Fluid Lower Back Mobility

Fluid mobility work for the lower back. Will build strength and mobility. Can also help with lower back problems!

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his is fluid and versatile lower back/middle back work which targets the muscles around the lumbar and thoracic spine areas.

Start cautiously and don't over do it, if you have an existing lower back condition, ​consult your doctor first.

Nevertheless, this should be quite safe mobility work you can do for your spine because with the easier progressions you aren't using any external resistance.

You are merely moving your spine around and although it may look simple, it's incredibly effective. You need to become loose and relaxed and only contract the muscles that need to be contracted.

Become fluid and wave-like. Become like water, this is what Bruce Lee said.

You can use these drills to learn how to control your spine, explore different areas and find possible weak spots. Versatility is the name of the game - move everywhere you can.

This is what people need more than heavy deadlifts or kettlebell swings - they need to learn how to control their lumbar and thoracic spine areas and how to make them strong and mobile.

It's false knowledge to think just a simple deadlift will hit all the muscles in the lower back. Although many muscles are worked in those exercises, it's far from a complete lower back workout. 

Eventually these people who just repeat simple movement patterns become stiff, immobile and eventually hurt.

Kneeling Lower Back Mobility

Bend, arch, move to the sides and rotate. Do everything you humanly can. Round lower back? That's the point. Arched lower back? That's the point.

​You can alter the width and directions of your legs to change the emphasis of your lower back muscles. 

You want to find freedom in this position and be ready to move without pain and without restrictions. Practice a lot and you'll find the Way.

Squatting Lower Back Mobility

This is exactly the same as the kneeling lower back mobility exercise, except here you have more range of motion and thus more resistance towards the muscles around the spine.

​You can be in a low squat, a half squat or with slightly bent legs. The goal is to just find a good posture where you can freely move your upper body around.

First master the kneeling mobility, then move onto this one.​

After the squat lower back mobility drill is fully mastered, small weights can be added for extra resistance. However, the point is to build mobility, not raw strength, which is why weights aren't always necessary.