Back Exercises

Back exercises can help protect your back from stress and injury. Maintain a regular schedule of preventative care for the back along with your weekly workout schedule and you just may avoid an aching back.

A strong body naturally supports itself with muscles depending on other muscles. The muscles responsible for supporting the back are your core or abdominal muscles, which wrap around your middle (core) and sides to help you remain upright.

When you build strength in your core, you are on your way to building a better support system for the spine. This is why this back exercise plan includes movements that strengthen the abdominal muscles as well as back muscles. You need a yoga mat for all three exercises.

If you already have trouble with your back or have an injury to the spine, consult your doctor before performing these exercises. Placing more stress on an injured spine can aggravate the damage and create more problems. Your doctor or chiropractor should be able to prescribe a wellness regimen for your back and spine that heals and strengthens at the same time.

Back Exercise 1: Superman!

One of the best and most popular exercises to strengthen the back is a yoga move known colloquially as the "Superman."

Kneel on your hands and knees on a thick yoga mat.
Keep your head up and slowly extend your right arm forward and left leg back at the same time.
Hold the pose for a count of ten and then slowly lower to your starting position.
Repeat with your left arm and right leg.
Do this movement 25 times on each side for a total of fifty movements at least once every two days.

Raising the opposite arm and leg forces your body to balance on the remaining limbs and calls your core muscles into action. Stronger core (abdominal) muscles mean a stronger back. To modify this exercise for a less flexible back, simply extend your leg out and place your toes on the floor to provide more support.

An interesting variation on Superman is to perform it on your bed. If you have a very soft mattress this may not work as well, but by performing the exercise on a slightly unstable surface, you demand more work from your muscles and shape them up faster.

Back Exercise 2: Cat Moves

Think of a cat waking up from a nap and stretching its body to loosen and relax muscles and joints. This back exercise strengthens both the spine and the abdominal muscles and increases support around the back.

Kneel on your hands and knees on a thick yoga mat.
Lower your head, drop your tailbone, and pull your belly in to your back as you round your spine into the letter "C."
Hold the position for a count of six and then slowly lower to your original position.
Repeat the movement for three sets of 10 repetitions.

Tip: Add a variation by dropping your spine all the way down as you release. Lift your head at the same time and tighten your abs for a count of ten. This exercise is known as the "Cow" or "Dog" and also works to firm the core and provide support for the spine.

Back Exercise 3: Cobra

The final back exercise assists with building and strengthening the same muscles as the Superman and Cat with focus on creating more flexibility in the spine. The Cobra pose can work wonders for relieving tension in your upper back and shoulders.

Lie facedown on your yoga mat.
Place your hands on the floor at about shoulder height.
Breathe out as you lift your upper body using your core muscles, using your arms only for support. Keep your head high and lift only as far as is comfortable.
Hold the pose for a count of eight, then release.
Repeat for three sets of ten repetitions.

Modify this back exercise by moving your hands slightly up from your shoulders and lifting your body only as much as is comfortable.

For more back exercises, try these toning and firming videos.

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