For many gymgoers, back pain is an unavoidable struggle. The sudden, sharp pain can interrupt a workout, forcing you to stop and rest. It’s one of the biggest obstacles to maintaining a consistent fitness routine.
So, how can you prevent gym-related back pain? The solutions are simple but require consistency. This guide will help you reduce pain and keep your workouts pain-free. Here’s how you can avoid back pain by doing some helpful exercises and following the proper techniques.
5 Helpful Exercises To Avoid Back Pain
The first thing that you need is to do exercises to avoid back pain. Why? According to NCBI, exercise reduces overall back pain from 10 to 50 %. Among the other treatments, exercise is the safest and most effective way to treat lower back pain. So, below are the helpful exercises that you need to do:
Planks
Planks come on top of the list to treat lower back pain. The exercise involves holding the body in a push up position. Planks are very good for building a strong core. It must be hard to do planks when you already have back pain. But it is the most magical remedy for gym back pain prevention.
Steps:
- Place your palms on the floor at a shoulder width distance.
- Keep your elbows straight below your shoulders.
- Place your feet together, put the pressure on your toes and squeeze your butt.
- Keep your neck and back in a straight position.
- Put pressure on your core muscles while holding the plank position.
- Hold the plank for 30–60 seconds, depending on your endurance.
Bird Dog
Another core strengthening exercise is a bird dog. The stretching of one arm and leg in the opposite direction has a really good effect on reducing back pain. This exercise helps improve your posture and range of motion.
Steps:
- Kneel your knees and keep a hip width distance.
- Then, place your hands on the floor shoulder width apart.
- Engage your core throughout the whole time.
- First, lift your right arm straight in front of your body. At the same time, extend your left leg out from the back.
- The extended arm and leg should be in a straight line.
- Hold the body position for a few seconds and return to the normal position.
- Repeat the same steps with the other arm and leg.
- Perform this exercise 5–10 times per set.
Hip Extension
To avoid back pain at the gym, doing a simple exercise like hip extension can be very helpful. This one not only strengthens the core but also improves your hip flexibility to improve your walking, running and jumping.
Steps:
- First, lie on your back and keep your knees bent together.
- Spread your arms on the ground with some distance to your torso. Your palms should face downwards.
- Then, by engaging your core, push your body upwards and hold the position for a few seconds.
- Try to complete 10 to 15 reps of hip extension.
Dead Bug
Dead bug is another exercise that is very useful in preventing lower back pain. It improves your posture and brings balance to the body. Along with these, by strengthening your body core, this exercise should definitely be included in your routine to avoid back pain at the gym.
Steps:
- Get your starting position by lying straight on the ground and bending your knees. They should form a 90 degree angle. Keep your feet straight in the air.
- Extend your arms straight towards the ceiling.
- Now, extend your right arm back to your ear, towards the head. At the same time, extend your left leg outside. Keep the leg off the ground.
- Hold this position while engaging your core for a few seconds.
- Repeat the above steps with the other arm and leg.
- Perform 10 to 15 sets of the dead bug.
Superman Hold
Quite simple to hear but a very difficult one to perform. As its name suggests, the Superman hold exercise keeps the body stretched in the Superman flying pose. The exercise reduces gym related back pain and enhances stability in the core.
Steps:
- Lie on the ground with your face facing downwards.
- Extend your legs and arms outside the body.
- Lift your arms and legs 3–5 inches off the ground and hold the position for about 10 seconds
- Perform the Superman hold for 4-6 times.
Following Correct Techniques Of Exercises
One of the main reasons for getting gym related back pain is doing exercises incorrectly. Many times, we misjudge the steps of a workout and start performing it without proper guidance. The basic problem is to perform any exercise with the wrong posture. All the trouble starts from there, and instead of taking good from an exercise, we do more harm to ourselves. Therefore, during your workouts, follow the right techniques for the exercises:
Keep A Straight Spine
You might have noticed that during weightlifting, you always experience imbalance and difficulty. The reason for this is not keeping the correct posture. The most important rule is maintaining a straight or neutral spine while lifting. Proper posture ensures balance and prevents injury. By following the right posture, you can avoid back pain at the gym while lifting weights.
Do Squatting Right
Many people do squats the wrong way. The correct technique is to position your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width and lower your body until your knees form a 90-degree angle. In squats, you should never forget the posture of your back. Your spine won’t stay straight while squatting, but it should always have a neutral angle. This helps put all the pressure on your thighs and calves. It reduces the chance of getting lower back pain.
Bend Correctly
There are a lot of exercises that require correct posture in the gym. The basic movement in those exercises usually requires you to bend. Incorrect bending techniques can easily lead to lower back pain. For this, you must always pay attention to how to bend your back properly. During bending, push your hips backwards and keep your spine in a neutral position. By doing proper bending during weight lifting, squatting or other exercises, you can avoid lower back pain.
Build A Strong Core
Strengthening your core is the key to preventing lower back pain. Engaging your core properly during workouts is important to enhance its potential to bear weight. Without a strong core, all the weight directly falls over bones and ligaments in the abdomen area. They bear more weight than their power, and it leads to back pain problems. Therefore, you need to do more exercises to keep your core stronger to avoid gym related back pain.
Always Do A Proper Warm Up
As a gym goer, you must know the importance of doing a proper warm up before your workout, right? It prepares the body to enter a state of hyper flexibility. Doing a warm up before performing exercises also helps reduce the chances of lower back pain in the gym.
A warm up includes dynamic stretching of legs, arms and hip rotations. Light cardio activities like jogging and jumping. These activities increase the blood flow and flexibility of the body. It allows you to have a smooth transition into proper workouts without tearing or pulling your muscles. So, never forget to do a warm up; even if you do, skip the workout, quickly finish your warm up, and then jump back into your training.
Stretching After Exercise
Just like a warm up, letting your body cool down slowly is also very important. After doing a workout, take the stress off your body through stretching. Static stretching of hamstring muscles for 15 to 30 seconds and deep breathing are very effective for relaxing the body. These body cool down techniques maintain the blood flow to the targeted muscles and reduce lactic acid buildup. This reduces the chance of getting gym related back pain and injuries.
Choose The Right Weights
One factor that could easily cause you lower back pain is lifting weights that are too heavy for you. If your back muscles are not strong enough or your body hasn’t got the right strength to bear heavy weights, it can give you back pain. For this situation, you need to strengthen your core and do proper weight training. Start by practising with lighter weights and then gradually shift to heavy ones. Building strength with time is the key to avoiding back pain at the gym.
Avoid Excessive Training
If you overstress your body with excessive training, this could also lead to lower back pain. Your body is adaptable and can tolerate stress effectively. But by overdoing your workouts, you can tear your back muscles easily. So, take a rest between your workout routines. Allow your body to relax properly to gain the necessary strength. Keep your training bearable for your body to avoid gym related back pain.
Consult A Professional
In many cases, adjusting your workout routine can alleviate lower back pain. By using proper exercise techniques, warming up, cooling down, and maintaining correct posture, you can significantly reduce gym-related back pain. However, if the pain persists despite these changes, consult a doctor for professional evaluation and treatment. Carrying a proper treatment through a therapist will treat the lower back pain issue.
Wrapping Up
Whether due to improper technique or lack of strength, lower back pain is a serious issue. Being mindful of your exercise form and body mechanics can prevent long-term discomfort. If you’ve experienced back pain, use the exercises and tips shared above to manage and prevent it. Prioritize your back health, and enjoy an active, pain-free gym routine.
