Lower-back discomfort can be alleviated through these three recommended bodyweight exercises as suggested by a Pilates instructor.

Lower-back discomfort can be alleviated through these three recommended bodyweight exercises as suggested by a Pilates instructor.

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Unlike office workers glued to their desks, Pilates instructors rarely complain about lower-back pain. So, what's their secret? It's not mere luck - they've got the smarts to strengthen weaker zones, stretch tense areas, and maintain an ace posture that minimizes injury risks.

Take Jo-Leigh Morris of the fitness app WithU, for instance. A spin-doctor in her own right, she's got a three-move routine that keeps lower-back pain at bay. Her magic potion empowers your hamstrings, glutes, and back muscles, uncorks your hips, and makes your interconnected spine joints and ligaments dance freely and safely. Best part? You only need your body weight to try it on.

Three vivifying bodyweight exercises to combat lower-back pain

Here be the three moves you need to conquer:

• Dart
• Long lunge with extension
• Glute bridge

Morris suggests you can utilize these three charms as a warm-up or a freestanding mobility flow. For a warm-up, execute each move thrice, swapping sides halfway through for the long lunge with extension.

But if you crave a more robust session, cycle through three rounds of all the exercises with minimal rest. Aim for 20-30 seconds per exercise, escalating the duration as you build strength. Click play on the video above to watch these moves in action.

Dart

• Lie on your stomach with arms by your sides and forehead on the floor.
• Uplift your face slightly, press your pelvis into the floor, and extend your legs behind you.
• Inhale and stretch your arms towards your feet as you lift your chest. Simultaneously, lift your feet off the floor.
• Pause at the top, breathe, then descend slowly with control. Keep your feet on the deck if lifting them proves too intimidating.

This crowd-pleasing Pilates exercise fortifies the upper and lower-back muscles. "It's fantastic for bolstering the entire backside of the body," swears Morris.

Long lunge with extension

• Stand tall, then step into a deep lunge.
• Maintain your front knee bent, and your back leg straight. Lean over your front knee, keeping your back rigid.
• Hoist your arms skyward, reaching high to prolong your torso.
• Hold the position, then switch sides.

"This is a hinge movement, so we're working the glutes, freeing the hips, empowering the core, and building the surrounding muscles of the lower spine," Morris explains.

Glute bridge

• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the floor close to your buttocks, and arms out wide for support.
• Engage your deep core muscles by pressing your lower back into the floor.
• Launch from your heels and squeeze your glutes to hoist your hips high.
• Hold the position for a breath, then gently lower back down and repeat.

"We're employing the glutes, liberating the hips, and fortifying the lower back with this move," claims Morris.

My Two Cents

Lower-back pain has been my arch-nemesis. If you've ever wrestled with it, you know it can bring you to your knees. I even splurged on a backless chair that adjusts my pelvis to keep my hips open. But I've always skipped exercises that strengthen my lower back.

This routine, particularly the dart exercise, which targets the back extensor muscles, is now my new best friend - especially on days when I hunch over my desk for hours on end.

1. Performing the Dart exercise, as suggested by Jo-Leigh Morris, can be advantageous for individuals who experience lower-back pain, as it reinforces the upper and lower-back muscles, providing support and relief, especially for those spending long hours at a desk.
2. Incorporating the glute bridge exercise into one's health-and-wellness routine can help combat lower-back pain by targeting and strengthening the glutes, freeing the hips, and fortifying the lower back, according to fitness expert Jo-Leigh Morris from the fitness app WithU.

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