2 Back Extension Over Ball Strengthening

LOAD SETS REPS TEMPO REST
Body Weight 2 10 2 Lower: 2 Rise: 1 Hold 45 sec
LOAD Body Weight
SETS 2
REPS 10
TEMPO 2 Lower: 2 Rise: 1 Hold
REST 45 sec

Objectives

  • Strengthen postural back musculature.
  • Improve core stability.
  • Encourage healthy bending patterns.

Targeted Muscles

  • Deep Abdominal Musculature
  • Posterior Hip and Leg Musculature
  • Back Extensor Musculature

How to Perform

  1. Begin by placing a Swiss Ball under your hips with your feet on the ground and against a wall.
  2. With your hands touching the ground in front, ensure your feet stay grounded as you bend slightly through the knees.
  3. Draw your belly in and on your next inhale, slowly raise your upper body away from the floor and the ball, using mostly the back of your legs and hips, with little low back activation.
  4. As you move towards full extension row your arms towards your rib cage. Gently pinch your shoulder blades.
  5. Hold and then slowly exhale, reversing back towards the ground.
  6. Repeat

Common Challenges

  • Many individuals strain their low back while bending. This exercise will encourage proper leg and hip recruitment that is necessary for healthy lifting patterns. Therefore, it’s important to be mindful when completing this exercise that the hamstrings (back of legs) and gluteal (back of hips) musculature is doing most of the work. If you don’t feel those muscles activating, it may be worthwhile to go back to the isolation exercises: Hip Extension 1,2 and 3.
  • Stability may also be a challenge initially. Ensure your feet are hip width apart and feet pushed into the wall. Most importantly, charge the core by drawing the belly button in.

Alternative Exercise Suggestions for Patients with an ICD

Keep arms to the side. Avoid reaching arms over the head.