Pilates Exercises for Lower Back
Beginner Pilates for Lower Back
Prevent Lower back pain with Pilates.
Pilates Exercises for Lower Back | Beginners
At some point in our lives, we will experience back issues and pain and lower back pain is the most common. In my Yoga and Pilates classes, I get requests to reduce lower back discomfort and pain. This can be caused by many reasons such as injuries, too much sitting or bending the wrong way, and poor posture.
The good news is you can reduce the risk of lower back pain by strengthening your back and core with Pilates and regular stretching to release tension and tightness in the whole body with Yoga.
In Kevala Health's online Pilates classes or Jodie’s Russell Island Pilates, students are taught correct exercises for lower back care, appropriate stretches for the lower back, and breathing to reduce aches and prevent any further back pains. The key is body awareness and prevention for good healthy backs. Just strengthening is not enough, especially as we get older. We need to balance our bodies with stretching, strengthening, and stability.
In Jodie’s Pilates classes, she teaches students how to strengthen their glutes (buttocks muscle) with exercises such as bridges. Some other back Pilates exercises include strengthening our deep core like practicing single heel taps and tabletop holds which are great for beginners. It’s very important to strengthen our deep core muscles like the pelvic floor, internal and external obliques, and transverse abdominal muscles to help prevent back pain. We include the best Pilates exercises in our live online classes to help beginners and the over-40 age group safely stretch and strengthen the lower back.
Lower back pain is more common as we get older and this can start around the age of 30 - 40, especially if you don’t exercise or sit for long hours. You can start improving your lower back health by following Kevala Health’s tips below.
Tips on How to Prevent Lower Back Pain
Strengthen the Core: Learn the correct activation of all the core muscles.
Improve Flexibility: Yoga will help you release tightness which can cause imbalances in the body.
Reduce Stress: Stress can tense and tighten the physical body. When we are stressed the body can fatigue, prone to more tightness, and injuries.
Maintain a Healthy Weight: If you carry extra weight this will put too much load on the lower back.
Correct Posture: Learn to sit and stand correctly to prevent lower back issues. You may need to invest in a proper chair for the work desk.
Follow an Anti-inflammatory diet: Following a healthy diet will help the body to strengthen, heal, and gain more energy. Reduce sugar intake.
Increase Strength: A stronger body prevents injuries and promotes good posture.
Good Body Mechanics: Learn correct body mechanics to reduce the risk of back injuries and incorrect alignment. An important exercise to learn is a squat, as this is a functional everyday movement.
Avoid heavy lifting: Avoid heavy lifting to prevent back injuries. When you are lifting, you need to bend your knees.
5 Best Pilates Exercises for Lower Back
Cat/Cows
Clams
Single knee lifts
Bridges
Swan/Cobra
Always seek professional medical advice when there’s back pain and before you start exercises and stretches. Kevala Health is happy to work with your health professional to help you with your health.
Practicing Pilates at least twice a week is a great way to start strengthening your lower back and core.
Watch Kevala Health’s video on the six best stretches to help reduce lower back pain.
View the best beginner pilates mat exercises on Jodie’s video.
Strengthen your lower back with Jodie’s beginner Ab exercises for at-home and knee-friendly.
