Ab exercises that are bad-back approved?

brianneangell08 wrote: »

Alright, you've all convinced me! I am going to set up a dr appointment and start doing more stretching/yoga.

Several of you said that strengthening my core may additional help with my back. So, back to my initial question - what exercises should I do? I will continue to do planks, and I can also do Russian Twists (with a medicine ball) with no problem. It is exercises more along the lines of crunches, bicycle crunches, lying leg raises, etc that hurt.

Make sure you're doing crunches and not sit ups. Crunches really only require you to contract your muscles in your abdomen, if your lower back is coming off the floor you're doing a situp.

Here's an example, watch their shoulders come off the floor but their lower back does not, yet they contract the muscles in their abs..



Situps can aggravate your lower back pain, they sure do mine, yet crunches are completely do-able for me.

Here's a similar plank workout to what I do, at first until your core is stronger I don't suggest doing the knee raises, bends during the workout. I've worked up to 2 4 minute sets and a 2 minute set for a total of 10 minutes of planks five days a week:



Hope that helps. It doesn't matter if you do 10 second planks, 30 second planks, or 60 second planks, it matters that you do them. Start small, work your way up.

_dracarys_ wrote: »

STEVE142142 wrote: »

You really need to talk to a physical therapist about what you can and can't do. Please whatever you do don't take any advice from people on this website as far as a medical condition. Even though their intentions may be good they can give you some bad advice that could lead to more damage to your back.

This.

It depends on what is actually wrong with your back. Lots of people with good intentions will advise you to do what worked for them, but without knowing what YOUR issue is, that could be dangerous. Yoga is a big one people recommend. Some yoga positions were downright painful for the back problem I had (before I knew what it was) and may even contributed to the issue. So tread carefully.

I couldn't agree more!!! I get Nerve Block Injections weekly (at the pain clinic) for my back and the Dr gave me the go ahead to use the exercise bike only, and even that makes my feet go numb but I push through... Most of the suggestions on here I know would make me worse than better .....please becareful

OP, as many others have said, see an orthopaedic doctor, don't ignore it. Also get with a physical therapist and certified trainer to help. You don't want to ignore back problems. I did, and now I have two fused discs because of it. Don't take anyone else's advice except for a certified individual who has personally examined you.

ParadigmShifter wrote: »

Bring your knee up so you are balancing on one leg. That's it. Works/activates your core and can be good for the back. If it hurts, don't bring your knee up so high.

And pretty much any activity that requires balance to do it. Certain styles of dancing work them quite a bit as well.

Pallof press was taught to me by my PT. Suggest you do the same. Back injuries of any kind should not be taken lightly nor should you introduce new exercises without being checked out. Pilates is not, NOT, a good idea if you have something going on with your neck or back without dr approval. Seriously, get checked out and have a PT work with you.

Half of the people above the age of forty have at least one herniated disk and over 90% of those are asymptomatic.

In the absence of a structural defect - and even with a fair number of them - it's been my experience that a 'bad back' is a lot more likely to be a weak back. Weakness can be cured with lifting weights.