
Ask HN: Lower back exercise - codegeek
All I didn&#x27;t think it would get to this point but I am 200 lbs (5&#x27;11 height) and overweight by at least 20 lbs.
Lately, lower back trouble has started and it friggin sucks. I have not been exercising for a while so I know I need to get back in shape.
Any suggestions to deal with lower back without resorting to medications etc ? I end up pulling my lower back muscle randomly and it really hurts. Went to doc and they just said &quot;loose weight&quot;.
I am thinking of buying a back brace and of course, start exercising. But any tips from pros here is appreciated.
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jonny_storm
I'm (barely) 5' 11", and I hover around 175 lbs. through diet, alone. Many
years ago, my highest weight was 265 lbs.

I dealt with my back occasionally "going out" entirely for years, to the point
where I couldn't leave my bed for a day or more. I was able to correct this
through isometric exercises, specifically "planking" (or "plank pose"), to
build core muscles, protecting my spine.

I suggest using the front, back, and side poses in which you rest on your
elbows. This keeps you closer to the floor. This way, when your muscles give
out (and they will) you'll be able to bring yourself down gently.

Once you become familiar with the feeling of activating your core muscle
groups, you can do a lighter form of the same exercise while walking, sitting,
or simply standing. In fact, engaging your core muscles is essential to
avoiding injury during other exercises, and planks are a great way to make a
habit of it.

Exercise aside, I'm probably not telling you anything you haven't heard
before, but examine your diet and see what can be adjusted. More and more, my
diet looks like Dave Asprey's Bulletproof Diet, and I've never felt better.

Best of luck!

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dmfdmf
Paleo for weight loss;
[http://www.marksdailyapple.com/blog/](http://www.marksdailyapple.com/blog/)

And lifting/barbells for body/core strength;
[https://www.youtube.com/user/athrall7](https://www.youtube.com/user/athrall7)

As neverminder mentioned, form is critical and take it slow until you build
strength. I do benchpress, overhead press, squats and deadlift every other day
and I am in/out of the gym in an hour. I've had two cervical fusion surgeries
and found that typical Rx of pills, back braces, bed rest, take it easy (i.e.
become sedentary), etc. just make things worse because they _weaken_ the
structure.

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neverminder
Squats, stiff leg deadlifts, back rows should do it, but you need to be
cautious of your form. Still, none of that will mean squat (no pun intended)
if the diet is crap.

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joeclark77
I've been learning the Starting Strength approach, and although I'm hardly an
expert yet, it makes a lot of sense to me. Look for the book by Rippetoe:
[http://amzn.to/2gAliEO](http://amzn.to/2gAliEO) Essentially it's barbell
training using four exercises that each work multiple muscle systems together:
the squat, the press, the bench press, the deadlift. It's about building
strength, not losing weight, but you'll experience both of those things, and
strength will really help with your back.

What appeals to me about the method is that it's based on solid thinking about
the physics and physiology involved. The book is full of anatomical drawings
that wouldn't be necessary and wouldn't be found in your average workout book.
The creator really made a thorough study of strength training his life's work.

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cauterized
Stretch your calves and hamstrings. Thoroughly. No, really, try it.

For the longer term, work on building up ab strength, which takes the load off
your back muscles a bit. Those of us who sit all day long tend to have very
weak abs.

You might want to book an appointment or two with a physical therapist - not
ongoing weekly treatments, but they should be able to show you exercises that
are safe at your current level of conditioning and make sure you're using
proper form. Without those two things, you run the risk of exacerbating your
existing injury or causing a new, worse one.

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kasey_junk
2 things:

1) You almost certainly won't lose weight without changing your diet.

2) Heavy weight exercise is great for lots of things, but if your lower back
is hurting it could also be you aren't limber enough in your lower back and
upper legs. Stretching for your glutes/hamstrings/IT bands etc may provide
more immediate relief.

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GusOnTheBus
There are about 5 key stretching exercises for your back that you should
consider.

See the book "Treat your own back"

When I injured my back 20 years ago I found them quite helpful in
recuperating.

