The best way to strengthen your lower back muscles is through balancing movements. When you are balancing, the small intrinsic muscles that line your spine are the primary muscle group that is engaged. Strengthening these muscles is important since they are the window to your posture and stabilize your body when you move. Having weak intrinsic muscles causes chronic back pain especially for those in professions that require little movement.
Listed below are examples of great low back exercises.
The 1 exercise that will place too much strain on your low back is called back extension. This exercise does little for the intrinsic muscles and often leads to chronic back pain. I consider this the worst exercise for your low back.
- Walking on uneven ground such as hiking or walking up stairs can be a great way to strengthen your back.
- Sitting on a balance ball is a great way to engage these muscles when you are work.
- If you belong to a gym, try not holding on to the handles on the treadmill or elliptical during your workout, and swap a bench for an exercise ball during exercises that require you to sit.