Back Strengthening Exercises
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Good back strengthening exercises will focus on correct technique, but only whilst you are doing the exercise. What about the rest of the day? How are using your back in the office, at home, in the car or during your sport? How you use your back muscles in your daily activities will have an impact on how you use them during your exercise and a far greater influence on your back health.
Back Strengthening Exercises
Without Weights
I am not saying you should not use weights (free weights are best) as part of your program of back strengthening exercises. But it is essential to check how you are using your back in both exercise and daily activities. The procedures below will help to remind you how to move and appreciate the role your back muscles play in movement and support.A common cause for poor coordination is how you think your body works - I call this poor body concept. For example, many people bend their backs from the wrong place because they mistakenly believe their back finishes at the lumbar area (lower back) - see below
2. Think of your pelvis as part of your back and move by releasing your hip joints. Let yourself hinge on the chair and do not let the lower back bend - you may need two mirrors placed at an angle to check. Or better still ask a partner to observe.
Try the next procedure.
1. Stand with you feet about hip width apart opposite a chair - see photo above.
2. Release into squat and lower your stance until your hands make contact with the chair. - for advice on going into a squat see squat exercise procedure
3. Moving only from you ankle joints let your head lead your body over the top of the chair and allow the weight to go through to the chair.
4. As you move forward from your ankle joints appreciate the muscles in your back responding to the changes in weight distribution. Be aware of the extra push coming up from the chair, through your arms and into your shoulders. Do not tightening your arms - let your reflexes coordinate your muscle activity.
5. Again moving from the ankles, rock back slowly so more weight is passing down to your feet. As before allow your back muscles respond without doing it yourself. Let the movement come from the hip joints and not your lower back.
6. Repeat this forward and backward gentle rocking motion whilst being careful not to tighten your neck, shoulder of back muscles. The objective is to allow the muscles to be coordinated by your movement reflexes.
These simple procedures can help you to become more aware of how you can use your back efficiently - a must if you are using back strengthening exercises.
Back strengthening exercises and posture
Posture is considered vitally important for correct exercise technique involving weights. But there is more to posture than trying to keep your back straight.
Take a look at my unique fitness programs
Most fitness programs focus on repetition of movements that have nothing in common with natural actions. My unique approach is to develop your body awareness skills to get you moving in an efficient way with less effort. You can learn to do more with less!
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