Lower Back Exercises

I like them thats good enough for me

Aye, was just curious, seeing the reaction from Li, looked it up and as with any exercise, "there is the possibility" of it helping the lower back (in this case).
So....

the prob with deadlifts is that if done wrong you hurt yourself

Aye, same as with any exercise

to true

“	Originally Posted By: wisey1992 My lower back starts to aches when i do simple things such as sweeping the path or pushing the lawn mower, or even when i sit up straight for too long. Has anyone got some good methods or exercises to increase the strength and endurance of my lower back? -Wisey	”

I had the same problem and I had a herniated disk. It can start out very minor back pain but over the years it can get worse and worse. I couldn't stand for long periods of time (10 min. or more) or walk very much (1/2 mile or more) distance before I would be in pain. I lived with a herniated disk since 1993 and just now had surgery back in May. I had my L3 & L4 vetibrae fused because the disk had ooozed out and the vertibrae were pinching a nerve causing lower back pain. You might want to get an x-ray of your back. Make sure you don't have a herniated disk. Hopefully you don't. The doctors told me I'd eventually be back to normal doing everything (martial arts) I did before without any problems.

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Mark R.

“	Originally Posted By: Green_Horn the prob with deadlifts is that if done wrong you hurt yourself	”

I just worked at a powerlifting tourney this past weekend. Saw five huge guys fail to deadlift around 615 lbs, and up comes this kid, probably weighed around 190 himself. I was actually laughing. He came up and with perfect form blew everyones mind... World record i think..
Some dude benched 811 lbs, but the wuss failed the 911 lb record attempt, what a pansy! Shoulda seen the scrawny spotters he brought.

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i dont have a spotter most times. I have work out by my self it sucks

If you can't sweep the path I wouldn't recomend starting rehab with deadlifts...

Get it checked out - go through all the steps until you get the scan and are happy there's nothing fundemental going on.

The psoas suggestion is good.

I found the "sit up straight" comment interesting. Most people alternate between slumping (which strains the joints) and sitting bolt upright (which is unmaintainable and strains the muscles) the ideal is a medium where you yield to gravity and let it take your weight but retain some structure.

Look into swimming or good yoga (probably Iyengar is the first place to start but try for teachers who have trained with John Stirk john's page or Donna Farhi)

Try a few simple exercises - lie on your back in "constructive rest position" - back flat on floor, knees bent, feet flat on floor in line with sitting bones hip width apart, knees hip width apart, arms down by body palms up but slightly out from the body palms up upper arms rolling out, shoulders rolling in, spine pretty much resting on floor. Play with the angle of your legs until the shins and thighs form two sides of a triangle supporting each others weight and the psoas muscles completely release. Observe your breathing as you relax. Focus all your attention on your breath and observe its affect on your lower spine as you breath in and out through the nose. Gradually allow the exhale to lengthen and play with pushing the last of the air out of your lungs at the end of the exhale. This should highlight the fact that breathing is an abdominal exercise. The push on exhale should start right at the base of the abdomen flattening the lower back into the floor, lifting the pelvic diaphram, and drawing in the stomache and sides. Play around with the breathing and work the breath into your lower back. With time, patience, and awareness I have seen people able to pull a curved spine straight just through controlling their breath.

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Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you
High mountains are a feeling
I don't need to sell my soul, he's already in me

Of course, if your spine is healthy and you just have a muscle imbalance... then IMO you can't beat pike - either headstand or handstand - and it's just a case of playing around with breaking it down to build up the appropriate strength.

__________________
Consider Phlebas, who was once handsome and tall as you
High mountains are a feeling
I don't need to sell my soul, he's already in me