Build A Better Back Now

Fit-ZoneTop Levelfalsefalsetruefalse3Build A Better Back NowBuild A Better Back NowBuild A Better Back NowKeep your spine strong with six moves that provide stability and support./22/22C847266C2940B4C28E126C8CA5C5E4.jpg122016000false#000000Getty Images/RubberballP1By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & FitnessMSN Health & Fitness Exclusive/74/743391E6E4CEF7F605DD4D2A8D5270.gif1044000false#000000© MSNPfalsePoor posture and back pain are common. Up to 80 percent of the population has experienced some back pain, according to several surveys. What’s worse is that intermittent back problems can worsen over time and become chronic.While there are many kinds of back problems, and all with different causes, often, an underlying injury is associated with weaknesses in the surrounding muscles. Weak back muscles make you more vulnerable to stress, strains and pain in your spinal ligaments and discs. Plus, when certain back muscles are weak, others may over-compensate, leading to postural or muscular imbalances that further aggravate the load on your spine.A strong, stable back is a healthier back, so including back-friendly moves into your regular workouts is crucial. This workout is designed to mobilize, stabilize and strengthen the core muscles that surround your spine. You’ll warm up with an easy back movement, undulating your spine to help loosen it and lubricate the joints. Exercises to strengthen your latissimus dorsi and rhomboids, along with other muscles, will help you stand up straight and erase slumping shoulders. Moves that use your abs and erector spinae in a variety of side-lying, face-down and face-up back-lying poses will help you develop spinal stability, especially in your lower back. These moves concentrate on stabilizing your spine while it is straight, rather than bent. (Many people with weak backs find that “crunching” and “pelvic tilts” that flex, or bend, the back, can put too much stress on the spine.) Here, six moves to keep your spine strong.HOW TO DO IT:• Start by performing one set of each exercise, and work up to doing three sets.• Warm up with five reps of the Spine Wave. Do eight to 12 reps of the two-band exercise as well as the Dead Bug. Do three to five reps of five- to 30-second static “holds” when performing the Side Plank and the Superman.• Do this workout three times a week with a rest day in between.• Modify this workout to match your fitness level. Follow the recommended moves, or adapt them as needed.• If you experience any back pain, or have a history of back problems, always consult with a health professional who specializes in diagnosing and treating the spine.• What you need: a towel and a resistance band.Click here to get the moves.Martica is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist and an award-winning fitness instructor. She has written for a variety of publications including Self, Health, Prevention, The New York Times and others. Martica is the author of seven books, including her latest, Cross-training for Dummies. (Read her full bio.)This diet and exercise program should not be followed without first consulting a health care professional. If you have any special health conditions requiring attention, you should consult with your health care professional regularly regarding possible modification of this program.Keywords/Fitness/ExerciseKeywords/Fitness18falsefalsefalse197truefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1