Beginner’s Back Strengthening and Stretching Workout
Back problems are one of the most frequent causes of pain – especially our lower back, the portion of our back that bears the most weight. It certainly does not help that many of us do not practice proper posture in the workplace or even at home. Slouching is a common posture that forces unnecessary extraneous pressure on our lower backs, pressure that – as we age – will begin to sneak up on us.
However, a conditioned back is as good as steel. Backs that are reinforced with certain back exercises are able to withstand more stress and can protect your spine better, while aiding in preventing lower back injuries.
Beginner Workouts To Strengthen Your Upper and Lower Back
For many, back exercises are often a form of exercise that may be last on our list. The reason? Most likely because many people are unsure of what a proper back exercise entails. Your spine doctor of Los Angeles offers you a few exercises that can be completed at home with the use of minimal weights on certain exercises. Put simply, anyone can perform these activities, but we recommend the use of a yoga mat for better form.
One-Arm Dumbbell Raise – this exercise is great for our upper back and is very simple to perform, requiring minimal form. All you have to do is grab an appropriate weight dumbbell (start out small), place your right knee on a flat bench, and proceed to lift the weight with one arm toward your abdomen. After about 10 times, switch to your other arm and repeat.
Dead Lift – an exercise that often requires a particular form that when done correctly offers a great way to strengthen the back. Grab two appropriate sized dumbbells, stand upright, and then lower your hips as far as you can, keeping your back straight the whole way down.
Arm & Leg Raise – this lower back exercise does not even require any weight and is more of a stretching exercise. Don’t be fooled by stretching exercises, they work very well in combination with strengthening exercises. For this one, place your hands and knees onto the floor and then raise your right arm outwards while extending your left leg outwards. Do this around 10 times and then switch to using your left arm and right leg. Try to extend outwards as far as you can.
Simple Back Stretch – a great stretch that can be simply performed in your home and even at work. Grab an armless chair (i.e. a stool), take a seat, cross your right leg over your left, and then twist your back to the opposite side – so in this case, the left. Try and hold the position for 10 seconds and then perform it again using the other side.
There are plenty of other exercises that exist to help strengthen your lower back, but these 4 should give you enough to develop into a beginner’s routine. Exercise is not just beneficial for your back, but for your whole body – your overall health.