by Ben Greenfield

Ask the Get-Fit Guy: Strengthen Your Lower Back

Q. How can I get a stronger lower back?

A. Anyone who has thrown out their back knows that sinking feeling that comes after picking something  up the wrong way, getting bumped the wrong way during a sporting event, or reaching into a deep drawer and suddenly feeling a twinge of pain surging through the spine.

Spine, hip, and shoulder flexibility is important for allowing the lower back to move through a proper range of motion, but to avoid injury, it is also crucial to have proper strength in the lower back. The lower back becomes stronger when it is forced to extend against a resistance. There are several movements that allow this extension to happen (click on the links for video demonstrations):

1. Low Back Extensions. Be careful not to hyper-extend during this exercise, and for added resistance, hold a weight against your chest or the back of your head.

2. Saxon Bends. Use a light set of dumbbells for this side-bending strength exercise, and only move through a comfortable range of motion.

3. Bridges. There are many forms of a bridge, in which you lie on your back and push your hips towards the sky. Here is one of my favorites, the single leg stability ball bridge.

4. Deadlifts. These can be performed with one arm, both arms, dumbbells or barbells, and are a highly functional low back strengthening exercise.

Get a Quick and Dirty Video Tip

Need to burn more calories with your deadlifts? Try the sprawl deadlift. Click here for a video demonstration.