Albert K. Park

This was an email exchange from my friend. It was about his lower back and I thought hey there are tons of us suffering from lower back pain, this may help you too. Enjoy this is the actual words and exchange between us. (some names have been changed throughtout the email, you all understand)

Friend: "What kind of good core stabalizing exercises do you got pimpin, I need to get my back right."

My email:
"What's up buddy!

Hey sorry I had to dip out early form dinner on your b-day, lame I know bu I had to work late. Pre sale set up. Trust me I know. THank your dad again for me for dinner, great restaurant by the way.

Anwyays about your lower back. Your right on track with knowing that strengthening your core is going to be essential in being pain free, but really be careful in how you go about it and really listen to your body.

Starting off with a core strengthening program with back pain you realy have to avoid flexion and extension. So bending over motions and bending back motions. I'm sure your thinking how the heck am I going to be able to strengthen my core without those motions, don't worry! It's more than possible and should be extra progressive with you.

First thing you will want to do is flexibility focused. Mainly try to stretch the hips to increase hip mobility. A lot of lower back pain is increased due to a lack of mobility in this area and tends to make the hamstrings even tighter. When you can't retract your hips to pick things up, you bend over, not good for your back.


The stretch: go down onto one knee. Now take the knee that's up and move the foot a little more forward so it is a little uncomfortable. (It will feel like it's stretching already) then reach with the hand on the same side of the knee that's down and reach over your head towards the side the knee is up. You will feel it in the downed knee hip flexor.

This will help a lot, trust me!

You can also sit in a chair and pull one leg up onto the other. So the ankle of one knee is over the knee of the other. like how old men sit in a chair not how girls sit.
Now pull up on that knee that's horizontal towards your opposite shoulder. Also press down on the knee towards the floor.

So both these stretches daily and thoroughly. 2 to 3 times each. Hold each stretch for 40 to 50 seconds.

Now core strengthening:

So for you, really start with plank holds. You know the drill. Forearms on the ground hips straight for about 30 to 45 seconds. Here is the key, when you get your forearms down, make sure your upper back isn't rounded. Sag inbetween your shoulder blades. This will focus your core to work harder instead of your shoulders. 3 sets of 30 second holds should be good.

Do planks for your side too. When the front plank get's easy. Lift one foot up in the air to increase difficulty. Don't increase time yet.

Exercise 2:
Ab roll outs. So I don't know if you have access to a ab wheel or a barbell but these will also help you keep a neutral spine and work your core without flexion or extension.

Start on your knees then roll straight out, keep your abs braced tight and then roll up. Go 4 sets of 6 to start off.

Exercise 3:
Med ball circuits. So standing perpendicular to a wall, throw a medicine ball against the wall without turning your torso. For track and field we would twist our upper body in order to develop explosiveness in our hips but avoid this. Use your arms to throw and brace your upper body so it doesn't turn. Keep the abs tight, and use your core to prevent your body from turning to much. You can't toss it too soft or else your core won't work. So pick an 8 to 10 pound med ball and give a good toss.

Do both left and right sides.

Exercise 4:
This one is a regular pushup. But you are going to be doin it with only one foot on the ground. This doesn't mean the other foot gets to cross over the other one but means its up in the air and balanced. This will help keep your core tight and work it hard. Do 3 to four sets of 10 pushups to start with for each leg on the ground.

Exercise 5:

If you make it to and gym do exercises in a split leg stance. A good one is the standing the cable press. (Chest press from standing) do this in a split leg stance, it will help both increase hip mobility and core strength.

Friend, I hope these exercises will help. Once your core get's stronger and back feels better you can slowly start adding more challenging core work. But with lower back pain, a progressive program is vital!

Dude if you have any open time and we can coordinate our schedules, I know your busy with tons of things, I would love to show you these things at the private training facility down here in renton so that you can do them properly whenever you train your core.
Let me know if you need any more advice, want to check out some reading material on lower back pain, or just need another opinion on it.

Unfortunatley I know how bad it can hurt, especially when you get nerves pinched, remember my back from senior of high school and driving home laying down. Damn you Mr. Smith. So I hope this stuff will help in your back battle. Good luck bud.


-albert