Curious what others are doing for lower-middle back exercises? Other than straight-leg deadlifts (in which I'm trying NOT to tax my lower back), I'm not doing any specific exercises.

Now that the rest of me is (getting) much stronger, including my abs, I can really tell there is weakness in my lower back.

Incidentially, I have a pinched nerve in my lower back. If anyone has effectively used exercises to work around, or work through, the same issue I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks.

QOTD:
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."

It sounds like you're already doing squats and straight leg deadlifts. Good mornings are also great.

I also use an ab wheel. Aerobics people have been using these demon-wheels for years and they're nastier than they look. Here's a link:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/aa/ab.html

Here are some other exercises that aren't as heavy duty but are also good for the lower back. They don't incorporate weights so they can't really be used for building huge mass:

Leg-arm lifts: Lie facedown on a flat surface with your legs straight and your arms (palms down) extended straight out beyond your head. Lift all your arms and legs off the ground, keeping them straight. Hold for 3 seconds, then return to starting position. Pause just 1 second, then go into another lift, again holding for 3 seconds. Start with 10 reps and work up to 20. Once you have the endurance, you can increase the time you hold each contraction, up to 10 to 15 seconds.

Swimmer's kick: In the same facedown position, lift your straight legs and arms off the ground. Then flutter your legs up and down -- just like kicking in the swimming pool -- while keeping them straight (don't bend at the knees). Do this for 10 seconds, then return to the starting position and rest for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat 5 to 8 times.

Lower-body lift: You'll need a sturdy, flat bench. Lie facedown on the bench, with your legs (from the hip joint) draped free off the end of the bench and your arms wrapped around the underside of the bench. Keep your legs straight and together, and use your lower back to lift them off the ground until they're at the same height as the bench. Hold for 5 seconds, then return to the start position and pause for 2 seconds. Repeat up to 10 to 15 times. This exercise requires more lower back strength than the first two.

i hear the ab wheels are ment to be horrible for you

you shold check out some core stability exercises
http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=1038
http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=82AB3125-008C-48FC-9FD39C58FF7BCF66&slide=1&isagg=0
http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=103&catid=12

Normal deadlifts are great for lower back.

Straight-legged deads target the hams and gluts much much more so that then lower back.

Curious what others are doing for lower-middle back exercises? Other than straight-leg deadlifts (in which I'm trying NOT to tax my lower back), I'm not doing any specific exercises.

Now that the rest of me is (getting) much stronger, including my abs, I can really tell there is weakness in my lower back.

Incidentially, I have a pinched nerve in my lower back. If anyone has effectively used exercises to work around, or work through, the same issue I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks.

QOTD:
"Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."


I hade amazing results fixing a pinched nerve in my C4-C5 spine using an inversion bed. You hang upside down for 10 to 15 min, the pressure on the pinch nerve is released and fliuid is allowed to reinflate the disc that holds the bones in your spine apart. Anytime i get a crick in my neck or a really tight muscle that bunches up in my back, I know I have thrown my spine out of alignment lifting something wrong or just tripping over something can do it. It is because the space where the nerve comes thru the spine is too small. Left untreated the nerve can swell up and become inflamed, that turns into a vicious cycle and the nerve is never able to heal. I have had steroid treatment using medrose packs that quickly reduces the nerve swelling and allows it to heal, but I use the inversion bed to keep from letting it get out of hand.

Ice can also help reduce the pinched nerve swelling so it can heal.
Ibuprofin helps reduce swelling too.

Some people will know what I am talknig about when I say rubber band like muscles in the back. It seems like no amount of massage can unlock them. This is due to a pinched nerve cycle of swelling mentioned above where the bodys reaction is to tighten the muscles to protect the injury (pinched nerve) the tight muscles and rubber band like muscles that run thru your back are a symptom of the pinched nerve and rubbing them is not the cure. Reducing the swelling on the nerve with the above mentioned procedures is what works. If you have a slipped disk or buldging disk causing the pinch, or you may have bone spurs, an MRI and a good spine doctor can help you out.

Hyperextensions and reverse hypers are great for lower back. Perform 5~6 sets of each and be prepared to have trouble sitting up straight the next day. They'll kick your butt. There's also a machine in my gym that allows you to lean back against a weighted pad for resistance; I throw it in every now and again.

A strong lower back is key to good abs, believe it or not. I do lower back twice a week, the day before I do abs, separate from my upper back exercises (which I only do once per week). It has really helped my posture and overall strength. Lower back was once a very soft area for me, it lagged badly. But through hypers, reverse h's, and that machine 2x per week, it's just about up to speed. It has made a world of difference in how I feel. My chiropractor was very surprised how well my back has strengthened, to the point where it's reduced the need for adjustments to almost nothing. I am going once a month just for the relaxtion effects of having a chiropractic adjustment.

mentron9: Thanks for the note. I never considered that the pinched nerve could have any long-term implications (though I've had it for quite a while). I think it's time to get to a doc for both my back and wrist problems.

Thanks also to everyone else for exercise recommendations. I'm going to incorporate some of these into my workout plan over the next 8 weeks and will let you know how it goes.

i hear the ab wheels are ment to be horrible for you

you shold check out some core stability exercises
http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=1038
http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?objectid=82AB3125-008C-48FC-9FD39C58FF7BCF66&slide=1&isagg=0
http://www.naturalphysiques.com/cms/index.php?itemid=103&catid=12

When you're using the wheel, make sure to curl forward and tense your ab muscles through the entire movement. Otherwise there's too much pressure on your spine. Like any piece of equipment, if you use it wrong, you run the risk of injuring yourself. These wheels are great tools though. Lots of strength and sports coaches encourage their players to use them. When you first start using it you might not be able to roll all the way out and then all the way back up. In this case, just try to roll all the way out before collapsing. Then go back to the starting position and roll out again. An advanced technique is to roll out from your toes rather than your knees. This is brutally difficult. I heard that out of an entire NFL team that started using these things in off-season training, only one team member could do it from the toe position.

If you don't want to shell out the 10 bucks to buy one, you can also use a barbell instead.