Strengthening Your Back with Simple At-Home Exercises
The back requires exercises for posture, reduction in various pains, and maintenance of normal movement. Obviously, you are not obliged to go to the gym or seek any special equipment because a few exercises will suffice in enhancing your back and core muscles independently without having to leave your house. Herein are some of the best home exercises targeting the back that will serve in preventing its discomfort.
Start with Superman, one of the best exercises to strengthen the lower back muscles. Lie on the floor, face down, with arms extended in front of you, legs extended, and arms, torso, and legs kept straight. Now, lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground all at once. Hold a few seconds, then lower back. This will help build strength in the lower back area to help your posture.
The Bridge is a great second exercise to work your back. Apart from engaging your lower back, this exercise will engage your glutes to stabilize your spine. Lying on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor. Press through the heels, lifting the hips up toward the ceiling in a straight line from shoulders to knees. Hold for some seconds, then go back down. Make 10-15 repetitions.
The Cat-Cow stretch in yoga allows flexibility of the spine while relieving tension. In fact, it’s a full back-stretch and strengthening exercise. First, get into tabletop position on your hands and knees. Round your back to the ceiling into a cat-like position, then slowly release your tummy towards the ground as you lift your chest and head toward the ceiling in a cow-like position. Continue to flow between these positions for many breaths, with each passing moment increasing mobility and stretching the muscles of the back.
Another great exercise to incorporate engages the entire core-back: Plank. Lying on your body with your forearms in a push-up position, your body is in one line from head to heels and therefore engages your core and back muscles. Hold for 20-30 seconds, working up to longer holds as you build strength. This really is a great exercise to target the muscles of your lower back and core to help improve your posture and take away aches and pains.
Standing rows with resistance bands or light dumbbells create openness and strength in the upper back. STAND with your feet at shoulder-width apart, holding a resistance band at a length that allows you both to grasp it with your hands in front of your body. Pull the band back, squeezing your shoulder blades together, drawing your elbows past your sides. Slowly release and repeat. This move strengthens the muscles between your shoulder blades, key to good posture.
These easy back exercises included in the work-out program surely will provide one with strong back muscles, good posture, and avoiding backache. To get desirable results, one needs to perform each of these exercises two to three times a week. Also, not less important as in any other exercise, is to listen carefully to your body and not force yourself if it hurts you.