorkoutBOX.com offers an extensive library of exercises (full descriptions and videos), workouts and results-based programs designed by the world’s most sought after personal trainer and strength and conditioning coaches. This website offers muscle group specific workouts including:

• Upper back workouts
• Lower back workouts
• Back workouts for men
• Back workouts for women

For more information on WorkoutBOX.com workouts and programs, go to the workouts page.

Written by TodaysFitnessTrainer (trainer@todaysfitnesstrainer.com).