Can anyone recommend any good exercises for strengthening my lower back as I discovered the other day that it's weak as ****. As part of my strength programme I do pull ups and dumbbell rows each week but I've neglected the lower part of my back. After exercises either with weights or without. Cheers
You might think it's a bit girly but grab a physio ball, there are a number of good lower back exercises you can do on them, back extensions, prone leg raises etc. It's very important to have a strong lower back and know how to contract your multifidus. Almost everybody with lower back pain has atrophied multifidus. Everybody can jump straight on the squat rack but if you don't know how to include your local muscle system in the movement you're going to have trouble after a while.
Deadlift and its variants, the lower back is a powerful slow twitch muscle group it responds to high weight with long tension. Doing 10,000 hyper extensions and other body weight exercises wont do anything close to what 3X5 on deadlift will do.
this is exactly the information you need. Get deadlifting and lift heavy! Start light though to get your form correct.
If form is a problem light deadlifting isn't the best cure. The reverse deadlift will usually cure most early form problems. The most common form problem is the inability to get that thoracic extension. Reverse deadlifts cure this problem quicker than just about anything else. Grab the bar from a standing position both palms out and force your shoulders back chest forward. Then revers the deadlift motion to the ground. If its is too hard to keep your chest forward(thoracic extension) throughtout the motion just hold the standing position with high weight.