I’m a personal trainer and back extensions are one of the best compound exercises to strengthen your back, glutes, hamstrings and core muscles. This exercise can easily hurt your lower back, so here’s how to do it safely and the many benefits you can expect.
Back extensions primarily target and strengthen the posterior clavicular muscle, the muscle that runs the back of your body. It also activates your core muscles to support your torso and facilitate movement.
To do this, you’ll need something like a back extension bench, which is a staple in most gym setups. This can easily be installed in your home gym as well. best home gym equipment, but can also be done on the floor. Read on to find out why and how this is a worthwhile addition to your strength program.
how to do back extension
As mentioned earlier, you’ll need something like a back extension bench to do this exercise. Move slowly and with control, avoid rocking up and down or arching your spine during the exercise.
Start with 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions and increase from there.
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Place your feet on the footplate, your thighs on the bench, and your hips just in front of the bench
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It works your core and gently tightens your glutes and back muscles.
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Keep your spine and neck neutral and drop your shoulders back
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Bend your hips forward and lower your chest toward the floor and thighs
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Pause and then return to the starting position, forming a straight line from head to toes.
What do back extensions do?
Back extensions increase the strength and stability of the erector spinae muscles, the muscles that wrap and protect the spine.If you suffer from back pain, this exercise may strengthen your hip joints, improve spinal range of motion, and improve symptoms of back pain and sciatica (in addition, these best exercises for sciatica If you need more inspiration).
That said, if you suffer from back pain, you should always seek medical advice before trying any new exercise. Also known as a hyperextension, this move uses a slouching motion to work the muscles in the back of the body, including the glutes, to work the hip extension and even the posterior deltoids in some variations.
There is no need to use weights as gravity acts as resistance during the exercise. This means you can build strength as part of your strength training program, with or without weights.and the research Back up! It can also improve the quality of other similar movement patterns, such as deadlifts, which use the same muscle groups as hip extensions.
In addition to strengthening a strong back, core, glutes and hamstrings, this move helps keep you safe during exercise. functional training Heavy compound lift improves running efficiency and posture to prevent injuries during daily activities and exercise.
Back extension: variations
If you plan to adopt any of the variations below, we recommend one of the following: best yoga mat For hip and elbow support.
Superman
This can be used as a tie-up exercise to build a strong back before moving onto the bench. You can do it from the floor by extending your arms and legs, lifting them off the exercise mat, and then slowly returning them to the floor, targeting the same muscle groups. Keep your neck neutral and look toward the mat as you move.you can learn Superman way Click here for details.
dog pointing up
If this is your first time doing back extensions or you have just recovered from an injury, adapt to Upward Facing Dog instead. This is for Yogis.
how:
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Lie on your stomach and extend your legs behind you
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Place your hands on the mat just in front of your hips and press your hands together to lift your chest
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Slowly lift your hips off the floor and pull your shoulders down
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Look ahead and hold. Sit down on the ground.
If this feels too strong, you can instead take some of the pressure off your lower back by keeping your elbows down and your lower back supported on the mat. For a deeper stretch, place your elbows or hands on your hands. yoga block.
To proceed with back extension exercises on the bench, place your hands behind your head or hold a weight, such as a barbell plate or barbell plate, close to your chest. best adjustable dumbbells. Some benches can be modified to varying degrees, increasing your range of motion and making it harder to stretch your back.
Back Extensions: Common Mistakes
Overextending and hunching are two common mistakes during back extensions that strain the muscles, especially near the mid-lower back. That means rounding your upper back as you lower your hips or leaning too far back at the top of the movement.
To avoid this, consider making a straight line from head to toe in the starting position. Drop your shoulders to engage your core and keep your spine in a neutral position at all times. Make sure both feet are firmly down to create a stable base for locomotion.
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