Best exercise to strengthen the lower back?

Hello,

I have found AB exercises have been rated as least to most effective. I haven’t found anything on the lower back. I would like to know the best exercise to strengthen the lower back, preventing pain and injury that can be caused in sport and everyday life.

The gym I go to doesn't have any lower back machines, and at the moment I am alternating my arm and legs on my stomache, and I'm not very happy with it, as I find my lower back actually hurts afterward, and I'm not happy with my gym for it's lack of equipment dispite a high membership fee.

Even if the most effective lower back exercise requires a gym machine, please let me know, there are more gyms out there.

Thank you
 
Deadlift!!! You can use a DB or BB to perfom these. Make sure you look up the correct form though at exrx.net or have someone that knows the deadlift help you and watch you to make sure you are doing it right.

and stay off the machines and do some DB, BB, and cable machine work. Machines do not work the stabilizers. Machines are usually single joint except for the seated row and lat pulldown.
 
for form check the technique articles sticky.. I wouldn't use the exrx.net things to check form (it's great for finding exercises though)

DLs, romanian deadlifts, good mornings, pullthroughs, etc, all are good for the back.
 
some of exrx.net has bad form photos...as I recall deadlift is one of them.

rack pulls are another excellent lower back (and posterior chain) exercise. its essentially the upper 1/2 of a deadlift so it takes emphasis of the quads and puts it all on the lower back, hip flexors, glutes and the hammies a little.
 
ohh I didn't know that. What website has good form photos? maybe someone can complain to exrx and tell them to change the photos to correct form.
 
Back extensions is one great lower back exercise.

Also what about supermans! In gymnastics, we do a lot of supermans.
 
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