The lower back is one of the most vulnerable parts of your body, so doing anything to strengthen and protect the lower back will make you a better weightlifter, a better athlete, and help protect your spine in the long run.
The core is a big part of lumbar health and support, but there are two muscle groups that also need to be addressed…the Glutes and the Erectors.
Just like the abs, the glutes aren’t just an aesthetic muscle. Strong glutes provide a lot of benefits, but one of the biggest benefits is that they help protect the lumbar. The erectors are the two long muscles that run alongside your spine, so it should be no surprise that they will play a key role in lumbar support as well. There are a million different ways that you can strengthen your core, close a million ways to build glutes, and only a handful of legitimate ways to strengthen the erectors. You need to work all three to successfully strengthen your lower back.
Let’s start with the erectors. These muscles are fairly simple in that they help your body maintain an erect position. Anytime you bend, twist, etc. then you’re moving away from the erect position and the spinal erectors will help move your body back to that standing erect position. Having good posture while sitting? Erectors. Having good posture while standing? Erectors. In fact, the erectors work against the abs so if the abs help crunch the torso down and forward then the erectors will do the opposite and help you stand back up. Pretty simple concept here. I mentioned posture, know that this just isn’t an aesthetic thing. Better posture makes you feel better because all of the muscle and joints are working as they should. The sedentary lifestyle of spending too much time sitting/slouching leads to tight muscles and poor posture. Not only is poor posture a bad aesthetic…but it increases your likelihood for injury and reduces athletic performance. Pay attention to your posture, and work to improve it, so you will live a healthier and higher performance life in the long run.
The glutes are a little more diverse. The glutes play a role in hip movements and compliment the erectors with balance and maintaining the erect position. The glutes also help propel the legs when we walk, run, jump, etc. The glutes are involved most of the time when you’re bending at the hips. For example, you use glutes on the squat when trying to maintain an upright posture. You also use glutes on something like the leg press when you press a weight away from you. Everybody loves big glutes, but they are also one of the largest and most powerful muscles on your body so it makes perfect sense to focus on developing them like anything else.
Lastly, you can train your core with any of your preferred methods. Resistance training, like holding a plate and doing incline sit ups, or static training like “planks” are all great ways at improving core strength and building up a foundation to better protect your lower back.
Your three keys to protecting your lower back are the following: strong core, strong erectors, and strong glutes. Each of these areas should be a focal point in your training. So, what are the best ways to train them?
The barbell back squat and the deadlift are the two kings. These movements work all kinds of muscles in your body but as you improve these lifts, your core, erectors, and glutes will get stronger. These two exercises are the kings because they work so many muscles, but most importantly, when you do these exercises properly you are making yourself stronger, more athletic, and harder to injure in the process. There is a risk though…do them improperly and they’ll hurt you. Doing these exercises with good posture and good form will strengthen you. Doing them with bad posture and form will only risk injury and work against you.
Need a good training program? Check out my Training Program here. Until then stay tuned as I uncover more tips and tricks that can help you improve your strength, muscle, and athleticism.
BULLETPROOF YOUR LOWER BACK
Strengthen your core, glutes, and erectors to protect your lower ba...
