The 12 Best Strength Exercises For Lower Back Pain
Building strength is the best thing you can do to limit the impact that goes through your spine and solve lower back pain. However, if you're dealing with chronic back pain it can be hard to know where to start. In this article we'll show you the 12 best strength exercises for lower back pain to help you build strength, without stressing your lower back.
Introductory Strength Exercises For Lower Back Pain
The first step to solving lower back pain with strength is to build a solid strength foundation. Starting with too much weight or exercises that are too advanced is a sure-fire way to get injured, discouraged and torpedo any goals you may have. The first five exercises are introductory strength exercises that will help you build strength without stressing your lower back.
The Glute Bridge
Strong glutes set the foundation for our spinal positioning. Good spinal positioning limits the impact that goes through your spine. The glute bridge is a safe and effective exercise to build glute strength without stressing your lower back.
Learn How To Do The Glute Bridge Perfect Form
The Side Plank
Building core strength is required to take pressure off the structures of our lower back. The side plank is a safe way to build strength in important lower back stabilizer muscles.
Find 10 Side Plank Variations For All Ability Levels
Birddog
The birddog is a safe and effective exercise to improve lower back stability, build core strength, and practice your neutral spine position for less lower back pain.
Back Extension Holds
Building postural strength is important in holding ourselves upright and taking pressure off the structures of our lower back. Back Extension Holds are a safe and effective way to build strength in our postural muscles.
The Dead Bug
Being able to maintain good spinal positioning helps limit the impact on our spine while we exercise. The dead bug is an introductory core strength exercise to help build a solid strength foundation without stressing your lower back.
Learn More About How To Perform The Deadbug
More Advanced Strength Exercises For Lower Back Pain
Once you've built a solid strength foundation, then it's safe to move onto more challenging variations. The following exercises are more advanced exercises to build glute, core, and postural strength to solve lower back pain.
The Hip Thrust
The hip thrust is a more advanced variations of our glute bridge exercise. This movement targets your hamstrings and glutes. You can easily add resistance with bands and weights which makes it a great exercise to build glute strength to treat lower back pain.
Planking
There are 100's of exercises to build core strength. The Plank is the safest and most effective way to build core strength without aggravating our lower back. Find ten different plank progressions for any ability level here.
The Pallof Press
Being able to control and limit movement through our spine is required to limit the impact on our spine. The Pallof Press is an 'anti-rotation' core strengthening exercise used improve strength and control of our core musculature.
Y's and T's With Hinge
While traditionally a shoulder exercise, the Y and T w/ Hinge is a great way to further improve postural strength. Maintaining the hinge position fires up the lumbar erectors and is a great way to improve posture for less lower back pain.
Squats
The squat is a great exercise to improve full body movement patterning while building strength in our hamstring and glutes. It's also an easy movement to progress for all ability levels.
Use Out Step By Step Guide To Performing The Squat Without Pain
The Kettlebell Deadlift
The kettlebell deadlift is another important movement pattern that we use to build strength in our glutes and hamstrings. It's also a more functional movement. Meaning it's something we can use through our day to protect our lower back from injury.
Learn How To SAFELY Perform The Kettlebell Deadlift
Carries
Lifting up heavy things and carrying them around is the best way to build functional core strength to protect your spine as you move through the day. The Farmer's Carry helps develop full body strength and tension to prevent lower back pain.
Learn More About Loaded Carries For Lower Back Pain
The best strength exercises for lower back pain are the ones that build strength in our glute, core, and postural muscles. To learn more about improving movement and strength to solve years of chronic joint pain and maintain your lifestyle as you get older, be sure to join our community and download your free ‘Solving Pain With Strength’ exercise program below.