No Pain, All Gain
Back pain is something that most gym goers will suffer from at some stage or another, either through developing muscle imbalances or performing an exercise with too much weight and improper form. To avoid spending long periods of time away from training it's important to try and prevent back pain before it occurs, as it can cause discomfort for long periods of time depending on the severity of it. Using these simple tips will help you to prevent unnecessary injury as well as help to de-stress you and improve your flexibility.
Stretch
Developing your flexibility is an easy way to increase the range of movement a muscle has. By doing this you are giving it further to travel before it begins to strain and tear. Muscles aren't just isolated around the body; the impact of tight muscles in one place can directly affect the movement and tightness of another body part. This is particularly true with overworked hamstrings that can cause lower back pain if not adequately flexible, and is a common issue for those who sit down all day at work.
To increase your flexibility you should aim to perform static stretches after every workout. If aiming to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and maintain current flexibility then 15 seconds is long enough. However, if you want to develop it you should hold static stretches for 30 seconds, whilst increasing the stretch itself further after the first 15 seconds. This helps with progressively developing the muscle without shocking it and causing it to momentarily contract and strain.
Pick up Weights
Another way to prevent back pain is to pick up and place down weights correctly. When lifting try to use a deadlifting technique, pushing through the heels and keeping the abdominal muscles strong and tense whilst you lift. This will make your mid-section solid and will stop it from hyperextending and flexing, which is a major cause of muscle pulls. Also try to keep the weight close to your body, as the further away it gets the more your lower back will overwork to stabilise you.
Develop Core
The core doesn't just consist of the abdominals, there is much more to it than that. It encompasses the upper and lower abdominals, the lower back and the obliques. Each of these areas needs to be trained either with a dedicated core workout a couple of times a week, or by incorporating large compound exercises in your training, such as front squats, pull ups and deadlifts.