5 ‘Flat Stomach’ Exercises To Avoid If You Have A Bad Back

Do you know anyone with a bad back? It’s such a common injury these days that chances are that you yourself have experienced some sort of back pain at some stage or another.

A combination of a sedentary lifestyle and poor diets means that more and more people are prone to seriously injuring their backs, either through doing something innocuous such as picking up the laundry basket or something sports- and fitness-related.

At this time of year many of you will have signed up to join a gym, especially if you’re trying to lose some weight around your middle. Unless you’ve had a personalised fitness program or workout created for you by a qualified professional, then the chances are you could be putting your back at risk in your quest for a flat stomach - especially if you already have a niggle in your back.

Here are 5 exercises you should avoid if you have a bad back of any sort…Cardiovascular exercise

Aerobic exercises such as running, rowing and cycling can do a tremendous amount of damage to your back. Running can cause your back to jarr; rowing puts a great deal of strain on your lower back, especially if you have an incorrect technique; and cycling can induce bad posture. All of these should be avoided if you have a bad back or you’ve tried them and they cause you back pain.

Lunges

The muscles in your back and stomach work together to help keep your body upright and balanced as you lunge forward in an unstable position. If your stomach muscles are not ’switched on’ and working properly, it’s your back muscles that will take the strain - something which can cause you some short term pain or over time, cause more permanent problems with your back and joints.

Squats

Your back muscles play an even bigger role in this exercise. As many people don’t know how to perform a squat properly,  in more cases than not the back will take more of the strain than the legs. The increased chances of improper technique makes this exercise an inappropriate one for people with bad backs.

Twisting exercises

These include exercises such as a Bottom Wood Chop or the Russian Twist. Twisting can put an unnecessary strain on your lower back and should be avoided unless under the supervision of a qualified professional.

Sit Ups/Crunches

How often have you seen someone only do 15 crunches and then leave it at that? Not often I bet. Most people over do them thinking that doing a 100 in a row will do the trick. That repetitive strain on your lower back can cause a great deal of pain and more permanent problems with your back - at the same time, it won’t really help you achieve a flat stomach either - hence the title of our book, Crunches Are Not Enough!

You may be wondering if there are actually any exercises you can do if you have a bad back! There are and I will be revealing those in my next post next week.