It’s easy to take our back for granted. But we need to realize that our back is literally involved in every movement we make. There are approximately 140 muscles in our back divided into three groups: intrinsic, extrinsic and intermediate. But majority of these muscles are underutilized especially if our jobs require us to sit at a desk all day. Stress and anxiety also puts tension in our back as well as the neck.
If you suffer from back pain or simply want to strengthen and tone your back, we share some highly recommended exercises specifically targeting our back muscles. You can do this series of exercise 3x per session.
1. Renegade Rows
How to do it: Start with a high plank position. Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrist and hands shoulder-width apart. Then with your core engaged lift your left hand off the ground. Your left elbow should be close to your rib cage. Bring your left arm back to the original position and repeat with your right arm. Do 10-12 reps on each arm.
2. Bent-Over Reverse Flys
How to do it: Stand with both feet hip-distance apart. With your knees bent slightly and arms at your side, hinge forward at the hips. Engage your shoulder and back muscles and keeping our chest up. Then raise your arms to the side with elbows bent slightly. Squeeze your shoulder blades and then bring your arms back down to the original position. Do 15 reps.
3. Scapular Push-Ups
How to do it: Start with a high plank with your hands shoulder-width apart. Keep your body in a neutral position. Then pinch your shoulder blades and then with control lower your body halfway to the ground. Return to the starting position. Do 10 reps.
4. Supermans
How to do it: Lie on your mat with your face down, forehead touching the floor and toes pointed down. Then bring both arms straight out in front of you palms facing the floor. With your back, hamstrings and glutes activated, lift your hands and feet off the ground a few inches. Do 10 reps and hold for 3 seconds each time.
5. Swimmers
How to do it: Lie on your mat with your face down, reach your arms out your palms touching the floor. Keeping your back, abs and glutes activated, lift your left arm and right leg off the ground, lower both with control and lift your right arm and left leg. Do 15 reps on each site.
Stretching for Back Pain
There are also stretching exercises to strengthen the back and alleviate back pain. You can do 10 repetitions for each of the following.
Back Flexion Stretch. Lie flat on your back and pull both knees close to the chest. Flex your head forward until you feel a comfortable stretch on your low and mid back.
Knee to Chest Stretch. Lie flat on your back, both heels on the floor and knees bent. Place both hands at the back of one knee and pull it to your chest. Hold for a few seconds as you stretch your piriformis and gluteus muscles. Hold this position for 10 seconds. And then do the same with the other side.
Kneeling Lunge Stretch. Go down on both knees and then move the right leg forward keeping your weight evenly distributed on both hips and your foot flat on the ground. Put both hands on the top of the right thigh, and slowly move your body forward until you feel a stretch in the front of the left leg. Hold this position for 10 seconds. And then do the same with the other side.
Piriformis Muscle Stretch. Lie flat on your back, both heels on the floor and knees bent. Cross one leg over the other and pull the bottom knee gently toward the chest until you feel a stretch in your buttocks. Hold this position for 10 seconds. And then do the same with the other side.
Here are other exercises for back pain relief: