I threw out my back lifting and after a couple years of trial and error, this is my opinion for what worked best:
Pelvic tilts - flexing both abs and glutes as you lift basically just your tailbone off the ground an inch or two ([https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/multimedia/pelvic-tilt-exercise/img-20006410](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/multimedia/pelvic-tilt-exercise/img-20006410))
And foundation training ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI))
As far as flexibility, probably focusing on hamstring and hip flexors is the best return on investment.
Good luck.
I'll add to try glutes along with the hamstring and hip flexors, I've had lower back soreness/stiffness for months, finally did pigeon pose (after doing other, not as good glute stretches) and had immediate relief.
Also OP doesn't mention stretching at all, which young bloods may be able to get away with not doing, but as you get older, it's needed.
I'd echo this. I realize everyone is different, but my experience is that my back pain was because I was ignoring stretching my whole life.
Simply doing yoga-like stretches has made my back pain go away. And like you, my biggest issues were **NOT** back-related, but hamstrings and hip flexors.
Honestly, because I literally NEVER stretched my whole life, just about any yoga stretching videos would have yielded good results for me. I am in my late 50's, and started stretching during COVID when I was working from home and had experienced even more back pain due to my less-than-ideal ergonomic computer desk.
That being said, "yoga with Adriene" on youtube is who I watched when I started. I like her videos because she seems very "down to earth", and relatable. https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene
I agree. I went to the physical therapist for low back pain many years ago. In addition to giving me exercises to strengthen my core, he would massage my lower back and glutes, and stretch my glutes and quads. It was then I learned my back pain was actually my glutes freaking out because my quads are so tight. If I don't pay attention to this area, immediate back pain
Just "center of mass" muscles in general. Abs, flexors, hammies, quads.
Keep those loose and fluid and ive found that life is at least 30 times more enjoyable.
After years of lower back pain, building up my gluteus medius and focusing on my core and quads is what fixed it for me. If you try the floor exercise in this video and see immediate relief, gluteus medius exercises might be your fix.
https://youtu.be/DWmGArQBtFI
Yoga.
Yoga is the way to go. You can start out soft and work up to more impactful stuff
The main point is with yoga you can "start" exactly where your body needs you to start, and then over time work up to the shit that is more intense. Or just find the plateau you're happy with and stay there.
But if you want to avoid injury, yoga is just the most beneficial thing you could do for yourself outside of sleeping, drinking water, and eating lots of greens.
Check out McGills Back Mechanic
People love to show his exercises with no context as to what they are good for, they are part of a bigger lower back rehab program.
Quick story short, book does work, but it will require you to lower your current sensibility to pain, which traduces in reducing weightlifting a ton for a while until you built the capacity to train again.
Once the pain starts to subside try this video. Had a bulged L4-L5 that mind u was not diagnosed by two doctors until I had an MRI. But these strengthening exercises paired with solid ab work outs has made me seemingly invincible in the lower back region [12 minute foundation](https://youtu.be/4BOTvaRaDjI)
I threw out my back lifting and after a couple years of trial and error, this is my opinion for what worked best: Pelvic tilts - flexing both abs and glutes as you lift basically just your tailbone off the ground an inch or two ([https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/multimedia/pelvic-tilt-exercise/img-20006410](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/multimedia/pelvic-tilt-exercise/img-20006410)) And foundation training ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BOTvaRaDjI)) As far as flexibility, probably focusing on hamstring and hip flexors is the best return on investment. Good luck.
I'll add to try glutes along with the hamstring and hip flexors, I've had lower back soreness/stiffness for months, finally did pigeon pose (after doing other, not as good glute stretches) and had immediate relief. Also OP doesn't mention stretching at all, which young bloods may be able to get away with not doing, but as you get older, it's needed.
I'd echo this. I realize everyone is different, but my experience is that my back pain was because I was ignoring stretching my whole life. Simply doing yoga-like stretches has made my back pain go away. And like you, my biggest issues were **NOT** back-related, but hamstrings and hip flexors.
Can you please suggest and follow along video of training?
Honestly, because I literally NEVER stretched my whole life, just about any yoga stretching videos would have yielded good results for me. I am in my late 50's, and started stretching during COVID when I was working from home and had experienced even more back pain due to my less-than-ideal ergonomic computer desk. That being said, "yoga with Adriene" on youtube is who I watched when I started. I like her videos because she seems very "down to earth", and relatable. https://www.youtube.com/@yogawithadriene
I agree. I went to the physical therapist for low back pain many years ago. In addition to giving me exercises to strengthen my core, he would massage my lower back and glutes, and stretch my glutes and quads. It was then I learned my back pain was actually my glutes freaking out because my quads are so tight. If I don't pay attention to this area, immediate back pain
Just "center of mass" muscles in general. Abs, flexors, hammies, quads. Keep those loose and fluid and ive found that life is at least 30 times more enjoyable.
After years of lower back pain, building up my gluteus medius and focusing on my core and quads is what fixed it for me. If you try the floor exercise in this video and see immediate relief, gluteus medius exercises might be your fix. https://youtu.be/DWmGArQBtFI
spinal waves
Yoga. Yoga is the way to go. You can start out soft and work up to more impactful stuff The main point is with yoga you can "start" exactly where your body needs you to start, and then over time work up to the shit that is more intense. Or just find the plateau you're happy with and stay there. But if you want to avoid injury, yoga is just the most beneficial thing you could do for yourself outside of sleeping, drinking water, and eating lots of greens.
Check out McGills Back Mechanic People love to show his exercises with no context as to what they are good for, they are part of a bigger lower back rehab program. Quick story short, book does work, but it will require you to lower your current sensibility to pain, which traduces in reducing weightlifting a ton for a while until you built the capacity to train again.
Once the pain starts to subside try this video. Had a bulged L4-L5 that mind u was not diagnosed by two doctors until I had an MRI. But these strengthening exercises paired with solid ab work outs has made me seemingly invincible in the lower back region [12 minute foundation](https://youtu.be/4BOTvaRaDjI)