If you suffer from back pain, you are not alone. The American Association of Neurological Surgeons suggest anywhere from 75-85% of Americans will report low back pain at some time in their life. In fact, low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. You may be one of those statistics, or you may be trying to prevent just that! Either way, strengthening the muscles around your spinal column and in your core is a surefire way to keep your back healthy and strong.
Strengthening your back is also a great way to ensure your back stays safe during all different kinds of exercise, from weight training to running and every yoga move in between. Here are four moves that will help build a better back so you can stand tall—and pain free.
Here’s the plan:
- Grab a yoga mat or head to soft ground, and go through each exercise once as listed.
- Repeat the entire sequence 2 more times. It should take you less than 10 minutes.
- For best results, add this to your workout 2-3 times per week.
Follow along in this quick video or check out the individual moves and their descriptions below!
1. Mid-Back Extension
A) Start lying face down on mat. Lift abs away from mat to engage them and slide the shoulders down the back. The head is lifted in a low hover. Your body is one long line.
B) Using your back muscles and core, lift the chest away from the mat into extension as you exhale. Think of lengthening from the crown of the head.
C) Inhale and return back down to the mat slowly getting longer through the spine as you return.
Perform 10 reps
Related: 12 Yoga Poses To Alleviate Back Pain
2. Dolphin Dive
A) Begin with your forearms on the floor with your arms and feet shoulder-width apart and your hip raised so that your body forms an inverted V.
B) Dive forward, coming to a forearm plank. Keep abs tight and back from sagging. To finish the push-up, reverse the dive, raising your hips back up.
Perform 10 reps
3. Forearm Plank
A) Begin lying on the floor with your forearms flat on the floor, making sure that your elbows are aligned directly under your shoulders.
B) Engage your core and raise your body up off the floor, keeping your forearms on the floor and your body in a straight line from head to feet. Keep your abdominals engaged and try not to let your hips rise or drop.
Hold for 30 seconds
4. Reverse Tabletop Plank
A) Start seated with bent knees and feet on the floor directly under knees. Place hands behind your hips slightly wider than shoulders with fingers pointed towards your feet.
B) Lift hips and torso off the floor and gaze up towards the ceiling keeping your neck relaxed. Keep your knees, hips, and shoulders parallel to the mat as you hold your plank.
Hold for 30 seconds
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