A 3-minute lower back warm up for your morning routine

Our lower backs get a lot of punishment. But not from overuse, but from under use. You see, lower backs that are left unattended for long become frail and prone to complain. That's why adults wake up stiff as a board. Our core muscles ache in pain at the slightest movement. Add this to a poor sitting posture and there's a lot that makes us feel restrained, limited. We can't move the way we'd like to (to pick up a pair of socks, for example) lest we're willing to hear our lower backs scream in agony.

How to warm up your lower back?

This can be prevented, generally (obviously, if your pain is chronic, see a doctor, will you!?). The way to prevent lower back pain is to use it constantly. You need to engage your lower back and core muscles through dynamic stretches, warm-up exercises, and rotations. You should also add a lower back warm-up to your daily morning routine. This will give your muscles a little added mobility to help you start the day.

We've covered in detail why our lower backs sprain so easily. If you have a minute, you should give that a read. Keep in mind that it's not just the theory that will save you from agony. It's the daily practice.

You can easily add these warm-up exercises to your daily morning ritual. In less than 3 minutes, your lower back will be oiled, warmed up, and ready for action. Do this often enough, and you'll see that some, if not all, of your lower back problems, will dissipate.

A 3-minute lower back warm-up for your morning routine

Warm-up exercise - Torso rotations

Lift both of your hands up at the shoulder level chicken-style - elbows bent, palms close to the chest. Now just let your upper body swing left to right.

Exercise #2 - Hip-shin touches

Stand up straight and touch your hips with open palms. Now, bend your knees and hips down to reach your shins with your palms. Touch, but remember to keep your back and neck straight. Repeat the motion, hip-shin, hip-shin, cmon, keep going.

Exercise #3 - Circle bows

Arms held together behind your lower back. Shoulders straight. While keeping your legs and backs straight, bow sideways and transition in a circular motion all the way to the other side and back up again.

Exercise #4 - Crescent moon

Position your legs in a horse stance - slightly bent at knee level and slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Put your left hand on your right hip. Straighten your right hand and move it above your head. High up, yes, and let the motion of your right arm pull your upper body sideways. Imagine you're waving a red flag on a deserted island.

Another side, same movement.

Need more exercises for your lower back? Keep on digging! 👇