Best Exercise for a Weak Low Back

It’s no fun to consistently worry if you are going to move wrong and throw your back out.  So what is the best exercise for a weak low back?  Any exercise that targets the muscles of the low back will work of course.    However, there is a progression that needs to be followed.  But before we get into the specifics of this particular exercise let’s review why most Americans have a weak low back.  It starts with lack of physical exercise.  Back at the turn of the 20th century we were an agricultural society – we grew it and then we ate it.  This growing part took some effort and our bodies were used every day.  It wasn’t unusual for a farmer to eat between 3,500 and 5,000 calories a day to help fuel his body.  But then again there was some motivation to be active – to grow enough to live on.  Today we don’t need that many calories but some of us still eat that much.  We don’t, however, get near the amount of exercise to burn off those excess calories.  Most of us sit all day in our desk jobs.  The result is an extended stomach that messes with our posture and, hence, our low backs.

To counter the effects of bad posture I have included the best exercise for a weak low back.  This is considered a beginner exercise and can be done anywhere you can find floor space.  A little tip – make sure that you don’t press down with your forehead as this just puts pressure on your neck that you don’t need.  Also, just a couple of inches off the floor with both your arm and leg is all that is needed.  Have fun and enjoy the benefits of a healthy, strong low back free of pain.

Disclaimer:  if you have sharp pains in your low back check with your doctor first to make sure it’s not disc related.

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