Content

• Steps
• Warning

The spine in the lumbar region supports most of the body weight. Approximately 80% of adults will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Muscle atrophy due to inactivity can occur, especially when you work in an office environment and live a relatively passive lifestyle. To strengthen your lower back, you need to do a regular exercise program that includes strength training exercises with stretches, and activities that are good for the heart.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Back strength training

1. 

   Hips lifting. Hip lifts help develop muscles in your lower back and central muscles, which support the spine and reduce the risk of lower back pain. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, just like in the pelvic tilt.
   • Raise your hips up, keep knees bent and center muscles. Stop when your hips are level with your knees, so that your body forms a straight line (or bridge) from your knee to your shoulder.
   • Hold this position for 5-10 seconds, take a deep breath, then lower yourself back to the ground. Do this 10 reps.

2. 

   
   
   Swim on the floor. Also known as Superman, you'll lie face down on the floor with your legs straight behind and your arms outstretched above your head.
   • If you are lying on your back, just turn it upside down. Raise your arms above your head and straighten your legs back.
   • Lift your feet a few centimeters off the ground and take turns kicking your legs. You can also lift left leg and right arm at the same time, then lower them and lift right leg with left arm.
   • Do this for 10-20 reps.

3. 

   
   
   Lie on your pelvis side. Lying on your pelvis helps to develop the lower abdominal muscles and the muscles around the lower back. Practice this muscle contraction to help it develop, which in turn prevents problems in your lower back.
   • Press the depression on your lower back to the floor and hold for 5-10 seconds, take a deep breath, then release. Do this 10 reps.
   • To do this, lie on your back with your knees bent so that your feet are flat on the floor. Legs should be hip width apart.

4. 

   
   
   Do the dog bird exercise. Canine exercises help stretch and strengthen lower back, as well as improve balance. Start in a crawl position with your knees directly below your hips, and your wrists just below your shoulders.
   • Raise left arm forward and raise right leg backwards, forming a straight line from fingertips to heel. Keep your back flat and maintain this position for 2-3 seconds, then crawl and repeat for the opposite arms and legs.
   • Do this exercise 10-20 reps on each side. Keep your back flat and motionless, and do not raise your hands or heels above your back.

5. 

   Practice more slack steps. If done correctly, slack steps are a good exercise to strengthen your lower back. Start with your feet hip-width apart. You will need a few feet of space in front of your face to do this.
   • Step right foot up, and bend and lower left knee. Your body will form a straight line from the top of your head to your left knee - don't bend over your right leg. Bend the right knee at a right angle with the knee just above the ankle, and the thigh parallel to the floor.
   • Hold this position for a few seconds, then return to the starting position and repeat with your left foot forward. Do 5-10 reps on each leg.

6. 

   Work out your core muscles with a plank. Since the muscles in your lower back are part of the central abdominal muscles, you cannot improve lower back strength without building the core muscles.
   • Start in a prone position with your legs straight behind. Raise your body over your hands and toes, so your body forms a straight line from the top of your head to your heels.
   • If you don't have a lot of plank experience, you can adjust this exercise by leaning on your knees and elbows, or on your toes with elbows so that your body is supported by your forearms instead of wrists.
   • Unilateral plank exercises the core muscles together with the side muscles. Lean on one forearm, stacked legs together. Make sure the elbow is just below the shoulder.

7. 

   Use balance ball to increase difficulty. After you have been doing these back exercises for a while, they should become easier and easier. Use a balance ball to add an element of balance to the exercise, causing the muscles to move more.
   • For example, if you put your foot on the ball for a hip lift, this pose will be much harder to do, and also harder to maintain.
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Method 2 of 3: Lower back stretching

1. 

   Warm up in a cow-cat pose. This is a yoga pose, which requires you to alternate between cat and cow poses while synchronizing movements with the breath. If you practice this pose regularly, your spinal flexibility will increase.
   • Start in a crawl position with a flat back. The wrists should be just below the shoulders, the knees should be just below the hips.
   • In one inhalation, you release your belly towards the floor and lift your chest and pelvis so that your back is hanging down like a cow.
   • As you exhale, you curl your back up, close your tailbone, and press your chin against your chest. Repeat this for 10-20 breaths. Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose, and out slowly through your mouth.

2. 

   Increase blood circulation with the Sphinx. Sphinx posture increases blood circulation to the lower back, which can heal lower back problems as well as muscle development. Start in a tummy position with your legs straight behind.
   • Raise over forearms, keeping elbows just below shoulders. Press your feet and palms down on the floor, pushing your pubic bone forward until you feel your lower back is engaged.
   • Hold this for 1-3 minutes, inhale deeply through your nose, and exhale through your mouth.

3. 

   Stretch hamstrings in a face-down dog pose. This is a classic yoga pose that can stretch the whole body, as well as help calm the mind and focus. Stretching exercises specifically for the hamstring muscles can help strengthen the lower back.
   • Get into a crawl position on the mattress with your knees just below your hips. The wrist can be placed just below the shoulder or slightly above the shoulder. Connect with breathing, breathing slowly and deeply through your nose, breathing out through your mouth.
   • In one exhale, lift your hips upwards, straightening your arms in front of your face until your body forms an inverted "V" shape. Tilt your shoulders back and relax your neck.
   • As you inhale, imagine yourself raising your hips even higher, pulling the weight on your arms and away from your wrists. During the next exhale, focus on your leg, pushing weight into your heels to stretch your hamstrings. Hold this position for 10-20 breaths, then return to crawling.

4. 

   Do knee rotation. The knee rotation provides effective stretching and overall strength of the central and lower back muscles, while the rotation helps to decompress and strengthen the spine. Begin lying on your back on the mattress with your legs straight.
   • Stretch your arms to the side so that your body forms a "T" on the floor. Then bend your knees up to your chest.
   • During an exhalation, lower your knees to the floor to the right, paying attention to keep your shoulders firmly on the mattress so that only your lower back is turned.
   • As you inhale, bring your feet back to the center, and for the next exhale, lower your knees to the floor to the left. Repeat 5-10 beats on each side.

5. 

   Rest in baby position. Baby Pose is the classic pose to end the yoga session, while also helping to steadily stretch your lower back. You can get into baby pose from crawling position - simply lower your hips down and bend your upper body on your thighs, arms straight in front of you.
   • If your body is flexible, you can put your forehead on the mattress. Don't bend your upper body more than you are comfortable with.
   • Stretching the knees a little will help make the posture of the baby easier to perform, and feel more comfortable.
   • Since the baby's pose is a resting position, you can hold it for as long as you like, and remember to take a deep breath.
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Method 3 of 3: Do aerobic exercise

1. 

   Walk often. Walking is a simple and inexpensive way to become more active. Walking 15 - 20 minutes most days of the week will help strengthen your lower back and the rest of your body.
   • Try walking with a friend for the motivation and joy of exercising. If you are walking alone, listen to music, podcasts or audio books.

2. 

   Cycling. If you have lower back pain that makes sitting more comfortable than standing, cycling will be a suitable and good for the heart. Using your bike on site is better than cycling on a bumpy field.
   • Cycling is a comfortable, low-impact activity for the joints, strengthens the legs, hips and lower back, and is also good cardiovascular exercise.

3. 

   Practice interval. Combining cardio with strength-strengthening exercise will make the session more effective, which can develop lower back strength without making lower back pain worse. You can search the internet for a variety of free video tutorials on interval training for beginners.
   • Do high intensity cardio for 3-5 minutes and then strength training for the next 3-5 minutes, and continuing to rotate like that will help maintain a high heart rate without putting too much pressure on your lower back.

4. 

   Swimming. If you can go to the pool, swimming 20-30 minutes, two or three days a week, is a good way to develop full back strength. To avoid making your back problem worse, join a class or hire a coach for precise technical instruction.
   • Swimming is a low-impact activity and water has a lifting effect on the body, so it is very healthy if you have joint problems or are overweight.
   • If you rarely go to the pool, start slowly with 10 minutes of swimming a session. After each week, increase your swimming time by 5 minutes until you can swim for half an hour or more each session.
   • If you can't swim, walking or running in the water will help create resistance to develop strength in your legs and lower back, while you don't worry about suffocation.

5. 

   Buy a step counter. Aim to walk at least 10,000 steps per day. Wearing a step counter at your waist will help you keep track of your steps. Some are connected to the internet and have applications that allow you to track your progress over time.
   • Choose an easy-to-use step counter and help you reach your goal. You can buy the very basic one or the one with a lot of extra functions.
   • If you are used to a passive lifestyle, aim low at first and gradually increase to 10,000 steps.Integrate walking into your day activities by parking your car farther away while shopping, or using the stairs instead of the elevator.

6. 

   Maintain an active lifestyle. Sitting for long periods of time can cause the lower back muscles to shrink. Prevent this by getting up and walking every 30 minutes if possible, and try to reduce overall sitting hours.
   • For example, if you sit at work most of the day, try to stand when you get home, instead of sitting on the couch watching TV.
   • You can also buy (or ask the company to buy) a standing desk, so that you can stand during work.
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Warning

• If you already have lower back pain talk to your healthcare provider before doing any back-strengthening exercises. A physical therapist can prescribe exercises that are right for you to relieve back pain without making it worse.