Our Strong Women ambassador Emma Obayuvana demonstrates how to strengthen your muscles to prevent back pain in this quick and effective 10 minute workout. 

Unsurprisingly, 55% of us have reported new back pain since the start of the pandemic, according to the Institute of Employment Studies (*sits up straighter, winces at the sound of cracking*). So what better muscle group to start strengthening to relieve pain in the long-term?

“Exercising increases blood flow to the area you’re working, which stimulates the healing process and reduces stiffness that leads to pain,“ says Emma Obayuvana, trainer from our Strong Women Collective. “Improving your strength and mobility ensures that your connective tendons and ligaments are working properly in order to reduce pain and prevent injury.”

As we endure a second lockdown, this dumbbell and resistance band circuit is the ideal home workout to eliminate aches and pains caused by being tied to our WFH offices. Chiropractors, watch out…

QUADRUPLED ROW

1. Begin on all fours with your hands and knees on the ground.  
2. With your hands wrapped around the dumbbells, keep your shoulders in line with your wrists and pulled back away from your ears.
3. To row, inhale as you bend your right elbow to lift the dumbbell up towards your chest, keeping the dumbbell close to the sides of your body. You should be squeezing through your upper back, with your chin away from your chest and your core engaged.
4. Exhale to lower the dumbbell back to the floor and repeat on your left arm. 
5. If your wrists feel fatigued from holding on to the dumbbell, place your hands on the floor and pick up the weights just before you begin the row.

Do 10 reps

SUPERWOMAN BAND PULLS

1. Lie on the floor on your front side. 
2. Place a short loop resistance band around your wrists and lie on your stomach with your arms extended in front of you.
3. Inhale as you squeeze your back to lift your arms off of the floor. 
4. Bend your arms, pulling the elbows closer to you so that the band comes towards your chest.
5. Keep your glutes engaged to support your lower back as you exhale, slowly returning to the starting position.  

Do 10 reps 

SUPERWOMAN UNILATERAL LIFTS

1. Lie on the floor on your front side. 
2. Pull your shoulders down away from your ears.
3. Inhale to squeeze your glutes as you lift your right arm and right leg towards the sky, keeping them both straight.
4. Exhale to release the right arm and right leg back to the floor and repeat on your other side.

Do 10 reps

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