Fitness From the Pro

As promised, I’ll go over a list of low back exercises to keep the muscle balance between the abs and low back.  There are plenty of yoga and pilates moves that are an excellent choice for the low back.

A good low back exercise taken from yoga is the Cobra.

• Place your hands directly under your shoulders, while laying on your stomach with your legs fully extended out behind you.
• Pull your belly button into your spine and inhale.
• As you slowly push up and lift your upper body off the mat, exhale and push your pelvic bones into the mat.
• Push up as far as you can comfortably go without lifting the pelvic bones off the mat.
• Keep head and neck in align with your spine, by keeping your chin parallel to the mat/floor looking forward.
• Hold the pose, and then lower the upper body on the mat and repeat 3-5 times.

The Double Leg Lift is an excellent exercise to strengthen the lower back.

• Lay prone(on your stomach), rest your forehead on the backs of your hands, one on top of another legs are extended out behind you with your heels touching.
• Pull belly button to your spine and inhale.
• As you exhale and push pelvis into the mat, lift both legs off the mat, heels stay together, legs are straight and remain extended.
• Hold the lift for 10-20 seconds while continuing to breathe.
• Lower both legs back to mat, and repeat 3-5 times.

A more aggressive move for the low back is the Bow Pose from Yoga.

• Lay prone on the mat, legs extended behind you, and arms by the side of you body, palms up.
• With each hand, reach for the foot behind you, bending your knees.
• Right hand holds right foot, left hand holds left foot.
• Exhale, and lift upper and lower body off the mat, pushing the pubic bone into the mat and hold 10-20 seconds.
• Lower body and repeat 2-3 times.

All of the above low back  exercises will help strengthen the low back so there will be limited muscle imbalance between the abs and low back.  Practice these moves, every other day and your lower back will get stronger.   Then you can add more to your routine.  Good luck and keep that low back strong!