TRY THESE 8 BACK STRENGTHENING EXERCISES FOR SENIORS

July 17, 2023

Back strengthening exercises for seniors are a critical part of a healthy, active life!

No matter where you are in your second act—approaching retirement, enjoying your post-career time with your grandkids, or loving your life in a senior community—staying on top of your fitness and mobility will help you to enjoy every moment of your golden years.

After all, the fitter you are, the less likely you’ll be to suffer an injury that could diminish your mobility.

It should come as no surprise that your spine is the part most likely to sustain injuries as you age. But doing back strengthening exercises for seniors will “bulletproof” your spine and make you more resistant to both pain and injuries.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite—and most effective—back exercises you can do. Don’t worry if you’ve never worked out a day in your life; all that matters is that you start today!

8 Best Back Strengthening Exercises for Seniors

Cat and Cow Pose. This Yoga pose is the perfect “opening move” to limber up your spinal muscles and get the joints in your back moving easily. It will flex your spine in both directions to encourage greater mobility, and help to loosen up any overly tight connective tissue that could limit mobility. Spend a few minutes in these poses, then move on to your proper workout.
Bridge Pose – This is a gentle exercise that will get the muscles in your lower back firing, but requires very little in the way of dynamic movement (which increases injury risk). It’s easy enough that literally anyone can do it, but it’ll do wonders to activate the muscles in your lower back and build both endurance and strength. Best of all, it requires no equipment at all—just you and the floor!
Single Leg Bridge – If you’ve already mastered Bridge Pose and can hold the position for 45 to 60 seconds without difficulty, then it’s time to kick things up a notch by switching to the Single Leg Bridge. Really, all you have to do is lift one leg and use the muscles in your lower back and core to keep you stable as you hold the position. It’s an amazing exercise to activate your hips and pelvic muscles, too, which will lead to better, more efficient movement of your core and lower body.
Swimmer – Now we’re getting into a real challenge! This movement is another one you can do without the need for any equipment, because your arms and legs are heavy enough to be all the weight you could ask for. It’s an easy exercise that requires very little dynamic movement, just enough to activate the muscles in your lower back. But because you’re moving opposite limbs (right leg + left arm, or left leg + right arm), you develop better cross-body strength. Essentially, your spine will be better able to twist and flex because the muscles that engage for those movements will be stronger and work in better coordination.
Bird Dog – Bird Dog is an easier alternative to Swimmer, but it’s no less effective for strengthening your core muscles. Though it’s focused on your lower back, it also shreds your abs, obliques, and the secondary stabilizer muscles that keep your upper and lower body balanced. It’s an amazing balance pose that can help to improve your equilibrium, and also builds better cross-body strength like Swimmer.
Superman – Superman is a simple-looking exercise that is easy to learn, safe to perform, but does amazing things to build your lower back muscles. Because you have to elevate both arms and legs off the floor, all of the strain is placed right on those critical muscles—helping them to grow stronger and develop a more “bulletproof” spine. Just remember to go slow and avoid any jerky movements that could injure your spine.
Deadlift – Deadlifting is far from the safest of the back strengthening exercises for seniors, so it’s definitely one to practice with a coach or trainer close at hand to both add support and help you master the technique. However, despite its difficulty, it is one of the most effective exercises to build lower back strength, hands down. Start off with VERY light weight, and only increase gradually as you develop stronger back muscles.
Back Hyperextensions – Back Hyperextensions are a dynamic exercise that can help to develop greater mobility and strength in your lower back. It does require some equipment—specifically, the Back Hyperextension machine (available in most gyms) and maybe some light weights—but it’s an exercise that has a very simple learning curve. You’re literally just lifting your body from your waist, and adjusting the height of your lift will determine which back muscles are targeted. It’s absolutely worth including in your workouts, though, because it’s highly effective!

That’s it! Just eight simple exercises, forming a workout you can do 2-3 times a week. But I promise that taking the time to do these back strengthening exercises for seniors is crucial for keeping you mobile and active for many, many more years.

Back Strengthening Exercises for Seniors are Just the Beginning; Take it to the Next Level with Back on Track

If you care about staying healthy and on your feet, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Our goal is to help you have the most active and enjoyable life possible, for as many years as you’ve got left to enjoy them.

That’s why we created the Back on Track System, a program intended to educate the world about the ONE simple yet highly effective action they can take to prevent back injuries and bulletproof their spine. Through the program, you’ll learn about the dangerous yet often ignored syndrome behind so many back aches and pains, and what you can do to counteract it using a truly SIMPLE, game-changing method.

Add Back on Track into your life—along with these back strengthening exercises for seniors—and you will see real results for many years to come!