Lower back exercises are used to accomplish two tasks, most use them to for back pain relief, and others to strengthen their back to prevent back pain. Either way any lower back exercise must aim to improve strength. Read on to learn what you need to do first to make sure you increase strength rather than reduce it.

Your lower back and pelvis have a function of support. Think of them as “foundation” areas, similar to the foundations of your house. If this area is strong then you will have strength throughout your structural system.

As a result of this strength you are able to move freely, do exercise, take up leisure pursuits and generally perform better in your daily tasks. There is one BIG issue you need to be aware of though.

Most of you will try to improve the strength of your lower back by exercising. Lower back exercises consist of the standard exercises such as dead lifts, back extensions and various yoga type exercises. But…

Did you know that no matter what exercise you do, your lower back will not increase in strength unless you do three things first? If you do not set up your body to improve it won’t. There are three factors that unless fixed will actually reduce the strength of your lower back. Then if you use lower back exercises you may actually do more harm than good.

What do you need to change first?

The first area you must change before you attempt to strengthen your lower back is to correct any joint or pelvic imbalance. If your lower back or pelvis is distorted, then you lose power and strength in your lower back as your muscles are not pulling in straight lines. You are more likely to cause injury than to increase strength.

The second area to fix is your abdominals. If your abdominals are weak (more on that in the next area) then your lower back will compensate – just like a see-saw. One side goes up and the other down. If your abdominals are weak then your lower back will pull your spine backwards. This shortens the lower back muscle fibers and hence exercises are useless.

The last area is something nobody ever mentions. If the nerve supply to your lower back muscles is reduced, then any lower back exercise will fail to improve your strength. The nerve and blood supply need to be ideal or muscles will not increase in strength, no matter how much or how many exercises you do.

If you want to eliminate back pain, if you are searching for any way to relieve back pain, then you must exercise correctly. This is not just the technique you use but the factors that slow your progress. There is little point in exercising if you take months and months to improve.

Did you know that most people report it took over 4 months to see significant changes in their back pain by using lower back exercises? Why?

Unless the factors above are corrected, exercise will fail to improve your strength or seriously delay it. If you are going to use lower back exercises for back pain relief or preventing back pain, then you must address these issues above. Otherwise it may be a few months before you see any change.

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