I often meet people in my exercises classes with lower back pain.  This is so common.  It is estimated 70% of the population struggles with back pain.  How can you work your back to cut down or eliminate visits to the Chiropractor?    Joseph Pilates had it right, work your core.  I am not talking just the front of the core, your abs.  Most people think core means abs, no work not only your abs, but your back and hips too.  Many people think I have back pain, and a lot of the times it is really hip pain.   All sections of the body must be strong to effectively support your back.  My motto is “strong core, strong body”.

Work your Abs
There are three sections to your abdominals: mid – rectus, side – obliques and lower or inner- transverse.   When you work your abs, don’t just sit on the floor and do crunches, but add abdominal exercises that work all 3.  The video down below will demonstrate this.

Work your Hips
When you work your hips think of your leg being in the ball and socket joint of your hip. You need to work all points on the joint.  Two common points would be work your inner and outer thighs.   The Original Barre Method is excellent in hitting all points of the hips.  If you have hip issues, I highly recommend this workout.  Pilates, yoga and Essentrics also work the hips, but Barre really works it completely.   My video demonstrates the Outer Thigh Pilates exercises.

Work your Back
There are upper and lower back exercises.  We hold a lot of tension is our back.  Be careful about working the low back if your are experiencing a lot of pain right now.  Also, tight hamstrings affect your low back.  Everything is so interconnected in our body.  That is why I love all body workouts like Essentrics and Yoga that works your whole body instead of just working in sections.

Try this video to strengthen your abs, hips and back: