#1 Back Exercise for Beginners!

This article is a transcribed, edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in March 2025. For the original video, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdBAhRpLrrM

Mike: Are you struggling with back pain, or looking for an easy way to strengthen your back?

Brad: Well, I tell you what, better yet, we are going to show you a way to work on your back, fix it while you're in bed, before you get out.

Mike: So, we're going to share the best exercise that targets your back muscles, as well as your core, because that's important to keep you strong and comfortable.

Brad: There you go. Let's get to it, Mike.

Mike: The most important exercise we're going to talk about first to strengthen your lower back, and it also strengthens your glutes and your core, is actually a glute bridge exercise, but make sure to stay tuned after this because we have other important core exercises you may want to try out as well.

Brad: So, we're working on the glutes, the glute maximus, one of the largest muscles in your body, connected to the back, through fascia and tissue, and really important to get that back stable.

Mike: Now, you can do this exercise in bed, like we mentioned, because some people struggle to get to the floor, but the floor is a perfectly fine option as well. So the glute bridge is pretty simple. Make sure your knees are both in a bent position. If you have socks on in bed, they might kind of slide, so maybe barefoot. I don't think you want to have your shoes on in bed. And you're going to lift your butt up in the air like this, squeeze. You can hold this for five seconds or so, and then go back down if you don't have added resistance. Put your hands on the bed like I am doing for the easiest progression.

Mike: If this seems way too easy for you, take your hands off like this. If this seems even easier, you could actually go on one leg if you're a real tough person.

Brad: Ooh. That's pretty tough. Now, there is one thing that I've found, and I think a lot of therapists have used this mental imagery to help the glute maximus get its maximum squeeze, which is when you're up like that, imagine there's a quarter right in your gluteal cleft, and you're trying to keep that quarter from falling out. Squeeze.

Mike: I think the layman's term is your butt cheeks, but, yes, your gluteal cleft.

Brad: Right.

Mike: So, if you want even to do a butt squeeze before you go up to help engage them, and then move up, this is a good way to do it as well. And, yeah, you kind of feel it everywhere. I feel it in my lower back, my butt, my core, tummy muscles, everything.

Brad: Right. It is important to really feel those muscles go together because you can actually do this without full engagement. But, when you think about it, it really gets them moving.

Mike: So you could shoot for 10 repetitions; you can do two to three sets of them. If you're new to it, maybe do one to two sets the first few days, and progress from there. Now, we want to do some other core strengthening exercises, try them all out, and see which ones you like. You could do them all if you have time and prefer to. But the next three are kind of inspired by Stuart McGill, who is a back pain expert.

Brad: Yeah. He is one of the leading figures of this Century, I would say decade, whatever, he's written many books and is respected by many. A lot of people go see him for their problems.

Mike: So, a big component of helping with back pain is strengthening the core, so that's why he talks about strengthening the core a lot. Now the first one is not one of his directly, but it kind of ties to it, and this is called the dead bug.

Brad: So, the goal of this one is just to strengthen the abdominal muscles, right?

Mike: Yes, the rectus abdominis.

Brad: There you go.

Mike: The more superficial abdominal muscles. So, you're going to start with your arms and legs extended like this, correct, Brad?

Brad: Show them how Stuart McGill does it first.

Mike: Well, Stuart McGill goes the curl up. So what he does is he bends one knee and keeps one leg straight. And what we do is we lift our head towards the ceiling. We're not going into a crunch where we're curling our spine up like this, and I'm looking down at Brad. What I'm doing instead is I'm lifting my shoulder blades off the mat, my head is going towards the ceiling, but I'm in a neutral position, I'm not rounding.

Brad: Right.

Mike: And then you go back down, and you do 10 repetitions of this, and you can see just sitting here for a little bit holding it, my abdominal muscles are getting a little fatigued already.

Brad: There you go.

Mike: And you just go up, and do 10 repetitions, and you can also switch sides. And this is called a curl-up or a roll-up.

Brad: You want me to show the dead bug?

Mike: You do the dead bug, you get your variations. My dead bug's different than your dead bug.

Brad: Now this works the same muscles. I think it makes it more dynamic, a little more fun to do. And I think it's a good option. You're up like this, and you're like this. And you act like you're a dead bug, a little beetle bug. You can go for a time, or you can go back and forth. And you can feel those muscles just while you're working there. So, do that til your muscles start to fatigue or time it.

Mike: I think that would be a bug on its back; it's not dead.

Brad: Well, it will be.

Mike: Bug on its back is a weird name, though.

Brad: It is a nice exercise; it works the hip flexors as well.

Mike: The next one we're going to do is actually from Stuart McGill, and it's called the bird/dog. Now, some people I've done this with have poor balance and core strengthening, so they may not be able to do the full version right away. So what we'll do is modify it. So for beginners, what we're going to do is lift one limb up at a time. So I lift my left arm up, and I'm going to do 10 repetitions. Make sure you keep your balance. And you're going to do the opposite arm. And you're going to eventually do the legs just straight back like this. I'm not going up high and arching my back more; I'm just keeping a nice straight line.

Brad: Straighten it out.

Mike: Sorry, I can't see my leg.

Brad: There you go. Yeah, I know. It helps with a mirror or someone to give you a little feedback.

Mike: So you would do 10 on one leg, and then 10 on the opposite leg. If you can keep your balance perfectly fine doing this, the next progression would be doing the opposite arm and leg. Right arm goes up, left leg goes up. You're going to hold for a few seconds, three to five seconds, back down. You can do 10 on one side. After that, do 10 on the other.

Mike: If you want to get fancy, you could certainly alternate them. Go right arm, left leg, left arm, right leg, just like that. Shoot for 10 repetitions total.

Mike: Now, there's an even more advanced version, which I kind of suck at or cheat at, where you actually do the same arm, same leg.

Brad: Why the language, Mike? It's a family show. Don't do that.

Mike: It's a lot harder.

Brad: Why don't you go back? I forgot one important thing. This is serious. One important point that Mike is doing that, what he didn't mention is that before you start moving the leg and the arm or whatever you're doing, tighten your stomach up real tight, get your back in the neutral position the best you can, and then work the technique. So the core is tight, it's getting fully exercised. Now this will be more difficult to do on a soft bed because it's squishy. Easy to do on a carpeted floor or firm floor, so keep that in mind, and work what's best for you. Getting tired yet, Mike?

Mike: No, not too bad. Just don't have me do the other variation, I'm not very good. That one's a little challenging.

Brad: That is a tough one. That's the advanced mode. We got the last one yet?

Mike: No, we got one more, which we're going to talk about, which is the side plank. So most people know what a plank is, but not everyone knows what a side plank is. So this is going to work your oblique muscles, also some of your lower back muscles, your QL.

Brad: And the hip adductors, particularly.

Mike: So what you do for beginners is get on your knees and your elbow, and you're going to lift up, pelvis off, or side of your hip off the mat like this. Try to be in a nice straight line. And you hold this for a time. Some people struggle to do 10 seconds, you can go up to 30 seconds, even a minute if you want. After you hit your time duration you can handle, you're going to rest and switch sides.

Mike: If that seems easy, you can get up on your feet like this and keep your balance this way. If you really struggle to keep your balance once you're on your feet, you can always put your legs apart staggered, which makes it a little more even.

Brad: Right, you spread out that base more of a triangle, three points are always more stable than two.

Mike: The most important thing to do is just make sure your butt's not sagging back. Make sure you're off the mat, you're not resting down.

Brad: There you go.

Mike: So that is the side plank.

Brad: How long did you say to hold that for, 30 seconds?

Mike: Well, beginners, I've seen some people who can only do 10-15 seconds. 30 seconds is a good goal, or 45 per side. I can go up to a minute. But do both sides. You could do it two to three times.

Brad: Right. So go through all of those. You may not want to do all of them, but pick out at least two that you like to do, and do them on a daily basis; it'll make a big difference in the core, waist, hips, and save that back.

Mike: Well, this is a single best video, so pick your single best favorite exercise. Which one's your favorite?

Brad: Well, I've got my own, you know.

Mike: Mine is the side plank. I actually do a side plank. I added a resistance band, but I really like that one.

Brad: Actually, a side plank, I didn't like them because it bothered my back with my spondylolisthesis, but now I think I could do it. But the bridge or the bird/dog is probably my favorite.

Mike: Oh yeah?

Brad: Yeah. It's got nothing to do with hunting either.

Mike: Aww, well, why not? Let us know down below what your favorite is.

Brad: Oh, another video.

Mike: And, if you want to check out more videos on back pain, you can watch "Absolute Best 10 Stretches For Back Pain & Perfect Posture!"

Brad: Yeah, so it's a win/win situation.