If you have ever had back pain or you are dealing with it right now, you know how debilitating it can be. In this video, I’m going to tell you the truth about back pain and what you really need to do to fix it permanently. All too often, you are told to rest in order to alleviate your symptoms. The problem is, this is exactly the opposite of what you should do if you want to get rid of back pain forever and never have it return.
You must exercise and get stronger if you want to fix all back related issues. That said, the first thing you need to do is make sure you know what type of back pain you are dealing with. See a physician or physical therapist for an accurate diagnosis of your particular problem.
In all cases, regardless of what your specific diagnosis is and even if you wind up having the rare surgery necessary to fix your condition, you are still going to need to exercise your back muscles and get them stronger if you want to have no recurrence of your pain.
With that said, I put together a step by step plan for you so you can start doing something about your pain right away and start feeling better by the time today is over. If you haven’t already seen it, be sure to watch the following video on how to fix low back pain instantly.
How to Fix Low Back Pain (INSTANTLY!)
It has helped millions of people who have had intense low back pain and have tried seemingly everything. This simple sequence is something that may be a game changer for you and help position you for doing the exercises shown in the rest of this video better.
Regarding the low back exercise sequence you want to follow in this video, here you go.
1. Start with a bar hang. The key is to keep your toes in light contact with the ground in order to allow your hips and pelvis to drop and give your low back muscles a chance to release. Any joint compression issues you may be having in the spine will be helped by this move as well. 60 second hangs a few times a day are a great place to start and will likely not aggravate any pain you might be having at the moment.
2. Perform either a banded or cable seated row. The key is to keep the load extremely light here. This is all about the range of motion and getting the muscles of the upper back to start firing while driving some blood flow to the muscles of the lower back. Get that good stretch at the bottom of every rep to help loosen up those lumbar paraspinals.
3. The reverse hyper is something that everyone can do (either on the edge of a bench or bed) and will be the first move to get the all important activation of the glutes initiated. We know that the long term solution to your low back pain is going to rely on stronger glute muscles that work in concert with the muscles of the low back. This is easy and can be done pain free essentially anywhere.
4. The hyper row takes this glute activation to the next level and provides you with the opportunity to hold some extra weight in your hands to additionally strengthen the muscles of the low back and lats. Even though the back lifts first here, it’s still the glutes that should be contracting and bracing in order to drive the movement of the upper back.
5. In the first of three exercises on your feet, we start with the pullthrough. Only after you’ve mastered the ability to perform the other exercises up to this point pain free would you move onto this. That said, when ready you start here. This allows for you to drive the kinetic chain from the ground up and use some substantial weight to continue to build the muscles of the entire posterior chain.
6. The deadlift will build upon the proper hinge learned during the pull through and overload the muscles of the entire posterior chain even more effectively. Most people dealing with back pain feel that they will never deadlift again. That is the exact opposite thought of what you should have and need to do if you want to overcome this debilitating issue once and for all.
7. Finally, the barbell row is something you should move to only when you have built the stability and strength of the back with the previous exercises.
If you are looking for a program that will help you to not only get rid of back pain but build a strong athletic body capable of staying pain free for the rest of your life, be sure to head to athleanx.com via the link below and start training like an athlete. All of the programs are created by a physical therapist with the goal of helping you build ripped, athletic muscle without compromising your health in the process.
For more videos on how to get rid of back pain and the best exercises to fix lower back pain, be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube via the link below and remember to turn on your notifications so you never miss a new video when it’s published.
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Jeff doesn’t need a driver’s license because he only drives from his glutes.
My friend I’ve been in a wheelchair for five long years. Since I have been watching and listening to your videos my upper body is in the best shape since I was thirty and I am seventy years old. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
*NEW “FAST ACTION” Q&A* – Got a question about training or back pain that I didn’t cover in the video? Leave yours (AS A SEPARATE COMMENT!) below and I’ll pick 8 to get a detailed reply from me right here in the comments. Answers will be posted within the first 24-48 hours of you leaving the question. Good luck!
Also, if you haven’t already make sure you check out this video if you’ve got back pain. It’s a life saver.
How to Fix Low Back Pain (INSTANTLY!) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWmGArQBtFI
Jeff, how long are we “supposed” to be sore/tight after a workout, and what does that soreness actually mean? For example, if I train chest & triceps on Monday, and by Thursday or Friday those muscles are still sore/tight, does that just mean I had a *really* good workout on Monday? Or does it mean I’m not recovering properly afterwards?
Soreness is not really an indicator of a “good” workout or for that matter a bad one in the absence of soreness. The primary driver of soreness from your workout is from eccentric stress. You could theoretically do one set with a spotter helping you to perform slow eccentrics after reaching concentric failure and be so sore you couldn’t touch that muscle for a week. Volume would be almost zero but soreness off the charts.
Hey Jeff! Love this video! Thank you. I have a quick question. Do you think we should train abs and back equally? Because I know there needs to be balance. You have mentioned in older videos that you can train your abs everyday if you do them right. I have a weaker back personally. Should I train back as well as strengthen my glutes regularly as well maybe not at a high intensity? Hope that makes sense. I really just got into working out a year ago to change myself for the better, but haven’t been consistent with my diet or gym, but i promise y’all that I will get better, and lets get better together! @Raghavfit (Life to remember)
I was literally binge watching all of the lower back pain videos from Jeff yesterday. Hanging from the bar is a life saver 🙌 reduced the pain at least a 60%
ATHLEAN-X™ words of wisdom
agree …
That almost always works for any kind of back pain. It reduces the pressure on the discs and relaxes the muscles.
As an adult ballet dancer, I find your videos very helpful to keep my body safe, pain free and working properly. Thank you so much. 🙏🏽
@ATHLEAN-X™ GREAT GREAT JEFF…..
Jeff, as an athletic trainer I know my back pn is coming from lat tightness/weak glutes, especially after starting the 22 day pull-up challenge. Noticed immediate gains after 5 days going into that testing day. What are your suggestions/alternatives for not having a glute-ham machine, limited equipment?
Hey Jeff, a few months ago I was having back pain again from getting back into working out, and I had immense back pain. So I looked throw your videos to find that I should be working through it, and doing strengthening exercises, and my back pain got so much worse! It felt even more stiff ( like muscular stiff, like your legs feeling sore the day after a brutal leg day ) any tips to help with this?
Thank you for this, Jeff. I spent many years in my 20s and 30s in agonizing pain, hopped up on pain killers, and spending a fortune on chiropractors, because of two herniated disks between my shoulder blades. NO ONE told me to build up my back muscles and neck muscles. They only treated the symptoms, over and over and over. Once I learned how to strengthen my back muscles the herniated disks vanished, and now in my 50s I am stronger and healthier and PAIN FREE, than I was at half my age.
Wanted to say thank you Jeff. I’ve been incorporating the reverse hypers using a large physio ball for months now and my low back has never felt better. Your vids have been a Godsend to me and I’m eternally grateful. God bless you and your family!
The best Childhood memory I have is not having a back pain.
@ATHLEAN-X™ this is very good to know, thanks coach 👍
@ATHLEAN-X™ Thanks Jeff!
As a decently tall guy (190 CM) working an office job, I used to get these kinds pains all the time. Since I started working out following Jeff’s advice, these pains stopped happening. The last time this kind of pain happened to me is more than 2 years ago. Thank you Jeff!
As a PT, I always appreciate the information you put out there for the general public. Please don’t ever stop making these videos. I recommend some of my patients to your channel as a reference when I discharge them. That way, they can continue to develop strength and mobility at a higher level. There are a lot of incorrect information on youtube that can lead to more dysfunction in people following their advice so I try to filter it out for them. Please keep up the good work! Much appreciate it!
Same!
Hi Jeff, I’ve had back pain for the last 8 years. It started with a weight training injury. I went from dead lifts with poor form, right into heavy squats with poor form, possibly with an already compromised back due to trouble sleeping. After the injury, my back pain is exacerbated after almost any kind of weight training. The pain usually improves after 1 – 2 good nights of sleep, and is always worst at night. Is this a bulging or herniated disc? Is it best to treat it as such. I’ve been told it may be a problem of weak abs. Will these exercises help or is surgery a better option?
Love all your videos Jeff! Jesse has even brought some additional humor to the great content! I’m a long time subscriber, liker of many videos and huge fan!
Question, my father has stenosis and got surgery a year ago but still feels locked up. He cannot even play golf which he use to play every day. Do you have some mobility exercises for his back, or correcetive exercises to help him get the aches and stiffness out? Do you recommend this video’s exercises or since it is stenosis (which extension and compression makes worse) would you have something else in mind? Your comment would be greatly appreciated and keep putting out the great content! I will be graciously awaiting for your reply :- D
Jeff is pretty much becoming new Chuck Norris with all these legendary jokes about him 😀
3:45 seated row
4:49 reversed hyper
5:52 hyper row
6:45 pullthrough
8:00 deadlift
8:58 barbell row
Hahaha 😂
Can you do a video on regaining fitness following a lumbar spinal fusion (1-2 years on), how to improve lack of flexibility and exercise tolerance following an operation maybe something you have done with an pro athlete overcoming a different operations etc
Hi J.C. !
I had spine surgeries, cervical 2017 and lumbar 2019, bone fusions and I would like to know if I can do this back work outs ?
2:11 The Bar Hang
3:23 The Seated Row
4:48 The Reverse Hyper
5:47 The Hyper Row
6:43 The Pullthrough
7:38 The Deadlift
8:57 The Barbell Row
1. Release tension 2:40
2. Train lats using seated rows 3:50
3. Reverse hyper 5:00
4. Hyper row 6:00
5. Kettlebell deadlifts (an alternative)
6. Deadlifts
7. barbell rows
What of it’s psoas tendinitis causing the pain?
Oliver Standen God bless you!
The work you do through your videoseto help can’t be appreciated enough!
I have a nagging lumbar spine disc buldge impinging on my nerve roots. Which of these exercises you mentioned am I supposed to avoid?
Tnx bro
As always, great work — thank you. 26 years ago I had a ruptured disc removed at L5-S1 (paralyzed from the waist down until the rupture was removed), and 2 years ago I had a disc decompression at L4-L5. I keep my core strong, and have incorporated many of your recommended exercises. Any specific instruction for those who’ve had surgery?
GOAT 🐐
@Vagitarian how old are u,how long have u had the problem did u get injured
@Luis Elias It’s an old work injury from long ago. About 6 and a half years ago it came on bad and I had to leave my labor job. After about a year things seemed almost to return to normal, and for the next 2 and a half years I took excellent care of my body. Lot’s of swimming, jogging, lifting. I was in fantastic shape. Then one day, the injury came back with a vengeance, and it’s been 3 years this May since. I can do some stretches and lightweight exercises again, and take some walks, but I always have to take it easy afterwards. They won’t do surgery. Many specialists believe that there is actually no such thing as Degenerative Disc Disease as some people in their 80’s have lost as much as 96% of their discs, but still have no pain. And MRI’s are not the crystal ball everyone thinks they are. People without any pain can show the same MRI’s as someone in agony. The only conclusion is the pain centers are traumatized and acting out even though there is no actual damage occurring. I hope and pray to God everyday that my pain centers will “relax” and I can use my back again, if not nearly as strenuously. For now I have to be really careful about everything I do. If I lift too much or walk up a hill that is too steep, I will feel it for weeks and it will put me completely down.
@Vagitarian that was what i was going to tell u when u said u had DDD i dont belive in DDD disck dont disolve just cause they get damage on how bad we use them preayers,work outs and hanging my selft from a pull bar to let my weight fall slowly till it pops is what has made me fill better
@Vagitarian let me tell u why DDDA is not a thing cause all ur spine would have damage every were not just that part that u got injured🤷🏽♂️
@Dragon Ryu damn right I sneezed today and thought my back is gonna break for a sec
@AverageTej Hahahha. Same man, it’s awful.
Very, very funny.
Yeah man lower back pain has stolen my life. Never had problems in my teens and young age. Worked 6 hours 5 days a week hard labour and enjoyed sports on weekends those where the days 😢😢😢
2:11 – Bar Hang (toes touching the ground)
3:23 – Seated Row (cables or weight band)
4:48 – Reverse Hyperextension (lay chest on bench, keep legs straight, lift feet up). Note that Jeff did a separate video on this exercise (by itself) for fixing low back pain, so this may be the best one to do!
5:47 – Hyper Row – (lay on your chest on a bench with feet under a piano or countertop or something, raise your back, then at the top of the extension, do a row with dumbbells, one arm at a time)
6:44 – Pullthrough (cable or weight band)
7:38 – Deadlift
8:57 – Barbell Row
dope
Ahahahahaha mannnn
tyty!
Why is this comment not pinned XDDDD Too good
If I were you,I would get the book by STUART MCGILL called THE BACK MECHANIC.He is the master of back rehabilitation.He is who they call when top athletes like Tiger Woods hurts their backs.He has written several books on the subject but the book that is easiest to follow for the layman is The Back Mechanic.There are videos of him on YouTube demonstrating the Big 3 exersizes for back rehabilitation.The book is illustrated and shows you the do’s and don’ts of back rehabilitation.There is noone more educated on the subject.I know the book will help you if you follow his advice.
🤣🤣🤣