Back Strengthening Exercises for Women

back strengthening exercises for women
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Target Workout Details for Back Strengthening Exercises for Women

Body Part: Back

Target Muscle: Spine

Equipment: Exercise Mat, Medicine ball, Exercise ball

Category: Exercise for Women

 

If you are looking for simple yet effective back strengthening exercises for women that allow both strengthening and stretching, here we offer a dynamic workout that includes core exercises for women that can be done at home.

We will also add the yoga method of static stretching as well, which has an effective positive effect on the back. You can do these Erector Spinae Workouts for Women whenever you like and the workout can be modified according to your fitness goals and levels.

In addition, in order to prevent any kind of lower back pain and back injury, it is important that you start strengthening your erector spinae by performing exercises as part of a woman’s daily routine.

Stretching exercises to relieve lower back pain will also be reviewed and explained.

One word of caution here is that if you have a serious back problem, please consult your doctor before trying these exercises.

Spine Anatomy

 

Functions of the Lower Back of the Spine

Primarily there are 3 main functions of the back muscles:

  1. To protect the spinal cord, internal organs and nerve roots.
  2. To provide general structural support to the body, balancing and maintaining a correct posture curve.
  3. Activate the flexible motion and body movement.

 

The Structure of the Spinal Muscle in the Lower Back

A common group of complex muscles that works harmony together to support the spine and help hold the body upright and enable the body to move and twist in different ways. There are three main types of muscle:

  • Extensor: The spinal cord attached to the back, called the erector spinae, helps elevate the spine and glutes muscles.
  • Flexor: Attaching the spine from the front and allowing the body to flex.
  • Oblique: It is attached to both sides of the spine, which helps to rotate the movement of the spine and maintain the correct posture.

 

Do you need to Warm Up and Stretch your Lower Back?

Stretching exercises are an significant part of exercising every part of the body. It will elevate the work of the spine and enhance its capability functions.

Below warm-up steps helps in this regard:

1. Roller Back Extension

Warm up back - Foam Roller Back Extension

2. Toes Touch 

Warm Up Back - Touch Your Toes step 1

Warm Up Back - Touch Your Toes step 2

3. Back Flex and Rotation

Warm up back - Rock-Back Rotation Step 1

Warm up back - Rock-Back Rotation Step 2

4. Cat/Cow Stretch

Cat Stretches

 

Best Lower Back Strengthening Exercises for Women

 

1: Sun Salutations Sequence

(Equipment: Body Only)

Spine Workout women 1 - Sun Salutations

This is one of an effective core exercises for women, and it is one of a valuable yoga exercise, in addition, the movement will provide a sense of pleasure and excitement during the performance.

But there is a part of it, your body requires an extra challenge, where you need to reach the ground by touching it with your hand.

How to perform workout Sun Salutations Sequence?

  • Stand straight and inhale as you extend your arms up and over your head, parallel to your torso.
  • Begin to exhale and engage your abdominal muscles by start tilting your hips and forward your chest by lowering the upper body into a bent position.
  • Your hands should touch your feet or the floor. You can also bend your knees slightly if necessary.
  • Now inhale and raise your back to a level parallel to the floor (set the chest at a 90-degree angle with the legs) while keeping the hands straight pointing towards the floor, then exhale and bend the upper body by lower again to the floor touching your toes if possible.
  • Inhale again and raise your back straight, while fully extend your arms over your head and letting your palms touch each other.

Repetitions

Follow this exercise by Repeat 4 – 8 times.


2: Stability Ball Rollout

(Equipment: Exercise ball )

Spine Workout women 2 - Ball Rollouts

The exercise will hit many different upper body muscles, not only the lower back, but also the upper back, the abdominals and the shoulders muscles.

So it’s a great exercise value that you can give your body.

How to perform Stability Ball Rollout?

  • Sit on your knees on a mat, with your shin parallel to the floor, and your torso straight.
  • Place the stability ball in front of your body, about a hand away from you.
  • Place your hands on the ball parallel to each other.
  • Now pull your belly button towards your Spinae which will tighten your torso.
  • Gradually roll a ball into a forward position using your forearms until your chest touches the ball.
  • Hold this position for a second, then slowly pull your body back using your stomach and arms to return to the starting position. Be careful not to fall when moving forward.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 8-10 times.


3: Standing Cat Stretch

(Equipment: Body Only)

Spine Workout women 3 - Cat Stretch Standing

How to perform Cat Stretch?

  • Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
  • Then Squat with your palms on your knees and your back as parallel to the floor as possible. Keep your head looking toward the ground.
  • Begin by pulling your abs inward and rotating your back up (arc position) toward the ceiling.
  • Then lower your back and abs toward the floor.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 12 times.


4: Medicine Ball Rotation using Stability Ball

(Equipment: Stability Ball, Medicine Ball)

Spine Workout women 4 - Medicine Ball Rotations

Practicing a medical ball is considered a fun and interesting for most women.

How to perform Medicine Ball Rotation? 

  • Hold a light medium sized medicine ball.
  • Then You can start the refreshing exercise by lying on a stability ball with your shoulders and your lower back on top of it.
  • While holding the medicine ball in both hands, with both arms fully extended, place it toward your chest.
  • Ensure that your body is in a straight position from the shoulders to the hips.
  • Tighten the abdominal and buttock muscles, and now gradually start turning your body to the left side at an angle of 45 while moving the medicine ball on your hands with arms fully extended.
  • Come back to middle position and repeat on the right side.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 10 times.


5: Pelvic Tilt on Stability Ball

 (Equipment: Exercise Ball)

Spine Workout women 5 - Pelvic Tilt over Medicine Ball

How to perform Pelvic Tilt using exercise ?

  • Lie in an inclined position using your upper back muscles on top of stability ball with hips down and head supported with your hands.
  • Keep your feet on the floor about shoulder width apart.
  • Without rolling the ball, gradually raise your hips in an upward motion toward the ceiling and then slowly lower down. You will begin to feel the stretching of your abs and back muscles.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 15 times.


6: Stability Ball Crunching

(Equipment: Exercise Ball)

Spine Workout women 6 - Ball Crunching

This exercise is similar to pelvic tilt on a stability ball, the only difference here is that you need to move your upper body at the shoulders rather than the lower back and hips.

This allows you to reach and contract your upper back muscles, and abs muscles as well.

How to perform Ball Crunching? 

  • Lie on the ball in the middle of the back and put your hands behind your head.
  • Lift the shoulder blades away from the ball while squeezing the abdominal muscles, hitting the abs muscles.
  • Then bring your shoulders down toward the ball, To contract the back muscles.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 13 times.


7: Glute Bridge

(Equipment: Exercise Mat)

Glute Bridge for Women workout

This is a great exercise, that targets both the back and gluteal muscles as well.

How to perform Glute Bridge? 

  • Lie on the exercise mat on your back.
  • Bend your knees, place your feet on the floor, and keep your hands at your sides parallel to your torso. This is the starting position.
  • Gradually raise your hips off the floor until you form a tilted bridge position. Your body will be in a straight line from the knees to the head.
  • While in this position, try to arch your back towards the ceiling as high as possible.
  • Then slowly lower your hips back to the floor, then return to the starting position.

If you need additional information about this value exercise and its various benefits and variations, I have written an article on the subject explaining in more detail about the post, you can click on the Glute Bridge.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 12 times.


8: Knees to Chest Pose

(Equipment: Exercise Mat)

Spine Workout women 8 - Knees to Chest

How to perform Knees to Chest? 

  • Lie on an exercise mat on your back with your legs and body straight.
  • Pull your knees to your chest with your hands behind your knees on your shins.
  • Maintain the position of the tailbone on the floor for the purpose of stretching the lower back. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds.
  • Then unlock your legs and return your legs to a straight position on the floor.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 4-5 times.


9: Oblique Knee Drops with Medicine ball

(Equipment: Medicine Ball)

Spine Workout women 9 - Oblique knee drops with a medicine ball

How to perform Oblique Knee Drops? 

  • Lie on the floor with the body in a straight position.
  • Lift your legs, then bend both your hips and knees 90 degrees, so that your shins are parallel to the floor,
  • Set your arms are at a 90-degree angle from your torso, in order to provide the desired balance for you from failing while moving your legs on the air.
  • Place a medicine ball and hold it between your knees. (However, this is optional)
  • Now tighten the abdominal muscles and start rotating the waist by lowering the legs on the right side to the ground level position.
  • Bring back your knees and legs to the center position.
  • Then switch sides by repeating the same, by lowering knees to the left side until they touch the ground.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 8 times.


10: Supine Twist

(Equipment: Exercise Mat or Body Only)

Spine Workout women 10 V - Spinae Twist

Supine or reclined Spinal Twist they are different names for the same exercise.

How to perform Supine Twist? 

  • Lie flat on your back on an exercise mat or floor.
  • Begin by bending your right leg and placing your right foot on the left knee.
  • Put your left hand on your right knees, while place your right arm straight on the floor next to you at a 90-degree angle from your body, palms on floor.
  • Now slowly rotate your right leg to the left side until it is close to the floor, by pressing on it and supporting it with your left hand.
  • Turn your face to the right side.
  • Relax in this stretch and feel your lower back and hips. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
  • Then switch to the other side and repeat same steps but with opposite side.

Note: Make sure to practice this routine slowly, gently and gradually to avoid the possibility of any injury, because it is intense and puts pressure on your legs and back. You can control its intensity when you start turning your leg and knee to touch the floor.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 6-8 times.


11: Cobra with Legs lift

(Equipment: Exercise Mat)

Spine Workout women 11 - Cobra with leg lift

How to perform Cobra? 

  • Lie in a prone position, on your abs.
  • Place your hands next to your chest, palms flat on the floor.
  • Begin to contract your lower back, while lift your upper chest off the floor, using pressure of both palms on the floor, Make sure the abdomen is not lifted off the ground.
  • Adjust your head to look straight ahead.
  • Lift your right leg off the floor and hold it for two seconds.
  • Lower your body to the floor and rest a bit.
  • Then repeat the same steps but this time switch to the other left leg and lift it.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 12 times.


12: Child’s Pose

(Equipment: Exercise Mat)

Spine Workout women 12 - Child's Pose

How to perform Child’s Pose? 

  • Start by sitting your hips on your shin at a level above your heels.
  • Put your feet outward.
  • Begin bending your chest forward until your head is touching the ground if possible.
  • Place your hands on the floor next to your heels toward the back, keeping your palms toward the ceiling. (Another form of child pose exercise is to send the arm forward and the palm touch the ground, but I think the first variation provides more peaceful and relaxation)
  • Breathe well and relax the back muscles. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.

Repetitions

Repeat this exercise 5 times.


Conclusion

Lower back exercises are essential to keep your spine, back muscles and body healthy. These numerous exercises can be practiced here using the yoga technique, which provides peace and stretches the targeted muscles.

Plus, most workouts don’t require any equipment, just using the body, so it’s a great opportunity to start working out now.

If you have any comment or query, please add it in the comment post below, I will be happy to assist you.

 

Challenge enough to Boost your Body to the Next Strength level!

There is (much) more! In the next article, you will tackle different Muscle Workouts.

You’ll be happy to see more muscle building results over time.