1. Use Good Form and Body Mechanics
Using improper lifting techniques is a major contributor to back pain. Strengthening your muscles can go a long way to managing your back pain, however, if done incorrectly you are putting yourself at risk for injury. The bench press is a common exercise that can hurt your back. Make sure you keep your back flat on the bench. Do not use weight that is so heavy that you need to arch your back off the bench in order to lift the bar. Another culprit is the standing biceps curl. As you lift the weights up, again do not make the weight so heavy that you have to arch and lean back to lift the weight. When weight training, always move slowly and with control. Never swing the weights or your body through the movements. Remember, train don't strain.
2. Do a Bent Over row
Sit at the end of a bench or a chair. Lean slightly forward from the hips and keep the back straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles to help stabilize your back. Let the arms and weights hand down at your sides with the palms facing each other. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and lift the weights up. Keep your elbows bent and the arms rounded. Be careful to not bend the wrists or sing the hands. You are just lifting your elbows straight up. Lift up until your hands are at waist height. Then slowly lower down. Do this exercise slowly using a four, one-thousand count to lift the weight and the same to lower the weight. Aim for three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. If it bothers your back to lift both arms at the same time, you can do one arm at a time. Just be careful you do not twist the body as you lift.
3. Perform a Lat Pulldown
For this exercise you will need to use a lat pulldown machine or cables. Sit facing the lat pulldown machine or cables. Set your seat height or the cables so that you cannot grab the bar from a seated position. This will allow you to move through your full range of motion. Stand and grasp the bar so your palms face away from you. Then sit and lean slightly back. Keep your abdominal muscles tight to stabilize your back. Pull the bar down to your chest and then slowly release the bar back up. Be careful not to lock the elbows as the bar goes up. Do not rock the body at all. Do this exercise slowly using a four, one-thousand count to lift the weight and the same to lower the weight. Aim for three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.
You can do different variations of this exercise to really train the muscles. A wider grip will work the outside area of the back. A tighter grip will work the muscle closer to the spine. You can also turn the hands so the palms face you. If doing multiple sets, try one set each way.
4. Try a Back Hyperextension Exercise
For this exercise you can use a back extension bench at the gym or a physio ball. If using a bench, lie on your stomach on the bench. The pad should be under your hips and your stomach should be off the pad. Make sure you securely hook your knees and feet on the correct pads. If using a ball, place your feet against a wall and lean your hips into the ball. As with the bench your stomach should be off the ball. For an easier version keep your knees on the floor. For a harder version your legs are straight. Clasp your hands behind your head. Drop the upper body down. Then tighten your back muscles and lift back up as high as you can. See if you can lift up high enough so the low back arches slightly. Move slowly and with control. Use a four, one-thousand count to both lower down and lift up. Repeat for three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. To advance this exercise hold weights against your chest.
