As a personal trainer, I often hear clients complain about lower-back pain. For many, it’s what drives them to start a workout program in the first place.
Unfortunately, I know firsthand how debilitating back pain can be. Even with decades of fitness experience, I still struggle with lower back issues and stiffness, due to a few degenerative discs in my lumbar spine.
A recent flare-up pushed me to explore new moves to help alleviate my symptoms, which led me to certified mobility coach Anthony Green’s eight-exercise lower-back pain mobility routine.
Green claims his program can "improve hip mobility, core stability, and lumbar spine mobility, which could lead to pain relief in your lower back." Intrigued, I decided to give it a go.
How to do this spinal mobility routine
The routine requires no equipment, just a yoga mat for added support and comfort.
Green suggests performing each exercise for 60 seconds but if you’ve just begun a fitness regimen or you’re dealing with acute pain or tightness, consider adjusting this to 30-45 seconds per move.
What I discovered
It took 11 minutes to complete
My usual full-body warm-up usually takes around five minutes. Although I noticed significant improvements in pain and mobility (more on that below), it might be hard to consistently dedicate this amount of time to every pre-workout routine.
In an ideal world, I’d spend 15 minutes warming up and include these exercises regularly. However, since I’m usually pressed for time, I could cut Green’s routine to 30 seconds per exercise on busy days. This would be a great option if you’re on a tight schedule too.
Cues and modifications would be helpful
Instagram is a great place for sharing short, easy-to-follow exercise routines. The downside is it often lacks crucial details like movement modifications or verbal cues for proper form.
Some exercises in this routine could be challenging or even impossible if you have certain injuries. If Green added modifications or form tips in the caption, it would make the routine more accessible and user-friendly.
My back pain improved
Despite my critiques, Green’s routine made a big difference in my lower-back pain. After a week of doing these eight exercises daily, I was able to run, squat and move with minimal discomfort. I even worked with heavier weights and took a few seconds off my 5K time.
It’s safe to say Green’s routine was well worth the time and effort. If you're looking for more routines like this one, I'd recommend these yoga stretches for beginners and these hip stretches to undo the damage of sitting.
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