If you experience back pain when you perform abdominal exercises, it is because your back muscles are weak, presupposing that there is no previous back injury. The trick to strengthening your abs without hurting your back is to do beginner-level ab exercises that make your back stronger too, but only using the back to stabilize the spine, as this is a gentle way to increase strength without strain.
The Bridge
The bridge exercise strengthens your abdominals and back muscles, as well as your glutes. Together, these are your core muscles and they must support the spine. Making these muscles stronger can lessen or even get rid of back pain. The bridge is an exercise recommended for back pain treatment and prevention. It is a beginner exercise that works your ability to stabilize your spine as your glutes extend your hips. To begin, lie flat on your back. Bend your knees to 90-degree angles with your feet separated on the floor. Place your hands on your abdomen and press the back of your shoulders into the floor. Tighten your glutes and push your hips off the ground. Lift only as high as you can without strain. Work up to raising until your knees, pelvis and shoulders form a line.
Standing Oblique Passé Lifts
Standing oblique passé lifts train the oblique muscles on the sides of your stomach. The front and back muscles of your waist keep your trunk elongated and support the spinal vertebra during the standing oblique passé lifts. To begin, stand up tall and bring your arms above your head with a slight roundness in your elbows as if you were a ballerina. The fingertips point toward each other but do not touch. Bend your right knee to 90 degrees and place the sole of your foot onto the inside of your left calf. Open your hip and point your knee to the side. Tuck your tailbone slightly and engage your abdominals. Lengthen your arms and spine toward the ceiling. Slowly flex your spine to the right so that your right elbow moves toward your knee, but do not lose that feeling of length in the spine. Return to center. Repeat on the left.
Side Plank Leg Lifts
The side plank leg lifts work your abdominals to support your spine in a neutral position with your torso sideways and parallel to the floor. Raising your top leg so that only one hand and knee make contact with the floor challenges your abs' ability to stabilize your pelvis, but without lifting heavy weights or engaging in quick, dynamic movements that might be too much for your back. To begin, kneel on the floor. Then, lift your left arm and left leg and turn sideways. Hold your left leg parallel to the ground and your left arm straight to the ceiling. Tighten your abdominals and straighten your spine with a slight pelvic tuck. First, lower your left foot 1 inch down and then back up to parallel. Do the desired number of lateral leg lifts. If this does not hurt your back, progress to the next part of the exercise. Swing your left leg forward until your thigh is perpendicular to your torso. Lower it to the floor and then lift it back up slightly higher than your hip without changing the position of your pelvis and lower back. Do the desired number of front leg lifts, and then switch sides.
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