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The healthy back workout
Your back is one of the most complex, efficient and wonderful parts of your body. It is made up of 24 separate vertebrae, supported by tendons, ligaments and muscles, ranging in size from the huge latissimus dorsi, that stretches from your shoulders all the way down your back, to the tiny teres, minor muscles that pull your upper arms towards your shoulder blades. Your back is extremely flexible and supple, but it’s also understandable that a part of your body with so many moving parts can prove to be such a trouble zone.
If you want to prevent or ease existing back pain, exercise is the answer. And it’s not the high impact kind, but regular, moderate exercise that will help you develop a strong, healthy back. When you’re fit and active, your back and abdominal muscles grow strong and are better able to support your spine, tendons and ligaments. Even if you’ve never experienced severe back pain, exercise can help prevent the sudden cramps and spasms that many of us experience. Sudden movements can cause these contractions to happen, but they can also occur spontaneously when muscles are straining to support our body upright. The stronger your muscles are, the less likely they’ll be to contract in this way as we go about our daily activities.
Cardiovascular exercises, such as walking, cycling, swimming and weight training, help strengthen back muscles,’ says Reebok Master Trainer Steve Barrett. ‘But the key to preventing back pain in the long term is to work on developing your core muscles.’
According to Barrett, core muscles are responsible for supporting your whole torso. ‘They’re a network of inner-linked muscles located deep in the centre of your trunk,’ he says. They’re beneath the abdominal and back muscles, and visible just under your skin. ‘Because most of us don’t actually use our core muscles, they become ‘switched off’ so we’re not aware of them and they stop doing their job,’ says Barrett. ‘But through exercises that stimulate your core muscles, you can ‘switch them on', he adds. Your whole torso will be stronger and you’ll be less likely to experience back pain.
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