Yoga Stretching Lower Back Stretches

Related Articles

• Treat back pain with exercise during pregnancy Back pain during pregnancy is a common occurrence. The changes to a woman’s body ...
• Middle Back Stretches The back can be divided into the upper back, the middle back and the lower back. These ...
• Out of time? Stretch while you shower An excellent place to get your stretches done is in the shower under a steady flow of warm...
• Perform Yoga In Office Performing some simple yoga exercises during office hours can be very useful in reducing ...

• Tweet
• 

There are various yoga lower back stretches that you can perform and obtain good relief for your back aches. Avoid tasks that add pressure on your spine. The yoga lower back stretches help to alleviate the pain from your tired back muscles. This, in turn, takes off the pressure exerted on your backbone. If you have lower back pain, you should first consult a doctor and take his/her advice. Once you are rested enough, you can try out the various lower back stretches to relieve the pain.

Lower back stretches exercises are done effectively after you warm up your back muscles. The exercises for lower back pain include the Pelvic Lift, Basic Spine twist, the Cat Stretch (Marjariasana), and the Cobra Pose (Bhujhangasana); the latter two should be practiced in a comfortable degree and you should not feel any pain while stretching your muscles. Another significant application is the lower back stretches for runners. You may practice running for hours, but may suffer muscle stiffness owing to lack of muscle suppleness. Doing lower back stretches before and after a run will help reduce the chances of muscle injury. One of the best lower back stretches is the Knees-to-Chest Pose (Apanasana). This lower back stretches warms you up before any core strength developing activity and ensures that your fitness regime is devoid of pain.

Types Of Lower Back Stretches

Cobra Exercise/Pose (Bhujangasana) :

It helps to strengthen the muscles of your backbone. You will find this effective if you spend long hours at a desk job. The steps for this are as follows:

Step I:

Spread a mat on the floor and lie on it on your stomach. Your hands should rest by your hips; stretch out your palms facing the ceiling. Inhale and tighten your stomach muscles against your backbone.

Step II:

Now as your exhale, gradually lift up your upper body, hands, and legs from the floor. Your thumbs should be rotating while you balance your body weight on your stomach.

Step III:

Maintain this position for a few seconds and then return to your initial state on the mat.

Cat Stretch (Marjariasana) :

It is another lower back exercise that soothes and releases all the trapped tension and stress in your body. The various steps in which you do it are as follows:

Step I:

Position your body on your hands and knees on the floor. Your hands would be below your shoulders and your knees below your hips.

Step II:

Apply weight on your fingers extended on the floor and tighten your stomach muscles to bring your head in a straight line with your neck and back.

Step III:

Inhale deeply and look up to the ceiling. Your back should cave in as you drop your stomach toward the floor.

Step IV:

Now exhale and drop your head to look at your navel. Your backbone will now arch up like that of a cat. Continue this with each inhalation and exhalation, and to end the exercise, bring your body to its initial state with your backbone in a straight line with your neck and head (plank position).

Pelvic Tilt :

It is a lower back exercise of a more gentle nature, which gives your tightened back muscles a relaxing massage. The various steps in this lower back exercise are as follows:

Step I:

Lie facing the ceiling, on a mat, and place your arms under your head or by your side. Bend your knees such that the soles of your feet are now flat on the floor.

Step II:

Place your back firmly pressed against the floor. As you tighten your stomach, lift your buttocks slightly off the floor. Remain in this posture for some time and then bring your buttocks back to the floor. A good way to ensure you get the tilt right is to place your hands, palms facing downward, under the curve of your back (where the back does not meet the floor). Every time you lift or tilt your pelvis, do it only enough to push the back into your hands.

Lower Back Stretches: Do's And Don'ts

Some of the lower back stretches dos and don'ts are as follows. Keep these in mind to obtain maximum benefits from your exercises.

Do's

• Stretch for a few minutes before you begin your lower back exercises.
• Ensure that you continue to breathe steadily throughout the stretch.

Don'ts

• Do not cut down on the time for your stretches.
• Try not to go beyond a level of comfort that causes you pain.
• Do not be hasty to go through the steps of the lower back stretches.

If done rightly, lower back stretches bring out the best of your exercise regime.

Lower Back Stretches Benefits

• Regular stretching of the lower back muscles ensures that they are strengthened;
• It also helps make the muscles increasingly pliable or supple, thereby improving flexibility and keeping injuries related to wear and tear and incorrect posture at bay.
• Lower back stretches also help give you a good posture; what this means is that if your back muscles are exercised regularly, you will not end up sitting incorrectly and you will tend to keep your back straight naturally.
• Apart from this, doing lower back stretches also increases muscle and body coordination and enhances blood circulation.

Lower Back Stretches

• Arm Stretches
• Chest Stretches
• Shoulder Stretches
• Leg Stretches
• Knee Stretches
• Hamstring Stretches
• Running Stretches
• Back Stretches
• Thigh Stretches
• Groin Stretches
• Neck Stretches
• Glute Stretches
• Hip Stretches
• Golfers Stretches
• Calf Muscles Stretches
• Ankle Stretches
• Iliotibial Band Stretches
• Piriformis Stretches
• Warm Up Stretches
• Dynamic Warm Up Stretches
• Soleus Stretch
• Gastrocnemius Stretch
• Lumbar Stretches
• Quadricep Stretches
• Ballistic Stretching
• Adductor Stretch
• Bicep Stretch
• Triceps Stretch
• Spine Stretches
• Upper Back Stretches
• Abdominal Stretches
• Types of Stretching