An Easy Way to Strengthen Your Weak Abs to Relieve Back Pain

By Sherwin Nicholson | May 1, 2020

abdominal muscles

If you’ve got weak abs, you’ve got back pain

It’s not the only cause but it sure makes it harder to overcome. Weak abdominal muscles are a big connection to why you find that it hurts as you stand.  And the longer you stand, the more that it will hurt.

Usually when you Google ‘back pain’, you’ll get all of the search query results that encourage you to do the standard ab workouts to help you.  Typical exercises such as sit-ups and crunches are usually assumed to help but are not always the best way about it.

Why we give up on the usual abdominal exercises

First, there seems to be no standard for the number of repetitions or intensity required to perform these exercises to achieve some comfortable degree of relief.  So most of us become confused and simply develop an aversion to these forms of exercise and even regard them as tedious if not irrelevant.

If you have a forward tilt in your pelvis and are overweight, you WILL be at risk of pain. Both go hand in hand so be careful to control both your weight and posture.

Weak abdominal muscles are a big connection to why you find that it hurts as you stand.  And the longer you stand, the more that it will hurt.

Worse yet, half of the time the person instructing you looks like an athlete who can do hundreds of crunches.  They most likely RARELY experience any pain whatsoever so it can be difficult to relate to them.

Quitting only has these effects on your spine

First, it worsens any necessary muscular support that’s needed to provide a stable ‘form’ for the area of muscles surrounding the lumbar spine.  This ‘corset’ like shape includes the Transverse Abdominus and the Obliques, in addition to the Rectus Abdominus.  Together, this form keeps the lumbar curve and spine stable.

Second, weakness of the abdominals increases and harms your pelvic tilt.  This anterior tilt creates an imbalance in lumbar disc pressure and increased risk of weak and rupture.  It also increases wear and strain on the facet joints that connect your vertebrae.  Facet joint pain is another significant source of lower back pain in addition to disc pain.

Third, weak abdominals result in an extension of the stomach wall (as is more evident in people who are overweight).  This extension contributes to a posture where the centre of gravity is more anterior than as usual.  This puts added tension in the lower back as it tries to maintain balance posteriorly.

Last, increased anterior pelvic tilt increases hamstring tension which in turn reducing hamstring flexibility which is also a factor for lower back.

Now, an Exercise for Weak Abdominals to Relieve Your Lower Back

The Standing Abdominal Exercise has the one thing most others lack. Lower back muscle, glute and hamstring conditioning.

You can have an amazing 6-pack and STILL have back discomfort from crunches and sit-ups because they don’t train them. These 3 areas are constantly tightening up and 6-pack abs don’t relax them very well at all.  This exercise DOES.

 The reason the following standing ab exercise is ALSO better is because of the following:

  1. You can do it anytime and anywhere (no excuses!)
  2. Instant remedy when sore (help yourself right away)
  3. You do it during your free time (free exercise!)
  4. It’s simple when you do it properly (worth the effort, big pay off)
  5. It extends your ability to stand longer (a necessity)
  6. Makes you aware of correcting your anterior pelvic tilt (protective)
  7. Strengthens the glutes (necessary)
  8. Relaxes the hamstrings (necessary)
  9. Supports a healthy lumbar curve
  10. Relieves the pain of disc bulge or irritated facet joints

Contracting your abs while you’re standing is more convenient as it can be done on the run and does not require using the floor. This exercise allows you to train your hamstrings to relax.  This is done as you hold the contraction while using your hands to tilt your pelvis towards posterior.

The Standing Abdominal Exercise

Click on the Image below or here for detailed step by step instructions.

Standing Abdominal

Take your time and don’t give up

This exercise is going to take you a long time to master but it is key and will help you.  At first, it will be hard to coordinate flexing both your abs and butt muscles.

Use your hands to help you

By putting you hands on your hips, you can help to rotate your pelvis to tilt backwards.  The tilt will be very slight and hard to notice at first but with more time and commitment, you will see improvements.

The importance of performing the exercise while standing is that it allows you to become more aware of your pelvic tilt, lower back tension to help to self-correct it.

Another advantage is that it can be done any time that you are standing and for as long as you have the time available.  Remember,  it takes time to master, so patience is important.

Are you ready for more?

Improve the Standing Ab Exercise by sitting this way

If you must sit, then do this stretch

Get the full program so you can stand even longer!

There are many more exercises necessary to achieve long-term relief for your lower back.  By following this comprehensive & multi-directional plan, you will have a sound method of protection.

References:

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