Lower backs are particularly prone to injury and flare-ups.
Poor lifting mechanics, accumulated stress, or even just a restless night’s sleep can trigger pain, tightness or weakness in the region..
If you’re currently nursing discomfort in your lower back, that doesn’t mean you’re broken, says fitness coach Saima Husain. “It just needs better support.”
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Tight hamstrings, trapped nerves or dormant muscle groups like the glutes can be to blame.
To address all three, Husain recently shared a four-move routine designed to strengthen the hips, glutes and core while improving your ability to move with control and stability.
Four exercises to build a stronger lower back
The first exercise in Husain’s routine draws on a technique called nerve flossing, which helps ease strain—and pain—around the hamstrings and lower back.
From a prone position, you use a band to hold one leg in an elevated position, while the other one flosses up and down.
This increases circulation around compressed or restricted structures, like the sciatic nerve, according to Husain.
The next three exercises strengthen vital muscles around the lower back, including the erector spinae that runs along the spine, the hamstrings running down the back of the legs, and the powerful glutes.
To make the most of this routine, Husain urges patience.
“Keep it slow and controlled, working with each inhale and exhale, to avoid rushing and using bad form,” she says.
“Working with your breath really helps connect you with the movement mechanics involved, but also strengthens the mind-body connection and taps into your mental state.”
Husain recommends using this routine as a standalone workout for the lower body and lower back, or as a thorough warm-up to protect the lower back and spine.
“Mobility-based warm-ups like this are, in my eyes, fundamental to mentally get yourself ready for whatever workout lies ahead,” she says.
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12
- Lie on your back with one leg raised, the other extended on the floor.
- Place a short-looped band over your raised foot and hold the other end.
- Lift your head, but keep your lower back pressed into the floor to engage your deep core muscles.
- With control, slowly raise and lower your non-banded leg, keeping it straight throughout.
“The aim is to gently floss the nerves that run down the back of your hamstrings, helping relieve any numbness or tension you might feel in your lower back,” says Husain.
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12
- Lie on your front with hands by your shoulders.
- Keeping your glutes gently engaged, press through your hands to lift your chest off the floor.
- Lower down with control and repeat.
“This teaches you to extend your spine with control, not compression,” says Husain.
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 4-8
- Lie on your back, knees bent, heels flat on the floor, toes lifted.
- Lift your hips, then slowly walk your heels away, about four to eight steps.
- Keep your hips raised and stable.
- Pause, then step your feet back to the start and repeat.
“How far you can walk out will depend on your core strength, hip stability and lower back pain,” says Husain. “Move smooth, not stiff.”
Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12
- Sit on the floor, with your shoulders resting on a bench or couch.
- Lift your hips high so your shoulders to knees are aligned.
- Lift one foot off the floor, keeping your knee bent, then slowly lower your hips toward the floor.
- Drive your hip high again, maintaining control and stability in your hips, core and lower back. That’s one repetition.
- Complete the repetitions on one leg, then repeat on the other.
“This isolates each side to balance strength and protect your lumbar spine,” says Husain.
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