Superman's Hurts My Lower Back

Bigger Stronger Leaner Injuries and Rehab
1

Hi,
I work out at home and I have no exercises to strengthen my lower back.
im not flexible enough for doing bridges and I have no idea why but whenever I do superman’s it hurts my lower back…
is there any fix to this?

2

[quote]paflt wrote:
Hi,
I work out at home and I have no exercises to strengthen my lower back.
im not flexible enough for doing bridges and I have no idea why but whenever I do superman’s it hurts my lower back…
is there any fix to this?

[/quote]

anyone??

3

You need to really activate the glutes to lift the legs and the upper back to lift the arms/chest. Yes, the lower back should be engaged as well, but it should not be doing all of the work.

I’d also strongly suggest stretching your hip flexors, quads, chest, and lats and see if that doesn’t significantly improve your performance of these.

Hope this helps.

4

[quote]Sentoguy wrote:
You need to really activate the glutes to lift the legs and the upper back to lift the arms/chest. Yes, the lower back should be engaged as well, but it should not be doing all of the work.

I’d also strongly suggest stretching your hip flexors, quads, chest, and lats and see if that doesn’t significantly improve your performance of these.

Hope this helps.[/quote]

thank you.
any exercises you recommend for strnghtening hip flexors?
and also i do not know how to activate my glutes? any tips?

5

There are a bunch of good hip flexor stretches on youtube; look up Kit Laughlin.

As far as activating the Glutes, there are numerous articles on this site with exercises to help you do that, along with a bunch more on Youtube.

BTW, I’m on my phone so I can’t imbed videos, otherwise I would give you an example of each. But honestly, you’re better off searching and finding out the info yourself anyway as you will probably learn more that way than if the info is spoon fed to you.

6

at least try and squeeze the glutes hard before you start to raise your body up. the pain your feeling would be from the lower back being dominant in the hip extension movement. im guessing you get lower back pain from other movements aswell.

7

[quote]ozbrawler wrote:
at least try and squeeze the glutes hard before you start to raise your body up. the pain your feeling would be from the lower back being dominant in the hip extension movement. im guessing you get lower back pain from other movements aswell. [/quote]

yup i tried doing reverse back hyperextentions yesterday and there was pain.
i need to learn to squeeze my glutes

8

Try this cue:

Before you attempt to lift up first:

  1. lay on your stomach in the starting position (I suggest arms overhead, straight and out at slight angle outwards, thumbs towards ceiling)
  2. attempt to straighten both legs maximally and actually try to continue to reach your toes downwards (in the line of the floor, hopefully this makes sense) like you are trying to make yourself as long as possible (this should activate the glutes)
  3. now, while continuing to keep legs straight and reaching “downwards”, lift the legs (and chest/arms) off the floor.

Let me know if this helps

9

Squat
Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Front Squat
Good Morning

I hate Superman
Least favorite super hero ever
any exercise named after him probably sucks equally as hard

10

[quote]Sentoguy wrote:
Try this cue:

Before you attempt to lift up first:

  1. lay on your stomach in the starting position (I suggest arms overhead, straight and out at slight angle outwards, thumbs towards ceiling)
  2. attempt to straighten both legs maximally and actually try to continue to reach your toes downwards (in the line of the floor, hopefully this makes sense) like you are trying to make yourself as long as possible (this should activate the glutes)
  3. now, while continuing to keep legs straight and reaching “downwards”, lift the legs (and chest/arms) off the floor.

Let me know if this helps[/quote]

can u send me a video of this?
i dont get what you men i should do with the legs

11

[quote]tonypluto wrote:
Squat
Deadlift
Romanian Deadlift
Front Squat
Good Morning

I hate Superman
Least favorite super hero ever
any exercise named after him probably sucks equally as hard[/quote]

i have no access to the gym and have muscle imbalances in my leg i think cuz everytime i go for bodyweight squats (no extra weight) it hurts my knees
needa fix them

12

[quote]paflt wrote:

[quote]Sentoguy wrote:
Try this cue:

Before you attempt to lift up first:

  1. lay on your stomach in the starting position (I suggest arms overhead, straight and out at slight angle outwards, thumbs towards ceiling)
  2. attempt to straighten both legs maximally and actually try to continue to reach your toes downwards (in the line of the floor, hopefully this makes sense) like you are trying to make yourself as long as possible (this should activate the glutes)
  3. now, while continuing to keep legs straight and reaching “downwards”, lift the legs (and chest/arms) off the floor.

Let me know if this helps[/quote]

can u send me a video of this?
i dont get what you men i should do with the legs[/quote]

Sorry, don’t have one so I’ll try to explain it more.

If you lay down on your stomach in the middle of a room there is going to be one wall that your hands are pointing towards (assuming your arms are overhead) and one that your legs are pointing towards. Next try to reach your legs towards the wall (as if you are trying to make yourself taller/being stretched on a rack). This should straighten your legs and extend the hips (which will activate the glutes). Now try to lift the legs while maintaining this “tall” position.

Does that help?