How to do back extensions

While the primary purpose of the back extension is to work the muscles in your lower back, it also hits your hamstrings and glutes, making it a useful exercise for anyone looking to improve in the deadlift.

The back extension exercise is a maneuver utilized to work the erector spinae and other smaller stabilizing muscles of the back.

BACK EXTENSION — Bench / Weight

Engage your core, hinge from the hips and lower the body towards the floor maintaining neutral spine, do not round the back. Engage your glutes and raise the torso in line with the body taking the dumbbell overhead to continue the line of the movement.

This is an exercise that can be done every day before and/or after training. Remember that we‘re talking about a back extension, not a hip extension—literally flex and extend your spine. If you‘re doing back extensions daily, modulate the volume and intensity somewhat day to day.

Back extension

Repeatedly flexing your lower back under a load can cause injury to the lumbar discs, and the rigid position the machine holds you in doesn’t allow your core, glutes, and hamstrings to contract as they should to protect you.

The elliptical trainer is usually the first choice for exercise equipment suited for those with chronic back pain. The machines have separate foot platforms that move back and forth in smooth, steady glides.

Walking is a good low-impact aerobics choice for your back, but swimming may be an even better workout for back pain if you get backaches. “Swimming could be the best low-impact aerobics back pain exercise,” says Mepham. “Water provides both support and resistance.

People with ongoing or recurrent episodes of lower back pain should consider the benefits of walking as a low-impact form of exercise. Aerobic exercise has long been shown to reduce the incidence of low back pain.

1. In general, disc herniations hurt both with bending forward AND with returning from bending up to an upright position. Back strains or sprains tend to hurt less with bending forward, and more with returning from a forward bend.

When you should go to the ER for back pain

If your back pain is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, head to your closest emergency room because you could be dealing with a more serious condition or injury: Sudden spike in pain, discomfort, weakness or numbness. Loss of bladder function. High fever.