What Are 10 Exercises for Strengthening the Lower Back?

1. Good mornings

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands placed behind your head.
• Pull your shoulders back and tighten your core.
• Breathe in and hinge forward from your hips (not your waist) while slightly bending your knees.
• Keep your back flat and lean forward until you feel a slight stretch in the back of your thighs.
• Breathe out and stand up straight.
• Repeat.
• Try doing this exercise while holding a barbell or weights.

2. Deadlifts

• Stand holding a barbell with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Bend at your hips to hold the bar with a mixed grip on the bar (one hand overhand while the other hand underhand).
• Push your hips backward so that you come in a half-squat position with your back flat.
• Tighten your back and engage your core as you breathe.
• Raise the barbell, keeping it close to your shin and knees, and stand straight.
• Hold for 1-2 seconds and then lower the barbell to the ground without arching your back.
• Repeat.

3. Bird-dog

• Get down on all fours on a mat.
• Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees under your hips.
• Keep your back parallel to the floor and pull your belly button toward your spine.
• Reach your right arm forward as you straighten your left leg back.
• Hold for 2-4 seconds
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat.

4. Glute bridges

• Lie facing upward on a mat on the floor.
• Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the ground with your heels touching the floor.
• Dig your heels into the ground, simultaneously squeezing your hip muscles.
• Lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees are a straight line.
• Hold this position for about 5-6 seconds.
• Bring your hips back to the floor slowly.
• Rest for 5-10 seconds and repeat.

5. Knee to chest

• Lie down with your back on the floor.
• Bend your knees and keep your feet flat on the floor.
• Draw your right knee toward your chest while keeping your left foot flat on the floor.
• Hold this position for about 15-30 seconds, making sure your back is flat on the floor.
• Resist the temptation to lift your lower back or put pressure on it.
• Gently lower your right knee and relax.
• Repeat the exercise with your left knee.

6. Push-ups

• Lie on the floor facing down.
• Place your palms on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders.
• Extend your legs back so that you are balanced on your hands and toes.
• Keep your body in a straight line from head to toe without arching your back.
• Keep your feet together or spaced slightly apart, depending on what is most comfortable for you
• Keep your core tight, inhale slowly, bend your elbows, and lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle
• Breathe out and push yourself back up using your hands.
• Keep your elbows slightly bent during this workout and avoid locking them.
• Repeat.

7. Supermans

• Lie on the floor facing down.
• Stretch your arms out in front of you parallel to the floor
• Raise your arms, legs, and chest simultaneously off the floor.
• Hold for about 2 seconds and breathe out.
• Slowly inhale and bring your arms, legs, and chest to the ground.
• Repeat.

8. Contralateral limb raises

• Lie on your stomach with your legs extended and toes pointing away from your shins.
• Extend your arms overhead so that your palms are facing each other.
• Keep your core tight as you breathe out while raising the opposite arm and leg (for example, left arm and right leg) a few inches above the ground
• Hold this position for a few seconds.
• Repeat.

9. Bent-over rows

• Stand with your feet slightly less than shoulder-width apart.
• Bend your knees slightly and hold dumbbells in each hand with a neutral grip.
• Hinge forward from your hips so that your torso is roughly parallel to (or slightly above) the floor; this is the starting position.
• Drive your elbows behind your trunk while retracting the shoulder blades.
• Now pull the dumbbells toward your trunk until your elbows are at or just past the midline.
• Slowly lower the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat.

10. Inchworms

• Stand with your feet together or slightly apart while keeping your core tight.
• Gently breathe out and bend downward, keeping your legs straight.
• Touch the ground and crawl forward until you are in a push-up position and your back is parallel to the ground.
• Crawl back in the same way until you reach the standing position.
• Inhale and repeat.