My Favorite Exercises: Back Extension

Chronic back pain is one of the most common complaints in our society. Keeping the lower back muscles strong is one way we can avoid injury to our backs and the resulting pain.

It's hard to find good exercises to work the lower back. Personally, I like to take advantage of the back extension machines found in most gyms. This is one of the few times I prefer a machine, It ensures I control the movement, and I can use weights to increase intensity.

Most of these machines work similarly. You sit on an incline and have a pad behind your shoulders. You complete the exercise by pushing the pad until your back is straight. The important things to keep in mind as you do this exercise are as follows:

• Don't overextend when pushing back. Only push far enough so that your back is straight at the end.
• Go forward as far as possible. This is where you get the benefit of the exercise, moving from the forward position to the straight position.
• Don't use too much weight.
• Use a controlled motion, no momentum. Go slowly.
• Focus on using the muscles of the lower back and not the legs to do the work.
  

Strong muscles support our bodies properly and help prevent injury and pain. Don't focus totally on the abdominals and forget the opposing muscles of the lower back. They work together to keep our core strong.