Which Exercises Will Strengthen The Lower Back?

The muscles in your lower back include those in the deep spinal and erector spinae muscle groups --- which contribute to spinal extension, lateral flexion and rotation --- and the quadratus lumborum muscles, which help tilt your spine to either side. Perform resistance exercises regularly to strengthen the lower-back muscles. Consult your doctor if any exercise causes lower-back pain.

Cable Twist

The deep spinal and erector spinae muscle groups help rotate your torso to the opposite side, which means you can strengthen the muscles situated on the left side of your spine by twisting to the right and vice versa. Attach a handle to the suspended cable on a pulldown machine at shoulder height, then stand with your left side closest to the machine. Reach above your left shoulder with both hands and grasp the handle, then twist to the right, pulling the cable diagonally across the front of your torso until your hands are just outside your right hip. Reverse to the starting position slowly, then repeat. Perform the exercise in the opposite direction as well.

Good Morning

The good-morning exercise strengthens the spinal extensors, which contract eccentrically to control the speed of movement during the downward phase of the exercise and concentrically during the upward phase. Stand upright and hold a barbell across your upper back and shoulders, then bend forward at the hips and waist until your torso is parallel to the floor. Reverse to the starting position and repeat multiple times. Allow your knees to flex slightly and keep your spine straight and head up throughout the movement. Use very light resistance at first and increase the weight in conservative increments to prevent a lower back muscle strain.

Pelvic Lift

When you perform pelvic lifts, the deep spinal and erector spinae muscles function in a similar fashion as in the good morning exercise. Lie on your back with your knees flexed, feet flat on the floor and hand resting on your abdomen. Lift your pelvis until your trunk and upper legs form a diagonal line, then hold briefly, return to the starting position and repeat immediately. Focus on squeezing your lower back during each repetition. Hold a weighted object, such as a medicine ball or a weighted plate, on top of you abdomen to increase the resistance. You can also hold your pelvis off the ground for 10 seconds or more to work the lower-back muscles isometrically.

Side Lift

The side lift exercise is similar to the pelvic lift, but it targets the quadratus lumborum muscles, which work in conjunction with the oblique muscles on the sides of your abdomen to tilt your spine sideways. Start on your left side, resting on your left elbow, with your legs stacked on top of each other. Raise your pelvis until your thighs and torso align diagonally, balancing on your elbow and the outside of your left foot. Return to the starting position slowly and repeat, pulsing up and down for multiple repetitions, then roll over and perform the exercise from your right side. Hold a weighted object on your top hip to increase the resistance.