Best Lower Back Workouts for Strength and Health in 2024

Sure, no one struts around the gym saying, “Nice lower back, bro,” but a strong lower back has immense carryover to just about every compound exercise. In addition to increasing strength on movements like deadlifts, lower back workouts can provide numerous general health and longevity benefits by stabilizing the lumbar and sacral spine regions.

Fun fact: low back pain is the second most common reason for physician visits in the United States, and an effective exercise routine can significantly mitigate the likelihood of severe/chronic spinal conditions that cause back pain [1].

Want to stay injury-free while training for a marathon? Train your lower back. How about improving your one-rep max in squats? Train your lower back. Even if you just want to be able to stand upright and pick things up off the floor in your later years, training your lower back will help.

This article will teach you about the muscles of the lower back, the benefits of strengthening these muscles, and the best exercises to target them at home and at the gym.

Lower Back Muscles: Biomechanics 

The lower back comprises key posterior chain muscles, notably the erector spinae, multifidus, and quadratus lumborum, and psoas. These core muscles maintain spinal integrity and ensure effective load-bearing capabilities. Additionally, the lower back muscles enable a range of movements, including extension, rotation, and lateral flexion of the lumbar and sacral spine and pelvis/hips.

From a biomechanical perspective, our lower back muscles counteract gravitational forces, which is essential for maintaining an upright posture.

Health Benefits of a Strong Back and Posterior Chain

The posterior chain refers to the group of muscles on the posterior (backside) of the body, such as the trapezius, upper and lower back muscles, glutes, hamstrings, and calves. The posterior chain is fundamental to numerous movements and activities, and it plays a crucial role in injury prevention and rehabilitation. Studies have shown that weakness in the posterior chain significantly correlates with chronic lower back pain [2].

These muscles, when underdeveloped, can compromise spinal alignment and hinder range of motion during exercise. Specifically, the erector spinae and multifidus muscles, which span the length of the spine, are critical for back extension and trunk rotational movements.

The good news is that resistance training and dynamic bodyweight exercises can greatly improve overall lower back function and posterior chain biomechanics, reducing the risk of spinal injuries that commonly plague gym-goers and athletes. 

5 Lower Back Bodyweight Exercises You Can Do At Home

If you're currently suffering from lower back pain, it might be best to start with bodyweight exercises to strengthen the posterior chain before adding resistance exercises. Bodyweight exercises are also great for "prehab" and ongoing functional maintenance.

Read on for details of five effective lower back exercises that you can do virtually anywhere and without any added resistance.

1. Plank 

The Plank exercise is fundamental for core stability and vital for lower back support. To perform: 

1. Start in a forearm plank position with your elbows directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels.

2. Engage your core, making sure your lower back does not sag.

3. Hold the position for 20-30 seconds, gradually increasing the duration as your strength improves.

2. Glute Bridge 

The Glute Bridge primarily targets the glutes but is also instrumental in stabilizing the lower back. Steps include: 

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.

2. Place your hands by your sides, palms down.

3. Engage your core and squeeze your glutes as you slowly lift your hips towards the ceiling, forming a straight line from shoulders to knees.

4. Hold the position for 2-3 seconds before lowering your hips back to the ground.

5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for the desired repetitions.

3. Bird Dog 

The Bird Dog exercise enhances balance and coordination while fortifying the lower back. To perform: 

1. Begin on all fours with your hands positioned under your shoulders and knees under your hips.

2. Engage your core to maintain a neutral spine.

3. Simultaneously extend your right arm forward and your left leg backward, keeping both parallel to the ground.

4. Hold for a few seconds before returning to the starting position.

5. Alternate sides and repeat steps 1 to 4 for the desired repetitions.

4. Superman Exercise 

This exercise targets the entire posterior chain and is especially useful for strengthening the erector spinae. Steps to follow: 

1. Lie face down on the ground with your arms extended in front of you and legs straight.

2. Simultaneously lift your arms, chest, and legs off the ground.

3. Engage your core and glutes, reaching away with your hands and feet.

4. Hold the position for 2-5 seconds (longer is fine if you can do it), then slowly return to the starting position.

5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for the desired repetitions.

5. Dead Bug 

The Dead Bug exercise is pivotal in enhancing core stability and lower back strength. To execute: 

1. Lie on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle.

2. With your core engaged, "press" your lower back into the floor without raising your hips off the ground.

3. Simultaneously lower your right arm and left leg towards the floor, maintaining core engagement and avoiding any arching of the lower back.

4. Return to the starting position and repeat with the opposite limbs (left arm and right leg).

5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 for the desired repetitions. Hold the position for 20-30 seconds, gradually increasing the duration as your strength improves.

5 Resistance Exercises for Your Lower-Back Workouts

Strong lower-back muscles are a foundation for numerous upper- and lower-body lifts, including deadlifts, squats, and even the bench press. Below, you’ll find five of the best exercises to include in your (lower) back workout routine. (We recommend starting with a relatively light weight and honing the technique on these movements before ramping up the weight.) 

1. Romanian Deadlift 

The Romanian deadlift (or RDL) can be performed with dumbbells, kettlebells, or a barbell. The following instructions guide you through a dumbbell Romanian deadlift:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides, one dumbbell in each hand.

2. Roll your shoulder blades back and down, brace your core, and tuck your chin.

3. By hinging at your hips, push your butt back with your knees slightly bent while lowering the dumbbells closer to the ground. (Keep your arms straight and remember to hinge at the hips to maintain a neutral spine position throughout the movement).

4. When you reach your end range of motion, return to a standing position by contracting your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back.

5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the desired number of repetitions.

2. Good Mornings

If this is your first time performing a good morning, you can do this exercise with a PVC pipe to prevent injury.

1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. 

2. Place a barbell onto your upper back so that the bar rests just on top of the trap muscles closest to your shoulders. 

3. Brace your upper back and core by taking a deep breath into your lower belly and creating tension on your weightlifting belt (if applicable). 

4. Begin the descending movement by hinging your body down, sending your hips backward and maintaining upper back extension as your chest comes forward. 

5. Stop the descending movement once your upper body is parallel (or close to parallel) to the floor. 

6. In this position, your hamstrings should be fully elongated with only a slight bend in your knees. 

7. Begin the ascending movement by extending your hips forward and driving your upper body up and back, keeping your shoulder blades retracted to help stabilize the bar as you return back to the starting position.

8. Repeat steps 3-7 for the desired number of repetitions.

3. Goblet Squat 

A goblet squat can be performed with a kettlebell or a dumbbell. The following description guides you through the dumbbell variation:

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Hold the bell of the dumbbell directly underneath your chin, with the small plate resting on both palms for support. Keep your shoulders rolled back and down, abs braced, and elbows tucked in near your sides.

2. Push your butt back and lower into a squat position. (If you are tight in the hips, you may need to take a wider stance).

3. When you reach parallel, drive through your heels to initiate the ascent of your torso back to a standing position (make sure you keep your feet flat on the ground throughout the exercise).

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the desired repetitions. 

4. Back Extension 

To perform this exercise, you will need to use a hyperextension (back extension) machine at your gym. If you do not have access to a hyperextension machine, performing supermans, which are outlined above, is an excellent substitute.

1. Enter the hyperextension machine face down. The top pad should sit just below your hip bone, with the lower pads sitting just above your Achilles tendon, locking you in place. 

2. Cross your arms over your chest in an X shape or place them behind your head (whichever position you choose, be sure not to hunch your upper back). Roll your shoulders back and down, and brace your core.

3. Lower your upper body toward the ground until your body comes into an inverted V.

4. Now, squeeze your back muscles to bring your upper body back to its starting position so your entire body forms a straight line (be careful not to over-arch your back when raising your torso).

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the desired repetitions.

5. Reverse Hyperextension

The reverse hyperextension exercise targets the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings, enhancing strength and maintaining proper spinal alignment. This exercise is frequently utilized in both rehabilitation and athletic training for lower back pain relief and augmenting performance. To execute the reverse hyperextension: 

1. Lie face down on a reverse hyperextension bench, allowing your hips to rest on the edge so your legs hang off the end.

2. Grip the handles of the bench to stabilize your upper body.

3. Engage your core and lift your legs until they are in line with your torso, keeping them straight.

4. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.

5. Repeat this motion for the prescribed number of repetitions, maintaining controlled movement throughout.

4 Common Training Mistakes in Back Workouts

The lumbar spine region is situated around the lower half of the torso, making up your abdominal muscles and lower back. This region supports the majority of your body weight, which is why low-back pain is so common — and why performing lower-back workouts safely is imperative to your health and fitness.

Having a strong lower back can also help you improve your performance in the gym and in sports. If you’re looking to increase strength in your lower back, avoid these common training mistakes:

1. Having Poor Posture 

When performing a lower-back exercise, it’s easy to hunch your back. If you have poor upper-back posture, you greatly increase your risk of injury.

Remember to roll your shoulders back and down during any back exercise, and always keep your core engaged. In addition, performing upper-back exercises, such as face pulls, scapular retractions, and dumbbell shrugs will strengthen your upper-back muscles, preventing the shoulders from rounding forward. 

2. Lifting Too Heavy of a Weight 

Lifting with light weights and proper form is far more important than lifting heavy weights with horrible form.

Remember, lower-back injuries are one of the most common injuries in the weight room. The best injury-prevention step you can take is to perfect your form before loading the bar with (too much) weight. 

3. Skipping the Warm-Up

You should warm up prior to any strength training session. Start each lower back workout with a dynamic warm-up, such as walking on the treadmill for a few minutes then performing a set of planks followed by the cat-cow stretch.  

4. Not Resting Enough Between Sets 

When performing heavy lifts, such as deadlifts and squats, take 2-3 minutes between sets. This allows your muscles enough time to recover. In addition, be sure to give yourself enough rest between your workouts. Consuming a post-workout recovery shake with whey protein powder will help your muscles recover from a heavy lift.

Perform Back Workouts to Increase Athleticism and Quality of Life 

Your lower back muscles are essential to your everyday life. You use them for daily tasks like picking up a laundry basket, swinging a baseball bat, and grabbing a grocery item off the high shelf. Your lower back muscles support your body weight and balance your core, literally holding your body upright.

While low back pain is one of the most common acute and chronic conditions among adults, there are precautions you can take during lower-back workouts to reduce the risk of injury and increase spinal resiliency. Always warm up, start with lighter weights, and practice proper form. Lastly, be sure to recover with 100% Grass-Fed Whey Protein after your workout to help your muscles repair and grow.

Make lower-back workouts part of your regular fitness routine and never look back (no pun intended). Deadlifts, good mornings, planks, and back extensions are just a few exercises that can help strengthen your lower back.