Advice needed on exercises to strengthen my weak back ?

[royasa]

Hello,
I have a weak back due to the excessive back pain I get. I've had back pain for a few years now. I used to think that it was mainly my mattress or because I have to stand around long hours at my job, but it's mainly due to having a weak back. I want to familiarize myself with back workouts, especially lower back ones. I want to REALLY strengthen my back. I've looked into youtube videos but find that mainly are for guys ? I also found some yoga exercises just for "relieving" back pain but I don't find that much of a help. I am more interested in workouts I can do with my dumbbells at home. Oh yes I quit my gym last month due to a lot of reasons and I find that working out at home is more efficient for me. SO I don't have any fancy gym equipment at home except for my few dumbbells lol.

If you work out on your back regularly to strengthen it, please give me some advice, or if you have links, you can share them with me. Thanks!

[amiaow]

Guys and girls do the same workouts. Part of having a strong back is having a strong core, so core exercises such as planks are great for stabilising and strengthening the whole region. Hyperextensions and deadlifts are also good. Swimming is also excellent.

If you're doing a workout at home, you want a workout that will work your whole body and not just your back. Google should be able to provide you something. Good luck!

[catkitt]

Yoga is a good way to start strengthening with back pain.

[kimm4]

Exercises to strengthen lower back/core

anti rotation barbell
cable woodchops
russian twists
pallof press

piriformis stretches (I do these in between my sets on leg days)

The guy talks alot so feel free to fast foward.

[royasa]

Guys and girls do the same workouts. Part of having a strong back is having a strong core, so core exercises such as planks are great for stabilising and strengthening the whole region. Hyperextensions and deadlifts are also good. Swimming is also excellent.

If you're doing a workout at home, you want a workout that will work your whole body and not just your back. Google should be able to provide you something. Good luck!

Lol I didn't know that about core exercises! I did look up guy workouts but then it looked more intense so I wasn't sure. Thanks!

[royasa]

Yoga is a good way to start strengthening with back pain.

I do bikram's yoga every week and every class feels like I am gonna pass out but then I don't lol.

[royasa]

Exercises to strengthen lower back/core

anti rotation barbell
cable woodchops
russian twists
pallof press

piriformis stretches (I do these in between my sets on leg days)

The guy talks alot so feel free to fast foward.

Hey thanks for that video! How long do you stretch for, and how long do you hold your stretches for ?
I am not really familiar with any of those exercise names but I'm gonna look it up! Thanks again!

[happyplace]

I also had a seriously weak back. Some things I have found beneficial especially in the earlier stages were:

Swiss ball work, where you rest either your feet or shoulder on the ball, head facing the ceiling, and slowly raise and lower your hips to a hyperextended position.

Regular hyperextensions

Deadlifts and variants on deadlift, like single leg kettlebell deadlifts.

Any general stability work including jump training, and stuff like weighted walking lunges.

Yoga basically helps everything if you are doing it right.

[kimm4]

Hey thanks for that video! How long do you stretch for, and how long do you hold your stretches for ?
I am not really familiar with any of those exercise names but I'm gonna look it up! Thanks again!

I normally do these stretches during my rest periods, hold for about 10 seconds and keep switching legs.

Your basic compound lifts will be key for building a stronger back/core. These exercises will do the same, but they'll also give you some relief to your lower back pain. Pick a couple random exercises and scatter though your normal lifting program.

[CoderGirl]

Hello,
I have a weak back due to the excessive back pain I get. I've had back pain for a few years now. I used to think that it was mainly my mattress or because I have to stand around long hours at my job, but it's mainly due to having a weak back. I want to familiarize myself with back workouts, especially lower back ones. I want to REALLY strengthen my back. I've looked into youtube videos but find that mainly are for guys ? I also found some yoga exercises just for "relieving" back pain but I don't find that much of a help. I am more interested in workouts I can do with my dumbbells at home. Oh yes I quit my gym last month due to a lot of reasons and I find that working out at home is more efficient for me. SO I don't have any fancy gym equipment at home except for my few dumbbells lol.

If you work out on your back regularly to strengthen it, please give me some advice, or if you have links, you can share them with me. Thanks!

My back is F-ed. And I have to say since I started lifting weights it's gotten significantly better. Like, I no longer get daily back pain. Look into Stronglifts 5x5. You could modify it for dumbbells if they're heavy enough. If your back feels like cracking under that (and mine probably would have) I'd recommend Spartacus. Mainly because that's the only other one I've done lol (it's in Men's Health Magazine, look it up online). There's a omg I'd rip my back open doing that version and an easier version. I don't think I've done Spartacus with anything over 20lb dumbbells and I started with 5 and quickly moved up. I did find that it helped my back. My back was incredibly bad at first and I could hardly do any of it but now it's a snap, just keep at it and you'll be able to do them no problem. If you want a less cardio more strength program there are many many body weight exercises you can find online. Gluck!

[christianecoach]

Hi,

One of the back exercises that gently stretches your back muscles is: lie on your back with knees bent. Slowly raise your left knee to your chest, while pressing your lower back firmly against the floor. Remain in position for 5 seconds. Relax; repeat the exercise with your right knee. Repeat this exercise 10 times for each leg.

[Brucelats]

You should be doing plank exercises, slow stretching/relaxing exercises and romanian deadlift with MINIMUM weights !. You could do it with a plate or some light bar, or dumbell.

[royasa]

My back is F-ed. And I have to say since I started lifting weights it's gotten significantly better. Like, I no longer get daily back pain. Look into Stronglifts 5x5. You could modify it for dumbbells if they're heavy enough. If your back feels like cracking under that (and mine probably would have) I'd recommend Spartacus. Mainly because that's the only other one I've done lol (it's in Men's Health Magazine, look it up online). There's a omg I'd rip my back open doing that version and an easier version. I don't think I've done Spartacus with anything over 20lb dumbbells and I started with 5 and quickly moved up. I did find that it helped my back. My back was incredibly bad at first and I could hardly do any of it but now it's a snap, just keep at it and you'll be able to do them no problem. If you want a less cardio more strength program there are many many body weight exercises you can find online. Gluck!

Hey thanks for the advice! Sorry girl I just saw this. I kept checking this thread I didn't see any more replies and I never get notifications I am still unsure about the layout of this site but getting used to it! I've never heard of spartacus but I am googling it now!
Oh and I also found this video for some exercises examples :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tG1y0gYRcw

Unfortunately, I haven't yet seen any significant changes, I still get it sometimes but I am working on it. I just want to strengthen it a lot!

[royasa]

You should be doing plank exercises, slow stretching/relaxing exercises and romanian deadlift with MINIMUM weights !. You could do it with a plate or some light bar, or dumbell.

Minimum weights?!!! Ahhh I have small dumbbells and heavy ones! Unfortunately I have been using the heavy ones. My lightest dumbbell is like 8 lbs lol. I never use that. My other ones are 15 and 20 lbs.

[amiaow]

Minimum weights?!!! Ahhh I have small dumbbells and heavy ones! Unfortunately I have been using the heavy ones. My lightest dumbbell is like 8 lbs lol. I never use that. My other ones are 15 and 20 lbs.

It's fine to use your normal heavier weights, just use a weight with which you can still keep your core tight to protect your back.

[royasa]

It's fine to use your normal heavier weights, just use a weight with which you can still keep your core tight to protect your back.

Ok :-)
But I feel like the small dumbbells won't do anything so wouldn't you say that the larger or heavier one will be more effective ??

[srb04e]

As much as I hate this exercise hyper extensions are a great lower back exercise. Start doing 2-3 sets at the beginning of every workout and then after a few weeks I doing that you can add a plate in your arms, hugging it to your chest. Make sure to do them slow and squeeze each rep

[CoderGirl]

Hey thanks for the advice! Sorry girl I just saw this. I kept checking this thread I didn't see any more replies and I never get notifications I am still unsure about the layout of this site but getting used to it! I've never heard of spartacus but I am googling it now!
Oh and I also found this video for some exercises examples :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tG1y0gYRcw

Unfortunately, I haven't yet seen any significant changes, I still get it sometimes but I am working on it. I just want to strengthen it a lot!

No problem, and Stronglifts I'm just starting and I have to say I love it. It's very back labored though. I started with significantly lighter weights then it calls for. The key is to read as much as possible first about the lifts. There's a lot of mis-information out there that could set yourself up for injury. For example, starting with body weight squats when you're weak is fine. But weighted squats do not have the same physics as body weight squats. I'm flexible and I've been trying to avoid 'buttwink' and felt a strain on my back. Not sure if it was good or not I asked around and found this:
http://70sbig.com/blog/2010/10/the-butt-wink/

Take videos, send them to people, let them tell you if you're terrible, and then weigh in what's sudoscience and what's not. Look at both sides of things

[alexisap]

I'm not sure if any previous poster mentioned this, but I'd highly suggest deadlifting! Even with dumbbells alone, you can do a straightleg deadlift. A single arm dumbbell snatch might also help.

[TheAmazon]

As a person three months out from a back surgery with a completely jacked up lumbar spine, I'm fidning out now core strength is number one. Second to that you might want to check out your posterior chain and make sure you're getting complete glute activation. For me on squats i could squat and deadlift a bunch prior to this but was using my quads to do most of the work. make sure you have strong hams, core, and glute strength. Start small working with body weight stuff. A goal is to be able to hold the regular plannk and side planks for two minutes.

[natasor]

Hello,
Iis more efficient for me. SO I don't have any fancy gym equipment at home except for my few dumbbells lol.

If you work out on your back regularly to strengthen it, please give me some advice, or if you have links, you can share them with me. Thanks!

All moves for men are, actually, good for women too. Don't be affraid to try them at your own discretion.
The main idea is that the strenght of your back is function of multiple muscles effort of your body. Support of the back is created by the abdomen, obliques, glutes, quads, triceps, shoulder and, definetely, back itself. Fot the beginning you should develope lardgest muscles like abs, glutes and back.
There are variety of exercises for abs (upper and lower) you can do at home. No gym equipment needed for the glutes (think of lounges, squads).
Planks (on the stomach or sides) are perfect and safest for back strength and abs. Be patient and consistent. Hit your abs every day with at least 500 reps of all kinds of moves. Pushups are greatest for stomach and back. You hitting dual goal: u stay in plank position and doing back, shoulders, triceps, abs. Perfect storm. Standing on your feet all day long is much healthier than seat on yout butt. I get the same type of job. I think this is my fortune, not dread.
Good luck, u will be there

[kaleida]

I vote for a full-body beginner weightlifting program like Starting Strength. It really helped my back pain (with other nice side effects too).

[sy2502]

Hello,
I have a weak back due to the excessive back pain I get. I've had back pain for a few years now. I used to think that it was mainly my mattress or because I have to stand around long hours at my job, but it's mainly due to having a weak back. I want to familiarize myself with back workouts, especially lower back ones. I want to REALLY strengthen my back. I've looked into youtube videos but find that mainly are for guys ? I also found some yoga exercises just for "relieving" back pain but I don't find that much of a help. I am more interested in workouts I can do with my dumbbells at home. Oh yes I quit my gym last month due to a lot of reasons and I find that working out at home is more efficient for me. SO I don't have any fancy gym equipment at home except for my few dumbbells lol.

If you work out on your back regularly to strengthen it, please give me some advice, or if you have links, you can share them with me. Thanks!

I have scoliosis and used to suffer with lower back pain. I also got upper back pain from sitting at a computer too long. Very heavy weight lifting has helped enormously with both problems. Don't be afraid of weights. Also for my upper back, I found deep tissue massage to be a godsend.

[CoderGirl]

I have scoliosis and used to suffer with lower back pain. I also got upper back pain from sitting at a computer too long. Very heavy weight lifting has helped enormously with both problems. Don't be afraid of weights. Also for my upper back, I found deep tissue massage to be a godsend.

this. This girl ha had scoliosis since she was 8:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/news...barbie-barbell


She's not doing bad at all lol. Don't let people trick you into thinking strength training is bad because of a bad back. It's about the only thing that can help retain (on a calorie deficit)/create (on a calorie surplus) muscle. I've had a bad back for years and strength training is about the first and only thing that has worked.

[sy2502]

this. This girl ha had scoliosis since she was 8:
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/news...barbie-barbell


She's not doing bad at all lol. Don't let people trick you into thinking strength training is bad because of a bad back. It's about the only thing that can help retain (on a calorie deficit)/create (on a calorie surplus) muscle. I've had a bad back for years and strength training is about the first and only thing that has worked.

My doctor explained to me that with scoliosis, muscles were crucial to help the spine carry the weight. Use good form to make sure you don't add a lifting injury to your already problematic back.