Low Back Exercises:
By
Eric Walden
Continuing from last time, we are still talking about the core of your body. This time we will be discussing the low back. The exercises we are going to go over today can be done anywhere. I have been picking exercises that can be done anywhere to avoid the excuse of I don’t have a gym or the right equipment to do the exercises.
The low back is so important to the body. The low back houses the lumbar region of the spine. These muscles are so vital to every movement of the body. I have heard of people throwing their backs out picking up a pencil. I always joke to just leave the pencil on the floor. I actually have a neighbor that just threw out his back picking up a screw at work. I was in shock I have never actually met/known someone who hurt their back picking up something so small. I have actually trained this neighbor for a few sessions. He was unable to continue training due to the economy, but this was an area that he and I knew he needed to work on. It is unfortunate that he didn’t keep up with some of the basic exercises that I showed him. Because I know he could have avoided this incident with some of these basic exercises.
The first exercise is called the Superman. To perform this exercise lay flat on your stomach with arms out in front of you. There are different variations of the exercise that can be done. The first part we will do is just the upper body. Raise your trunk and arms off the ground as high as possible. Hold at the top for a solid 1 count. Slowly lower yourself back to the floor and repeat the action. In the beginning I have my clients do 2 sets of 12 working up to 3 sets of 20 repetitions.
The next exercise is kind of the same as the first only a variation of it. This time you will raise your right arm and left leg at the same time. Hold at the top for a 1 count and lower the arm and leg to the ground. Switch sides raising your left arm and right leg. This motion strengthens from the top of the back down to the bottom of the back. Use the same rep/set regiment as the previous exercise.
The last of the superman exercises is the full body superman. This exercise is combing the upper body and lower body. Again laying on the floor on your stomach you will raise your arms and trunk off the ground. While doing this, raise both legs at the same time. I tell my clients to think about balancing on your belly button. That is all that you want touching the ground. Hold at the top for a 1 count. This, in my opinion, is the hardest of the superman exercises.
The last exercise of the low back exercises is called pointer. Start on all fours. From here you are lifting your right arm up and your left leg up. Keep both the arm and leg as straight as possible. You will feel a squeeze in the small of your back if you are doing this right. It shouldn’t hurt when you do it. Return both arm and leg to the ground. To make it a more advanced exercise perform the repetitions without putting your arm and leg down or by adding hand weights. When bringing them back in just hover them over the ground then extend them back out. I will touch my hand to my knee to keep myself from wanting to put my hand or knee down. I usually do all my reps for one side first then I will do the other side. To make the exercise easier you can switch sides after every repetition. During this exercise keep your abs tight try not to let them be relaxed during this exercise.
These exercises are basic low back exercises. If you sit all day or are over weight you should be doing these exercises to help strengthen the low back. We definitely don’t want you throwing your back out picking up a pencil or a screw!
If you have questions please feel free to email me at eric_walden@waldospersonaltraining.com. Please do not hesitate to ask questions. If you want to learn more about me please visit my website at http://www.waldospersonaltraining.com/. Have a healthy day.
SLEEP WELL!
Tips to help you feel refreshed from your time between the sheets!
Breakfast or lunch the largest meal of the day
Many people sleep better when they have protein at breakfast and lunch, and a small light dinner. Digesting food takes energy and can diminish your quality of sleep.
Exercise regularly and walk to sleep
Exercise relieves stress, energizes and then relaxes you. Work to exercise ½-1 hour a day, and at least 2 hours before bed (so you avoid the first the first energizing effect right before bed). People who walk at least 6 blocks per day at a normal pace are 1/3 less likely to have trouble sleeping and those with quicker pace have even better sleeping habits. Walking has more effectiveness then sleeping medicine without medicine side effects.
Hydrate and drink like a fish!
Drink eight to ten eight ounce glasses of water a day and add four-six more glasses when you exercise. Even mild dehydration can lead to chronic fatigue. Don’t drink more than four ounces of water within an hour of bedtime and empty your bladder right before bed.
Eat healthy and cut back on sleep robbers
Eat lots of whole foods and cut out fast and processed foods. Do not intake caffeine, coffee, colas, chocolate, tea after 2pm. Do not drink alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime. One to two glasses of wine can make you drowsy, but will wake you up frequently at night.
Keep a sleep/wake cycle
Work to go to sleep and awake at about the same time each day, even the weekends.
Enjoy & move to the light
Get outside when it’s sunny and turn on the lights at home in the morning. This helps reset your awake/sleep cycle.
Free to nap
It is find to nap especially if you didn’t sleep well the night before. People who nap for 15 minutes feel more alert and less sleepy even after a bad nights sleep.
Go to sleep when you’re tired
If you can’t fall asleep within 15-20 minutes, try repeating a bible verse, prayer, or poetry. Then if you still cannot sleep, get up and leave your bedroom to read, sit, or think pleasant thoughts (dream vacation, hiking/outdoors, etc.). This can help calm you to be able to return to bed and sleep.
Move your television
Your bed and bedroom are for sleep and sex. No talking (especially about difficult issues or about schedules), no reading, no talking on the telephone, and no worrying.
Best nighttime posture
Your pillow should be low enough to support your head without flexing your neck, to avoid neck and shoulder aches. Orthopedic pillows with a scooped out hollow for your head help support your neck & help people with chronic neck problems.
Relieve low back pressure by putting a pillow under your knees to comfortably flex your lower spine.
Have enough blankets to stay warm, so you don’t have to unconsciously curl up to keep warm (which would leave you with a sore back).
Allow room to be able to move your arms and legs and roll over during the night. This naturally can help prevent your joints from getting stiff.
Try an herbal soother
Instead of sleeping pills, try the natural herb valerian root, which can improve your sleep quality without any grogginess. Take between150-300mg at bedtime. Allow about 2 weeks for valerian to build up in your system. Once effective, take a break occasionally to allow your sleep patterns to develop without sleeping aids. Our supplement “Natural ZZZs” is an excellent herbal sleeping aid with valerian root.
Relaxation Therapies
Autogenic Training – imagine a peaceful environment and comforting body sensations, such as warmth or heaviness in limbs, warmth in the upper abdomen, and coolness on the forehead
Biofeedback Training – visual or auditory feedback is provided to the person to control chosen physiologic parameters
Imagery Training – visualization technique with focus on pleasant or neutral images
Paced Respirations – take a deep breath and hold for 5 seconds, repeat several times; focus on the sound of the breath
Progressive Muscle Relaxation – tense and relax large muscle groups; usually begin with the feet and work your way up to the facial muscles
Repetitive Focus – repeat and focus on a prayer, phrase, word, sound, or muscle activity
Medicines
Non prescription – Melatonin, Tylenol PM, Unisom, Bendryl, and others
Prescription
-nonaddictive such as Ambien (available generic), Ambien CR (a little longer acting), Lunesta, Sonata, Rozerem
-controlled benzodiazepines for only occasional use – Restoril (available generic and longer acting), shorter acting Ativan or Xanax (both available generic)
-other medicines with sleepiness as a side effect – muscle relaxant Flexeril (available generic), older antidepressant in given in lower doses Deseryl (trazedone) and Elavil and Remeron (all available generic)
-often treating a person’s underlying anxiety problem/disorder will significantly help sleep – so many of the newer antidepressant/anti anxiety medicines can help (like Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Efexor, Cymbalta, and others)
Special measures for shift changes
Use bright lights to mimic daytime to keep you awake. Try to stay on the same shift.
If you can’t sleep when you get home in the morning, don’t force it wait until early afternoon when you have an energy drop.
I look forward to writing to you again soon, and pray for all of you all God's blessings of health, safety, and to be filled to overflowing with all the fruit of His Spirit - love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control! Gal.5:22
Dr. Lisa
