Do you suffer from lower back pain during or post ab exercises?

Try the exercises listed below to strengthen and develope the abdominal muscles without hurting your back.

These 9 unusual ab exercises that don’t cause lower back pain have helped to my and other personal trainers clients to prevent and relieve low back pain for good.

Not every exercise on this list may suit everyone though. Try all of them to find the ones that work for you.

If you suffer from serious spinal problems or acute back pain episodes, consult a physician first.

1. MC GILL CURL UP

McGill Curl Up is one the undeservedly unpopular ab exercises that can help to prevent and even relieve lower back pain.

This exercise is widely popularized by the world’s top spinal researcher Stuart McGill. Although this exercise may seem similair to a regular crunch at first, the critical nuances make all the difference.

This variation of the exercise helps to protect the spine from rounding and flexing. It minimizes the chance of running into the lower back pain. So you can focus on strengthening the abdominals without damaging the spine.

How to do Mc Gill Curl Up

2. DEAD BUG

Dead Bug is another lower back discreet ab exercise that deserves a spot on a pedestal. This exercise allows to strengthen weak abdominals while minimizing the pressure on the spine if done correctly.

This exercise can help to improve the overextended posture or excessive anterior pelvic tilt that can be a root of extension based back pain.

There are various progressions of the exercise to fit any fitness level. Use this exercise to strengthen your abs and favour the proper posture.

How to do Dead Bug

3. INCLINE CRUNCHES

This unfamiliar variation of a crunch can help to avoid running into lower back pain while crunching. And can save the lower back from serious injuries.

The proper setting of incline crunches provides a perfect enviroment to start strengthening and developing weak abdominal muscles. Incline crunches reduces the load and helps to bypass the pull on the vertebrae. So less possibility hurting the spine.

How to do Incline Crunches

4. JANDA SIT-UP

Any sit-up will work your abs, but you usually hit them with an assistance from hip flexors. The muscles that are attached to the spine. The weaker the abs, the more hip flexors are activated. Once they contribute too much and get too tight, they start pulling vertebrae and cause back pain.

Janda sit-up is a lower back friendly sit-up variation invented by Czechoslovakian exercise physiologist Vladimir Janda.

This ab exercise, if done properly, helps to deactivate the hip flexors during the movement. That allows the abs to dominate the exercise. As a result you can strengthen abdominal muscles without getting your lower back sore.

How to do Janda Sit-Up

5. EXERCISE BALL CRUNCH

Exercise or fitness balls are more than just fun to sit and bounce on. They’re a great way to improve abdominal strength and core stability while avoiding lower back pain doing so.

Exercise ball supports the natural curve of the lower back and reduces the load on the lumbar spine if placed appropriately. As a result there is reduced likelihood of straining and hurting your lower back.

There is a study that shows that this exercise is not only safer for the spine but it appears to be 139% more effective than the regular crunch as well.

How to do Exercise Ball Crunch

6. PLANK WITH ONE KNEE BENT

Experiencing lower back pain during planks is not normal. Especially if the pain occurs from the beginning.

Most often it indicates to the incorrect form or not enough strong abdominal muscles to perform the exercise. Either way it facilitates the development of the improper posture and can cause the damage of the spine.

To reduce the pressure on the lumbar spine when planking try bending the knee. Plank variation with one knee bent helps to take the strain of the lumbar spine and puts more tension on the abdominal muscles. That helps to properly strengthen the abs without getting lower back sore too soon.

How to do Plank With One Knee Bent

7. BENCH PLANK WITH KNEES BENT

Bench plank with knees bent is a great ab exercise for those who feel it more in their back not abs when performing regular planks on the floor.

The incline position reduces the overall load on the working muscles. And bending the knees helps to remove a strain of the hip flexors which really helps to turn those abdominal muscles on so they can fatigue before the lower back does.

This variation is particularly great for people who also tend to feel planks more in their shoulders than in the abs.

How To Do Bench Plank With Knees Bent

8. RAISED LEG CRUNCHES

Raised leg crunches are more superior and lower back friendly variation of the regular crunches. Use this exercise to develope a proper strength in your upper abdominals while minimizing the risk of proviking a lower back pain.

Raised leg position helps to deactivate hip flexors and keeps your lower back flat against the floor. There are no flexion or extension happening in your lumbar spine if the exercise is done correctly. This way your abs are forced to do all the work. It adds intensity to the abdominal muscles and fatigues them before you start feeling a discomfort in your lower back.

How To Do Raised Leg Crunches

9. BENT KNEE TRX FALL-OUTS

Bent knee TRX fall-outs is a bit of a progression from the other exercises on this list, but works equally well.

As in the previous exercises, with knees bent, your hip flexors are not able to apply the same stress on the lower back. Knee bending minimizes the strain on the lower back and lets abs to do the most of the work. This setting helps to get the abs sore before the low-back does.

Use this exercise to strengthen your abdominal muscles without hurting your lower back. If you have an access to any suspension system such as TRX or any other, give this exercise a try.

How To Do Bent Knee TRX Fall-Outs

DO You Know Any Other Ab Exercise That Doesn’t Cause Lower Back Pain?

If you do, please contribute to the online community. List the exercise and share your personal experience in the comment section below. You will do a good job.

The post 9 Unpopular Ab Exercises That Don’t Cause Lower Back Pain appeared first on Abs Experiment.

Raised leg crunches (also known as bent knee crunches) are more superior and lower back friendly variation of the regular crunches. Use this exercise to develope a proper strength in your upper abdominals while minimizing the risk of causing a lower back pain.

Raised leg position helps to deactivate hip flexors and keep your lower back flat against the floor. This way your abs are forced to do all the work. It adds intensity to the abdominal muscles and fatigues them before you start feeling anything in your back. There are no flexion or extension happening in your lumbar spine if the exercise is done correctly.

Raised leg crunches are suitable for everyone regardless of the level of fitness. I recommend to replace common crunches with these ones. Especially if lower back pain is a frequent occurrence for you when training abs.

BENEFITS:

• Helps to properly strengthen abs while minimizing the risk of hurting the spine.
• Higher activation of the Rectus Abdominis than on the regular crunches.
• No equipment needed.

HOW TO DO RAISED LEG CRUNCHES

Lie on your back with your hips and knees bent in 90 degrees. Your thighs should be perpendicular to the floor. Fold your arms and place them on the chest. Contract your abdominals so your lower spine flattens onto the floor.

To begin the exercise slowly raise your upper back and shoulders off the floor while keeping your arms close to your chest. Crunch your rib cage toward your pelvis and try to reach your thighs with your elbows. Once you have crunched as far as you can, hold the position for a second or two. Then slowly return to the starting position. That’s one repetition.

Perform the exercise for the desired amount of repetitions or until your abs fatigue or your form starts to suffer.

Fully exhale while you crunch. Inhale on the way back.

TIPS:

• Roll your hips towards your chest to engage your lower abs as well.
• Your back should be completely flat against the floor during the exercise.
• Put your arms behind your head or hold a weight plate on the chest to increase the difficulty.
• To really burn your abs do not put your upper back and shoulders to the floor once you begin the exercise.
• If you experience an unpleasant discomfort in the lower back region during the exercise, check your form. If the form isn’t the issue, terminate the exercise and consult your physician.

RAISED LEG CRUNCHES VIDEO DEMONSTRATION

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Janda Sit-Up (also known as Janda Crunch) is one of those ab exercises that can save you from suffering from a lower back pain during or after ab training. Especially if your ab exercise routine consists of lots of crunches and sit-ups with your feet hooked under a piece of furniture or abdominal bench.

Most often the reason behind the low back soreness is a body’s compensation mechanism for the weak abs. When abs are weak the body engages hip flexors and psoas to help you to get from the point A to the point B. Those muscles are attached to the spine. Thereof once they contribute too much and get too tight, they start pulling vertebrae and cause back pain.

To avoid this from happening, the hip flexors have to be deactivated during the movement. That can be done by contracting the muscles on the opposite side of the hips – the hamstrings and glutes. This reciprocally inhibits the contraction of the hip flexors and allows the abs to dominate the exercise. That’s exactly what Janda sit-up exercise was invented for.

The inventor of this exercise Czechoslovakian exercise physiologist Vladimir Janda, MD, DSc was a key figure in the 20th Century rehabilitation movement. Janda has been identified as the world’s foremost expert on back problems. According to Dr. Janda, this exercise provides a true isolation of the abdominal muscles.

BENEFITS:

• Developes the proper strength in the abs.
• Doesn’t cause the discomfort in the lower back during and post ab training.
• Helps to eliminate the low back pain once and for all.

HOW TO DO JANDA SIT-UP

Anchor a resistance band around something and stick your feet through the bands. You will use the bands to pull against in order to activate the hamstrings and glutes to reciprocally inhibit the hip flexors.

Position your body on the floor in the basic sit-up position. Your knees bent in about 90-degree angle and your arms crossed over your chest.

Tighten the glutes and hamstrings by digging your heels into the floor and pulling your legs against the resistance of the bands. That will cause your hip flexors to relax. Deeply inhale.

Now slowly (3-4 seconds) raise your torso as high as you possibly can while fully exhaling. You may find that your range of motion of the regular sit-up cuts down significantly.

Then slowly lower yourself all the way to the floor and relax for a few seconds at the bottom. Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions. Or until you are not able to execute the quality reps any more.

TIPS:

• If you don’t have access to the resistance bands, there are few alternatives. You can ask your training partner to put their hands under your calves. Then pull against the hands as you attempt to sit-up. Or simply perform the exercise on your own by digging your heels hard in to the ground and squeezing your glutes up.
• To make the exercise a level lighter keep your arms at your sides or extended in front of you. Put your hands behind your head to make the exercise tougher.
• If you are not experiencing a tremendous tension in the abs or you can sit-up easily, you haven’t turned your hip flexors off. Put more effort in activating the hamstrings and glutes.
• If back pain occurs during the exercise, check your form. If the form isn’t the issue, terminate the exercise and consult your physician.
• Do not perform this exercise if you have problems with spinal discs.

VIDEO DEMONSTRATION:

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Try plank with one knee bent if planking or other ab exercises cause soreness or discomfort in your lower back. This exercise allows to strengthen the abdominal muscles while avoiding hurting the lower back.

You see, very often when training abs hip flexors kick in and do the job your abs are supposed to do. Once hip flexors start to dominate the ab exercise it can cause lower back pain. That’s because muscle like Psoas Major that starts in the upper front leg and attaches to the spine gets too tight and pulls lumbar vertebrae.

To avoid this from happening take the hip flexors out of the equation by bending the knee. It really helps to take the strain of the hip flexors thus eliminating the lower back pain and a chance to hurt the low back.

Recommended For You If…

• You feel a discomfort in your lower back when performing regular plank variations or other abs exercises.
• Your lower back gets sore before your abs do when you do train them.
• You have tight hip flexors.
• You have weak abdominal muscles.
• You have an anterior pelvic tilt (aka “Donald Duck” butt)

How To Do Plank With One Knee Bent Correctly

Similarly to the other plank variations this one is very easy to screw up as well. If your back gets sore or hurts when planking more likely your form needs to be improved. To do plank with one knee bent with a correct technique follow the description below.

STEP 1: First get in a regular plank position with your forearms on the floor.

To do so lay down on a floor. Place your elbows directly below the shoulders and ground your toes into the floor. Lift your body from the floor and form a straight line. Contract your ab muscles so hard as Bruce Lee was going to punch you in the guts.

STEP 2: Then simply bend one leg and place the knee on the floor. Nothing else moves or changes. Now hold the position as long as you can without compromising the perfect form.

Once your form start to suffer, know that your abdominal muscles have used all their strength and a lot of pressure goes to your lower back. That’s the moment when to stop the exercise to avoid hurting your lower back.

Still Feel It In Your Lower Back?

If you still feel the strain or discomfort in your lower back when performing plank with one knee bent then put both knees on the floor. This will reduce the tension in the lumbar spine region while still leaving enough work for your abs to do.

Tips:

• Perform the exercise next to the mirror so you can see your form.
• Alternate the knee you bend on each set or in the middle of the exercise.
• Draw in the navel and breathe deeply through the belly.
• Once you master this exercise try Bench Plank or regular Plank on forearms.

Common Mistakes:

• arching and rounding the back.
• lifting the butt up too high.
• looking around.
• Pushing past the lower back pain.
• Elbows not aligned directly below the shoulders.
• Sagging in shoulders.

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This undeservedly unpopular abdominal exercise known as Incline crunches helps to reduce the likelihood of unpleasant lower back pain when training abs. It is much more safer on your lower back than the regular crunches on the floor. This exercise can save your low back from the serious injuries.

The following two things I like about this exercise the most.

First, incline crunches help to keep the lower back in a safe position. It provides the opportunity to reach the burn in your abs before your back gets sore. This usually is the major problem for those who have issues with the low back.

Second, it doesn’t allow your hip flexors to do the job your abs are supposed to do. As a result you get the perfect enviroment to strengthen and develope your abdominal muscles.

Recommended For You If:

• Regular crunches or other ab exercises cause lower back pain.
• Your lower back gets sore before your abs do.
• You have tight hip flexors.
• You have underdeveloped abdominal muscles.

How To Do Incline Crunches Correctly

To collect all the benefits of this ab exercise follow the steps below to perform this abdominal exercise with a correct form. If you do this exercise properly you will experience improvements after just a few sessions.

Step 1: Get In a Starting Position

Set the bench in an incline position and raise a seat to avoid sliding off.

Sit down on the bench and lay back. Bend your legs and rest them against the wall or anything else enough high.

Fold your hands and place them on the chest.

Step 2: Start the Exercise

Slowly raise your chest, shoulders and head as a one unit off the bench without bending your lower back.

Imagine that you are trying to reach your hips with your elbows while sliding them right above the stomach. Once you reach the maximum contraction of the abdominals slowly return to the starting position.

Exhale all air out of your lungs on your way up. Inhale on the way back.

Perform the exercise for the prescribed amount of repetitions and sets or until your abs fatigue.

Modify the Difficulty:

You can play with an angle of the bench to adjust the appropriate level of the difficulty.

To make the incline crunches easier raise the back support of the bench steeper. It will allow you to sit more vertically thus reducing the resistance of your body weight. To make the exercise a level harder do the opposite.

To make the exercise more challenging put your hands behind your neck. The weight of your arms will work as a lever making the exercise a bit harder. Use weights such as a dumbbell or disc to make the exercise hardcore.

Tips:

• Keep your lower back flat against the bench at all times.
• If your neck gets tired, place one ore both hands behind your neck.
• Look in a one spot in the ceiling throughout the whole exercise to avoid bending your neck.
• Perform the exercise at a slow pace. 3 seconds up, 3 seconds down.
• Draw in the navel and breathe deeply through the belly.
• Stop the exercise if you start feeling it in your lower back.

Common Mistakes:

• Arching lower back.
• Sliding off the seat and losing the support of your lower back.
• Lifting elbows up.
• Performing a movement with a momentum.
• Doing the exercise more like a sit-up with a high range of motion.
• Bending the neck down to the chest.
• Pushing past the lower back pain.

Incline Crunches Video Demonstration:

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