Last updated 11:26, Thursday, 18 September 2008

AFTER a day of lifting I realised how important having a strong lower back is, writes David Little

Take care of your back: Massage can help but exercises are very effective

One friend of mine even referred to my lower back as a ‘glass back’ once because it kept stiffening up and it made me suffer some discomfort.

It is such an important part of the body it often gets neglected by the show muscles, but if it wasn’t for the muscles in the lower back you wouldn’t be able to perform many of the show muscle exercises.

It is true that the lower back must be supported by your core. The core in many respects includes the muscles in the lumbar region but why does it get forgotten. One reason is people’s perceptions on the exercises you can do, some might think the exercise selection is limited other might believe they are non existent. The truth is you don’t need an unlimited number, one or two is all you need to strengthen this area safely.

One of them is the deadlift, even though it’s considered an all over body exercise it does strengthen the back muscles considerably. The other are hyperextensions that promote flexibility as well as strength. One key ingredient of a strong lower back is your weight. If you carry a lot of weight around your stomach and are starting out on the exercise trail you will struggle with lower back pain. My tip is to always do cardio first before you start weights, it will mean you lose a little of that weight and at the same time your lower back will become stronger.

It’s equally important to add flexibility to your back as this will mean better recovery from workouts and will help in everyday activity. Yoga is a great way to do this as you will learn extra techniques rather than using the same boring ones you read in magazines.

As I mentioned earlier keeping the core strong is necessary for lower back development. Think of core and lower back as the trigger in a gun, without the trigger the gun doesn’t work. Exactly the same methodology should be used for the core, if it’s strong your whole body will benefit. I’m not talking crunches here but functional exercises that improve movement.

The medicine ball is great for this as it acts like a pivot for improved rotational action. Medicine ball twists and medicine ball slams all create functional movements that will strengthen the core without giving you the six pack abs. Remember six pack abs don’t mean a strong core you want to develop a core that means when it comes to lifting heavy objects your body can support it.

Posture is a key part of a strong back as well, slouching in a chair, hunching forward when standing give bad postural alignment. One of the best examples of alignment I’ve ever been taught is neutral spine. Pretend you are tightening your belt so your belly pulls in, now release it a bit, you’ll find a point where you can move your hips but still keep a neutral alignment (the bodies most natural posture).