Plank Variations for Low Back Health

A lot of yoga amateurs come into the practice looking for a solution to a stiff this or a tight that and then find themselves groaning at the thought of having to do any core work.  Although many older newcomers welcome the opportunity to do a workout that doesn’t have them pouring sweat at the end, the difficulty level of various core-strengthening exercises often takes them by surprise.

While yoga certainly lives up to its reputation for increasing flexibility, you have plenty more to consider where your physical health is concerned. One important reason to do planks and other exercises to strengthen your abdominal muscles – in yoga classes or in any other setting – is that it can help with problems you might be having with your low back. When going into poses such as warrior II, people with weak abs have a tendency to “dump” weight into their low back by letting their upper body sink into the pelvis rather than using their core muscles to keep the upper body straight as they bend the front leg. If this sounds like you, then that habit of dumping weight into the low back is putting uneven pressure on the spine that can set you up for low-back injuries and add to any back pain you might already have.

The good news is that ab workouts can be safely completed as often as four to five times per week, often following a cardio workout. Following are three plank variations which will strengthen your low back as well as your abs. Done regularly, these exercises will strengthen your core and leave you better prepared for a wide variety of activities which would otherwise be taxing on your low back.

Basic plank. Either come into a push-up position or rest your forearms on the mat; either version will force you to brace your abs. Be sure to keep your body in a straight line; don’t let the pelvis rise above or sag below the line from your shoulders to your ankles. Work up to a 30-second hold, or five breaths if incorporating this pose into your home yoga practice.

Two-point plank: This plank variation involves coming into the same push-up position as in a basic plank pose and then raising one hand and the opposite foot a few inches off the ground. By adding a balance challenge, two-point plank helps to strengthen your multifidus muscle, which is located just around the spine and helps with trunk stability. Long-term, strengthening this muscle will help to prevent joint degeneration in the spine.

Side plank: This plank variation works the abdominal obliques and strengthens the side body for balanced strength all the way around your core. Begin on your side, one leg and foot stacked on top of the other, with all your weight supported by the bottom arm and the top arm stretched up toward the ceiling. Resting the bottom forearm is okay, but keeping the bottom arm straight with only the hand and outer part of the bottom foot on the floor will add to the challenge. Keep your body in a straight line, brace the abs and hold this position for up to 30 seconds (or five breaths if part of a home yoga practice). Come out of the pose slowly and switch sides.

Core-strengthening exercises are not every yogi’s favorite, but a few such poses practiced on a regular basis provide functional strength benefits for both fitness activities and everyday living. By committing to a regular yoga practice or other exercise program which includes these and other abdominal exercises, you can treat and even prevent low-back pain while maintaining a fit body and a sound mind through your 40s, 50s and beyond.