I wanted to show you a few effective back-strengthening exercises from yoga.
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1. Full Body Openers
Begin the yoga for back strengthening in a nice and upright standing position. Bend through the knees, pull your hips backward and let your arms in line with the body. Maintain a good alignment with the head, shoulders, and hips. Then, straighten your leg out, straighten your hips and bring your arms overhead as your eyes follow with the arms and arch your low back and mid-back areas.
Full Body Openers
Start off with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light.
This exercise strengthens the muscle in the knees, hips, and back and loosens up the low back and mid-back areas.
2. Dancer Pose
Begin in a nice and upright standing position. Bring one arm overhead, and stand on one leg. Lift the other leg backward, grab the foot with your other hand, and then bend forward through the hips. Maintain a good alignment with the upper body and lower body. Then, go back to the start position and repeat the movement.
Dancer Pose
Start off with one set of 3 reps on each side. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light.
The purpose of this exercise is to stretch out the whole body, specifically the core, arms, and hip areas to help relieve back pain.
3. Downward Dog to Plank
Start in a four-point kneeling position. Move into a plank position, and then pull your hips backward slowly. Drop your shoulders and hold the end position for a second or two. Then, move back into a plank position and repeat the movement.
Downward Dog to Plank
Start off with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light.
The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen out the core area and loosen up the hamstrings, glutes, and mid-back area.
In the plank position, the end position of the downward dog work on the muscles in the core and shoulder blades.
4. Warrior Three
Begin in a nice and upright standing position. Push your weight off to one leg. Bend forward and extend the other leg backward. Keep your upper body and back leg in good alignment as you put your arms to the side. Hold to that position for a second, then go back to start position. Switch side and repeat the movement.
Warrior Three
Start off with one set of 3 reps on each side alternating back and forth. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity is light.
The purpose of this exercise is to work on the stability of the standing leg and flexibility of the hip and to target the core and abdominal areas.
5. Glute Bridge
To begin the yoga for back strengthening, lie on the floor and put your arms to the side. Relax the upper body and bend the knees. Push through the heels and lift your hips up. Maintain a good alignment with the knees, hips, and shoulders. Hold to that position for a second or two. Then, bring the hips back down and repeat the movement.
Glute Bridge
Start off with one set of 5 reps. Perform this exercise in a smooth, controlled movement with a good stop at the end position. The intensity can be light to moderate.
The purpose of this exercise is to target the muscles in the glutes, hamstrings, and core and to loosen out the hips. These will help to strengthen the back and relieve back pain.
Give these five exercises a go to help relieve your back pain.
If you want to overcome your lower back pain flare-up so you can move your back around without worrying if the pain will come back, then check out the Low Back Pain Solved program, here!
Take care!
Rick Kaselj, MS