[douglas]

What exercises do you recomend for strengthening my lower back?


I sometimes get lowerback pain when riding, I did an xc race yesterday and as soon as the pain came, my pace dropped noticably

I currently do crunches 2 or 3 times a week, and some upper back exercises once a week.

suggestions?

 

[Heidi]

Have you ever had a bike fit done...like a good one? Perhaps something is a little off with your set-up that is causing back pain. I'd try to get to the root of the problem first.

For lower back I do these body exercises at home: Lie facedown, arms at your side and place your heels under couch. Slowly raise your chest off the floor as high as you comfortably can. Hold for 2 seconds and return to start. Gradually increase to 20 times.

Lie face down on the floor with your arm stretched out directly overhead (like Superman flying). Raise your arms, chest and legs off the floor and hold it there for 2 seconds and squeeze. Lower back to the ground and repeat. You can also do these one arm and leg at a time as follows: Raise your left arm and right leg into the air at the same time, also raising your chest slightly off the floor. Hold there for a second and squeeze the muscles of your lower back. Lower your limbs back to the ground then raise your right arm and left leg and hold for a second. You can push down with the hand that is on the ground to help raise your other arm and chest higher off the ground. This exercise, even though it only uses your limbs as resistance, provides an excellent way to strengthen the lower back muscles.

At the gym there are a couple "machines" I use to workout my lower back.

 

[douglas]

I'll try those

I have never had 'bike fit' done, but I am on a diffferent bike this year - and I'm having the same problem

thanks Heidi !

 

[Snacks]

I would get a bike fit done, just so you can check that off your list. I rode for a year on the wrong size bike and my lower back killed in races The pain was unbearable.

Got a new bike the next though our sponsor, Tuner. I talked to Casey for a while about my back and making sure I was on the rigth size. Got a smaller frame and now my back really doesn't bother me.

 

[Heidi]

Yah, it isn't just the size of the frame that they deal with, there are soooo many factors!!!

Douglas, I've experienced lower back pain in long endurance races and had some success alleviating it by doing a lot of stretches and exercises. Good luck.

 

[douglas]

more riding in the dirt could help too!

my lower back also will hurt from just walking, say like if I got suck going to the mall, I could play volleyball for 3 hours straight and I am fine, but 1 hour at the mall & my back is hurting!!

 

[Heidi]

more riding in the dirt could help too!

my lower back also will hurt from just walking, say like if I got suck going to the mall, I could play volleyball for 3 hours straight and I am fine, but 1 hour at the mall & my back is hurting!!

I hear ya, I can't stand or walk for more than like 30 minutes without mine hurting as well.

 

[PsychO!1]

Keeping the hamstrings stretched will also help the lower back.

 

[hooples3]

I have always had back problems and the # 1 way i prevent problems is stretching. Stretching is actually more efficiant after riding/playing a sport. there are plenty of books available on stretching the back out. I would consider buying one... it has made a tremedous difference in my life to become more limber.

 

[qualude]

I have always had back problems and the # 1 way i prevent problems is stretching. Stretching is actually more efficiant after riding/playing a sport. there are plenty of books available on stretching the back out. I would consider buying one... it has made a tremedous difference in my life to become more limber.

Agreed!! After an injury DJ'ing last August, I went to a doctor, who didn't want to do anything but give me pills. On a recommendation from a friend, I went and saw his chiropractor, who, after consecutive vists, recommended the same stretches that Heidi is talking about...working well so far!!

 

[ito]

I was getting lower back pain during my races and I raised my saddle about a half inch, helped a ton, no more back pain.

The Ito

 

[Jayridesacove]

Some things you could do that may help.

Lie on your stomach with your arms out in front of you. Using your back, try to raise your upper body off the floor a few inches, don't hold the movement, just go up and down. You can try 2/3 sets of 10 reps.

Kneel down. Have one knee on the ground, and your other leg out in front of you. Imagine doing a forward lunge, but going all the way down until your knee touches the ground. Hold that position. Place your hands on your waist. Now lunge forward a bit with your hips. You should feel the hipflexor stretch out. If you've never done it before, you will feel it where your leg meets the area below your waist, out in front.

Also, if you make stretching a daily routine, you will encounter less joint and back pain over time.

 

[SuspectDevice]

Bike riders have week cores, The stretches and exercises other folks have reccomended are pretty good, but remember, your lower back is just one component of the whole trunk. Don't neglect to also strengthen your upper back and your abdominals as well.

In my experience back pain conicides with not staying on top of hydration in an XC race. Sometimes it's your ****ing kidneys getting beaten to ****, and not a strucutural thing, but it can be hard to discern. When your nephrons are more full of water they seem to be less susceptible to jarring....

 

[Westy]

I used to have back pain all the time. Tried different sized bikes, stretching etc, etc. For me it did just come down to a weak upper body and core. Remember the old saying from physics class, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Well in cycling your upper body has to counteract the torque created by the pedaling forces. I worked on upper body strength, concentrating on my core and now 95% of my back problems went away. I also found it has helped my handling skills.

 

[bluebug32]

I tend to have lower back pain too. I'm not sure if it's from riding a bike, or sitting at a desk for 8 hrs. a day, but I'm sure the bike riding doesn't help it. I like to loosen my back with a heat pad nightly. There are also some good yoga stretches for the lower back that will help you keep it loose and limber. I also like to put a tennis ball under my lower back and slowly roll around until I find the tight places and then work them out.

Good luck.

Beth

 

[douglas]

I think my core is in ok shape - but mking it stronger is a good idea / I do work out at least twice a week.........plus I play volleyball once a week (and if say so to volleyball, come out & play I will pretty much guarentee you will be hurting the net day)

 

[dirtyamerican]

How thick is your wallet? Take anything out of it that you don't need. A fat wallet will mess up your back alignment too. --not that I'd know from experience.

 

[chicodude]

I used to have back pain all the time. Tried different sized bikes, stretching etc, etc. For me it did just come down to a weak upper body and core. Remember the old saying from physics class, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Well in cycling your upper body has to counteract the torque created by the pedaling forces. I worked on upper body strength, concentrating on my core and now 95% of my back problems went away. I also found it has helped my handling skills.

 

[douglas]

The back has been much better.........mostly due to putting miles in. I also have done the exercises Heidi recommended but only a couple times a week

 

[blt2ride]

I know the feeling. My lower back tends to get sore every now and then. The only thing that helps me is stretching exercises. I will lay on my back, on the floor, and bring my legs up and get my knees as close to my chest as I can--one leg at a time. Then I will lay on the floor, pull my right leg up and try to touch the floor on the left-side of my body, then switch to the other leg. Left leg up and over the right-side of my body; without twisting my body. It hurts and it's hard to do, but it usually takes my back pain away...

 

[boostindoubles]

i rocked my neck in a djing wreck like 4 years ago. It gave me a serious concussion and i never got my neck looked at. 2 weeks ago i was doing a chin up and my neck popped, leaving me in agony all night and into the next day. Luckily my sister, a physcial therapist, gave me the advice to see a chriopractor. Apparently my neck has been injured for the the 4 years, and healed wrong. The strain over the last 4 years built up enough until that chin up was the last it could take. Its been a bitch to realign my neck, and consequently my middle and lower back are also tweaked as a result of compensating for the neck injury.

i thought it was only muscles and a strained neck maybe, but it was problems in my spine that didnt hurt, but were there anyways.


hope your feeling better