If you suffer from lower back pain, you may need to improve posture or strengthen muscles in the area. These top lower back exercises are effective in boosting muscle strength and supporting the lower back.
Each of these exercises integrates different muscles in the body that are connected to the lower back. For example, the reverse lunge works the glutes, which support the pelvis. When the pelvis is not aligned, as with a pelvic tilt, it can cause lower back pain.
Use these dumbbell back exercises to reduce lower back pain and improve back health by enhancing muscle strength.
Top 10 Dumbbell Lower Back Exercises
These lower back exercises help support lower back health in some fashion.
10 Best Lower Back Dumbbell Exercises
Ready to get rid of lower back pain? Integrate these best lower back dumbbell exercises into your workouts to reduce injury risk and boost your back health.
Dumbbell V-Up
The dumbbell V-up is primarily a core-focused movement that integrates the rectus abdominis, quadriceps, iliopsoas, and obliques. It also engages the deltoids and the hip flexors to support movement.
Strengthening the core can better protect the lower back, helping improve posture and stability. Pairing core exercises with gluteus maximus exercises can effectively rehabilitate chronic low back pain.
How To Do
- Find a flat space to perform the exercise.
- Grab one dumbbell.
- Lie on your back with your legs straight and arms at your sides.
- Hold each end of the dumbbell so that it is horizontal between your hands.
- Extend your arms overhead, allowing the dumbbell to touch the floor above your head. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and engage your core.
- Exhale as you hinge at the hips to bring your arms and feet into the air.
- Avoid bending at the knees or elbows, and form a V with your body.
- Inhale as you lower back to the starting position.
- Avoid contacting the ground with your hands and feet to maintain tension.
Tips
- Preserve a neutral spine by refraining from rounding the back while performing the V-up.
- Avoid swinging your body to produce momentum while performing the exercise. This is considered cheating as it decreases muscular engagement. Instead, slow down the movement so that it is controlled.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Side Lunge
The dumbbell side lunge is a lower-body exercise that emphasizes engagement of the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. It also activates other muscle groups, such as the obliques, adductors, and hip flexors.
One study found that patients who experienced chronic low back pain also had weak hip extensors, adductors, or abductors. Performing dumbbell side lunges can help strengthen the hip flexors and adductors to deter low back pain.
How To Do
- Grab a dumbbell for the exercise.
- Hold it in a goblet hold, with palms cupping one end and the rest of the dumbbell hanging vertically.
- Begin with feet shoulder-width apart and back straight. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and engage the core as you take a large step to the side with your left foot.
- As your foot makes contact with the floor, bend the left knee, keeping your right leg straight.
- Exhale and push up through the left foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets. Switch sides.
Tips
- As you enter the side lunge, ensure your back remains straight to prevent leaning too far over the knee. Doing so can place excessive pressure on the working knee and raise the risk of injury.
- Avoid pushing your butt back unnecessarily in the movement. Instead, focus on driving the working knee forward and squatting down with the correct form.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
The dumbbell reverse lunge is a lower-body exercise that activates the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and glutes. It also incorporates muscles in the hips and abdomen to support movement and stability.
As one of the top lower back dumbbell exercises, integrating this movement effectively strengthens the hip stabilizers. Strengthening the core and hips can prevent pain or injury in the lower back. This is a proactive maneuver for protecting the back.
How To Do
- Grab two dumbbells for the exercise.
- Hold the dumbbells at your sides in a neutral grip, with palms facing you.
- Stand with feet hip-width apart. This is your starting position.
- Keep the back straight.
- Inhale and take a large step back with your right foot.
- As your foot makes contact with the ground, lower the knee so it almost touches the floor.
- The front knee should bend forward as you perform the lunge.
- On your exhale, push through the front foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets. Switch sides.
Tips
- Form a 90-degree angle with both knees as a visual cue when performing the reverse lunge. This will help ensure that you are performing the exercise with proper form.
- Use the back foot for balance and the front foot to drive up out of the lunge. This will increase muscular engagement in the working leg.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Jumping Squat
Many lower body muscles are activated in the dumbbell jumping squat, including the quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings. Core muscles are also engaged to maintain stability in the torso and balance after landing.
Performing jump squats regularly is correlated with improved athletic performance, such as boosted vertical and countermovement jump. It effectively enhances explosive strength and builds muscle to support the hips and knees better. These can be productive for better supporting the lower back by strengthening surrounding muscles like the hips and core.
How To Do
- You will need two dumbbells for the exercise.
- Hold the dumbbells at your sides in a neutral grip, with palms facing you.
- Place feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. This is your starting position.
- Keep the back straight throughout the exercise.
- Inhale as you lower down into a squat.
- When you reach the bottom, exhale as you drive up through the feet into a jump.
- Gently return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- When you come back down from the squat jump, do not stiffen your legs. Allow your body to naturally fall back into a squat to absorb excess tension on the knees. From there, return to a standing position.
- Push through the feet to drive off the ground, and then gently land on the balls of your feet to deter shin splints or knee injuries.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Curtsy Lunge
The dumbbell curtsy lunge integrates multiple muscle groups and joints to perform the movement pattern. This exercise can benefit the lower back by strengthening the glutes, hip adductors, and abdominal muscles. By doing so, these muscles can better support the lower back, protecting it and stabilizing the spine, pelvis, and torso.
How To Do
- You will need to grab two dumbbells for this exercise.
- Hold them at your sides in a neutral grip with palms facing you.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and back straight. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and take a large step back with your right foot.
- Move your right foot behind your left leg in a curtsy motion.
- Once your right foot makes contact with the floor, bend the right knee towards the floor. The knee of the left left should bend forward.
- On your exhale, drive through the front foot to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets. Switch sides.
Tips
- Allow your torso to lean slightly forward while maintaining a neutral spine. This will help prevent leaning too far forward and placing excess stress on the knee.
- Keep your hips square while performing the curtsy lunge to encourage greater muscle activation in the hips and glutes.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Sumo Squat
The dumbbell sumo squat activates lower body muscles like the calves, quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and hip adductors. It also engages the erector spinae, multifidus, obliques, and transverse abdominis to maintain form and stability.
A few of the muscles in the lower back include the erector spinae and multifidus, which this exercise integrates. It was discovered that stronger muscle quality in the multifidus was correlated with lower chances of low back pain. Altogether, this exercise strengthens the lower back and surrounding muscles like the glutes, core, and hip adductors.
How To Do
- Grab one dumbbell for this exercise.
- Cup one end of the dumbbell in your hands, allowing the rest to hang vertically.
- Position the dumbbell in between your legs with arms straight.
- Move your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Point your toes outwards. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and bend at the knees to enter a squat.
- Keep your chest high and core engaged.
- Exhale, driving through the feet to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Keep your heels on the ground throughout the exercise. If your heels come off the ground, you may be lifting too heavy.
- Don’t allow your knees to cave in. Aim to press your knees towards your toes to keep them in line and deter knee injury.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Deadlift
The dumbbell deadlift is a compound movement that integrates muscles like the hamstrings, quadriceps, abdominals, and lower back.
Performing deadlifts or one of its many variations has a positive impact on reducing lower back pain and function. It can strengthen muscles in the lower back and abdominals so that they can provide better stability and support.
How To Do
- Pick two dumbbells from the weight rack for this exercise.
- Hold the dumbbells in an overhand grip in front of you with arms straight.
- Position your feet hip-width apart. This is your starting position.
- Keep the back straight and spine neutral.
- Inhale, hinging at the hips to lower the weights down your legs.
- Stop when the dumbbells reach your mid-shin area.
- Exhale, driving through the feet and the hips to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Refrain from lowering down too far, which can cause the back to slouch to accommodate the position. Maintain a straight back throughout the deadlift and stop when you feel like form may start to be compromised.
- Keep the dumbbells close to your legs as you lower them down and move back up to the starting position. This helps you maintain proper form, increase muscle engagement, and keep balance while performing the deadlift.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Bent-Over Rear Delt Fly
The dumbbell bent-over rear delt fly primarily targets the posterior deltoids and engages the trapezius, rhomboids, and lateral deltoids. It only requires dumbbells and is a great addition to a shoulder and back workout at home.
This movement is on the list of top lower back dumbbell exercises for one important reason. It can help strengthen the upper body muscles to maintain posture and avoid placing strain on the lower back.
How To Do
- Snag two dumbbells from the weight rack for this exercise.
- Position feet shoulder-width apart.
- Enter a bent-over position by hinging at the hips and allowing the torso to lean forward.
- Allow your arms to hang in front of you.
- Hold the dumbbells in a neutral grip with palms facing each other. This is your starting position.
- Inhale.
- Exhale and drive your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor.
- Slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- Maintain an engaged core to prevent the lower back from arching. An arched back can result in lower back pain.
- Keep a slight bend in the elbows while performing the bent-over fly.
- Refrain from using momentum to execute the exercise. Prioritize controlled movement to increase muscle engagement.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Split Squat
The dumbbell split squat is a lower-body exercise that activates the glutes, quadriceps, calves, adductors, and hamstrings. It also utilizes core muscles to preserve form and maintain trunk stability.
Performing dumbbell split squats can help improve lower-body strength, coordination, balance, mobility, and flexibility. This is achieved by strengthening lower body muscles and increasing the range of motion in the hips and knees.
Shifting the feet to increase the distance can place more weight load on the hip joint over the knee. For lifters with knee injuries, the split squat is a great option to consider.
How To Do
- Pick two dumbbells for this exercise.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hold the dumbbells at your sides in a neutral grip, with palms facing you.
- Take a large step back with your left foot.
- Keep your front foot flat on the floor and the back foot on the balls of your feet for balance. This is your starting position.
- Inhale and engage the core.
- Exhale and lower down into the split squat.
- Bend the knee of the left leg down to the floor.
- Drive the front knee of the working leg forward.
- Inhale and return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets. Switch sides.
Tips
- To increase muscle engagement, press down on the front foot of the working leg and use only the back leg for balance.
- Activate the core to maintain balance and stability while performing the exercise.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Dumbbell Goblet Squat
The dumbbell goblet squat is a lower-body exercise that integrates the quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and hip adductors. It utilizes secondary muscles like the erector spinae, core, rhomboids, and trapezius to support form and stability.
As a front-loaded exercise, this exercise doesn’t place excessive weight load on the lower back. It also helps strengthen lower-back supporting muscles like the core, hip adductors, and erector spinae. Altogether, these can better support and protect the lower back.
How To Do
- Grab a dumbbell for the exercise.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Clasp the dumbbell in a goblet hold, cupping one end and allowing the rest to hang vertically.
- Hold the dumbbell at your chest. This is your starting position.
- Inhale, bending at the knees to lower down into a squat.
- Stop when your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Exhale, pushing through the feet to return to the starting position.
- Repeat for desired reps and sets.
Tips
- When you drive through your feet to come out of a squat, visualize three points of contact on the feet. These include the big toe, little toe, and heel. Push these three points into the ground to increase muscle engagement and improve technique.
- Keep the knees aligned with your feet. Don’t allow them to bow in or out too far, as this can increase injury risk to the knees.
Optimal Sets And Reps
Training Style | Sets | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength Training | 3–5 | 3–5 |
| Hypertrophy | 3–4 | 8–12 |
| Endurance Training | 2–3 | 8–15 |
| Power Training | 3–5 | 2–6 (Explosive) |
Best Dumbbell Lower Back Workout Routine
Interested in the best dumbbell lower back workout routine? Use this hypertrophy-focused workout plan to strengthen your lower back and surrounding muscles.
Exercise | Sets x Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Reverse Lunge | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps | 30–90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Goblet Squat | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps | 30–90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Deadlift | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps | 30–90 seconds |
| Dumbbell Bent-Over Rear Delt Fly | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps | 30–90 seconds |
| Dumbbell V-Up | 3–4 sets x 8–12 reps | 30–90 seconds |
Benefits Of Dumbbell Lower Back Exercises
Incorporating dumbbell lower back exercises into workouts can have many benefits. For example, posture can improve, and lower back pain can be reduced.
Improves Posture
Many of these lower back dumbbell exercises stimulate muscles in the abdomen, like the obliques and transverse abdominis. These muscles, along with the glutes and hip adductors, are responsible for correcting and maintaining posture.
A large population worldwide experiences pain-related symptoms of poor posture. By increasing core strength, these abdominal muscles can more efficiently support good posture and reduce these symptoms.
Exercises like the dumbbell V-up and reverse lunge integrate these core muscles to help establish movement and maintain stability. They also integrate the hip adductors and glutes, which are also responsible for maintaining pelvic alignment. Strengthening these muscles can help improve posture steadily over time and overall reduce stress on the lower back.
Decreases Pressure On The Lower Back
Many of the exercises included in this list reduce tension placed on the lower back. This is either due to form, movement pattern, or weight load distribution. Either way, this effectively decreases pressure on the lower back, which can result in associated pain or injury.
Each of these lower back dumbbell exercises also integrates the use of abdominal muscles to support balance and stability. This, in turn, stimulates strength improvements in these muscles to support stability in the torso better. As a result, tension in the lower back is decreased, and lower back pain is reduced.
Reduced Risk Of Injury
Every one of these lower back dumbbell exercises strengthens various muscles in the core and lower and upper body. This is productive for many reasons, including providing the muscles the means to support the body better.
For example, strengthening the core, hip adductors, and glutes can better support the pelvis and spine. This can come in the form of improved stability, mobility, or flexibility, along with more secure corrective alignment. As a bonus, there is a reduced risk of injury or pain in the lower back.
Lower Back Exercises Dumbbell — Training Tips
Want to promote success in your training with lower back dumbbell exercises? Enforce these helpful training tips to promote success in your health and fitness journey.
- Execute Form Checks — Emphasizing quality form can make or break your results and affect injury risk with exercise. Start each repetition with a form check to ensure good technique, such as a neutral spine and engaged core. This is beneficial for injury prevention caused by poor form and could risk strain to the lower back.
- Assess Breathing Technique — In exercise, breathing technique is often overlooked even though it is critical for success and injury prevention. The method of breathing, or lack of it, determines whether enough oxygen is delivered to the muscles. As a guideline, exhale on the concentric (lifting) portion of the movement to increase core engagement and decrease pressure. Then, inhale on the eccentric (lowering) portion of the exercise to fuel the muscles with oxygen.
- Prioritize Mind-To-Muscle Connection — In each exercise, it is crucial to emphasize mind-to-muscle connection as it can drastically improve muscle engagement. With each exercise, focus on engaging primary muscles to maximize benefits.
Conclusion
Integrating lower-back dumbbell exercises can help lifters decrease lower-back pain by increasing strength in the core, glutes, and hips. Regularly using these exercises in your training routine can produce many correlated health benefits, like improved posture.
Add these exercises to your workouts to reap the benefits of a healthy lower back without the nagging pain. Use this back and shoulder workout with dumbbells to target more muscles simultaneously.
Frequently Asked Questions
To work the lower back with dumbbells, you need to find a movement pattern that integrates this area. For example, bent-over positions can utilize the lower back and core to maintain position.
Various equipment can be used in exercises to address low back pain. Exercises can be implemented in your routine to strengthen the lower back and surrounding muscles to provide more efficient support.
Target the lower back by utilizing exercises that emphasize the lower back. This can be done by using movement patterns that integrate this area, such as the reverse lunge or deadlift.
The answer depends on your specific goals. Each of these exercises can be spread out between 2-4 sessions per week, depending on your fitness level. Consistent targeting of the lower back and surrounding muscles can produce greater results.
Resources
Endomondo.com refrains from utilizing tertiary references. We uphold stringent sourcing criteria and depend on peer-reviewed studies and academic research conducted by medical associations and institutions. For more detailed insights, you can explore further by reading our editorial process.
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About the Author
Kaelyn Buzzo, PT Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach
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