Lower Back Exercises

Lower back exercises are very important to your health, wellness. and even your finances.

Lower back pain is the second leading cause of missing work. The estimated cost is up to 2% of the American gross national product each year.

Lower back pain is the 3rd most common cause of disability in people under 45 years old each year.

This is why core exercises and particularly lower back exercises are so important. A healthy and flexible lower back will reap many physical, emotional, and financial benefits.



Most core exercises will benefit the lower back and help prevent lower back pain. Some of these specific lower back exercises should be included in your core exercise program.

• Lay across an exercise ball with stomach and hips on the ball.
• Make sure the balls of your feet are firmly planted on the floor.
• Your head should be in one line with your spine. The neck should be neutral.
• Place your hands lightly behind your ears. Do not pull your head.
• Pull your navel in toward your spine to engage your abdominal muscles.
• Contract your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.
• Slowly extend your back, raising your head toward the ceiling without going into a deep hyperextension of your back.
• Hold for 2 seconds and return to the starting position.
• Repeat 6-8 times when first beginning.

• Lie face down on floor (you may want to place a rolled towel under your hips for support).
• Extend your arms and legs in opposite directions.
• Pull your navel in toward your spine to engage your abdominal muscles.
• Raise your right arm off the floor while simultaneously raising your left leg.
• Hold this position for three seconds.
• Repeat for the other side.
• You may want to start with only doing this two times on each side.

• Get in the all-fours position.
• Keep your head straight, neck neutral, and eyes looking at the floor.
• Slowly allow your trunk to sag so that your back is arched and you are looking at the ceiling (camel position).
• Then pull your navel toward your spine and round your back like a cat while tucking your chin toward your chest.
• Keep your shoulders rolled away from your ears.
• The movement between these two positions should be smooth and flowing.
• Repeat 8-10 times.

Mike Geary has cut through all the media hype and written Truth About Abs.