If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think about your lower back all that often, unless it hurts. But the truth is, it’s one of the most important parts of your body! The lower back is responsible for keeping us upright and stable, and if it’s weak, we can experience a lot of pain in the lower back and other parts of our body. In this blog post, we will discuss 3 exercises to strengthen your lower back- and 3 exercises to avoid! These exercises can be used to strengthen your lower back in order to prevent or manage lower back pain.
3 Exercises to Try
Hamstring Stretches:
Hamstring stretches are a great exercise to strengthen your lower back. They work the muscles in the back of your legs, which helps to support your lower back. To do a hamstring stretch, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Loop a towel or cloth under the ball of your foot and pull back on the towel as you lift and straighten your knee. Hold for 15-30 seconds, then slowly lower yourself back down. Repeat 2-4 times per leg.
Partial Crunches:
Partial crunches are another great exercise to strengthen your lower back. They work the muscles in your midsection, which helps to support your lower back. However, they don’t place excess strain on your lower back. To do a partial crunch, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on either side of your head, and curl your upper body up until your shoulders are off the floor. Your feet, tailbone, and lower back should all remain in contact with the ground. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly lower yourself back down. Repeat 12-15 times.
Wall Sits:
Wall sits are a great exercise to strengthen your lower back and your core. They work the muscles in your midsection, which helps to support your lower back. To do a wall sit, stand with your back against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Slowly slide down the wall until your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Hold for a few seconds, then slowly slide back up the wall. Repeat 12-15 times.
Exercises to Avoid:
Now that we’ve discussed some exercises to strengthen your lower back, let’s discuss some exercises to avoid!
Toe Touches:
Toe touches are a bad exercise for your lower back because they put a lot of strain on the lower back. specifically on the discs and ligaments. They can also cause you to arch your back, which can lead to pain in the lower back. In some cases, toe touches can also cause you to overstretch the lower back muscles and hamstrings.
Sit-Ups:
Sit-ups are a bad exercise for your lower back because they put a lot of strain on the discs in your lower back. They can also cause you to arch your back, which can lead to pain in the lower back. Sit ups also tend to engage the abs or hips more than the back.
Leg Lifts:
Leg lifts are a bad exercise for your lower back because they put a lot of strain on the lower back. They can also cause you to arch your back, which can lead to pain in the lower back. If you already have a weak back, this exercise can actually increase your pain.
In Conclusion
In this blog post, we have discussed the importance of strengthening your lower back, and we have provided you with three exercises to try- partial crunches, hamstring stretches, and wall sits. We have also discussed three exercises to avoid- toe touches, sit-ups, and leg lifts. Strengthening your lower back is an important part of keeping your body healthy and pain free. We hope that this blog post has provided you with some valuable information. Thank you for reading!
