Back extensions are often discussed online as if they are a solution for lower back pain, so I wanted to look at their value from the perspective of a well-renowned coach: Charles Poliquin.

Poliquin was a well-known strength coach who worked with elite and Olympic-level athletes, which is why he is frequently referenced by online influencers and fitness professionals.

Interestingly Poliquin didn’t view back extensions as a miracle exercise and he didn’t present them as a guaranteed fix for lower back problems – unlike some of those quoting him. Instead he viewed back extensions primarily as a strength training tool.

This distinction is important because exercises are often taken out of context online. An exercise that has a place in strength training does not automatically mean it is the best choice for managing pain or rehabilitation. And in fact, it is just one tool among many.

What does a back extension involve?

The type of back extension discussed by Poliquin is typically per...

Back strengthening exercise can be misunderstood using current fitness thinking. Unlike a bicep curl these back strengthening exercises don’t always back muscle exercises. This might seem a little strange at first but it will make sense when you watch my vtutorial.

In the vtutorial

1. You’ll learn about the 4 good exercises, 2 bad and 1 ugly exercise.
2. You’ll also learn why the 4 good back strengthening exercises are so good.
3. You’ll learn the reasons to avoid the bad and ugly exercises.
4. And finally you’ll 3 differences between good and bad exercises.

Back strength and low-back pain

Many people still use the old-school thought that back muscles need to be stronger to overcome low-back pain. This isn’t the case because low-back pain can be a symptom of a poorly functioning core. In this situation the last thing your body wants is to strengthen its back muscles.

Indirect back strengthening exercises

A part of overcoming low-back pain is rebuilding you core. This means;

1. Activat
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