Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
While the erector spinae is certainly not the most glamorous muscle group, particularly when compared to aesthetic ones such as the biceps and chest, it is one of the most important to train.
In fact, if you aren’t performing erector spinae-specific exercises, you are creating a major weak link in your body. This is because the erector spinae, a group of muscles and tendons that connect your entire back from your hips and lower back to the base of your skull, are responsible for everything from flexing and straightening your spine to rotating side to side.
In addition, your erector spinae is a vital part of your core, linking your abdominal and oblique muscles, which stabilizes and helps you move your entire upper body.
Fortunately, we're about to go over 13 best erector spinae exercises to strengthen your low back, in addition to discussing its anatomy, importance, and tips for incorporating these moves into a workout program, so you never neglect your erector spinae again.
Table of Contents:
- Erector Spinae Muscle Anatomy & Function
- 13 Best Erector Spinae Exercises
- Importance of Strengthening Your Erector Spinae Muscles
- Why You Should Strengthen & Not Stretch Your Erector Spinae Muscles
- Training Tips
Erector Spinae Muscles Anatomy & Function
Not interested in a brief anatomy lesson? Continue scrolling to get right to the exercises.
The three main muscles of the erector spinae are:
- Spinalis: The smallest muscle of the erector spinae, and closest to the spine, it enables you to turn/rotate side to side and it is partly responsible for controlling your head when you look up.
- Longissimus: The largest muscle of the three, located in the middle part of your erector spinae, it lets you bend to the side, extend your spine, and turn your head side to side.
- Iliocostalis: It enables you to bend to the side and extend your spine.
The erector spinae's three functions are:
- Straightens your back: Particularly, when you bend over and stand back up, allowing you to lift heavy loads off the ground.
- Lateral Rotation: Allows your spine to move side to side.
- Assists in head rotation: Help turn your head side to side.
13 Best erector spinae strengthening exercises
The erector spinae muscle group covers a large area of your back, making performing these exercises crucial if you want to function at your best.
The best erector spinae strengthening exercises are:
- Deadlifts
- Rack Pulls
- Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
- Good Mornings
- Bent-Over Rows
- Back Extensions
- Glute Bridge
- Bird Dog
- Prone Superman
- Standing Superman
- Roman Chair Glute-Ham Raise
- Kettlebell Swing
- Steel Mace 360s and 10-to-2s
It's important to include a mix of compound exercises and erector spinae isolation exercises in your training routine, as both are important for achieving overall strength and performance of the erector spinae.
We've organized these exercises into 3 sections: Free weight, bodyweight, and unconventional exercises. Let's learn how to perform them.
Free weight erector spinae exercises:
Free-weight compound exercises not only strengthen your erector spinae but also multiple other major muscle groups.
1. Deadlifts
The deadlift is the king of back exercises, one of the true tests of overall strength, and a must-do exercise for anyone who takes fitness seriously. There is no shortage of deadlifting benefits, as this exercise is a compound lift that works multiple muscle groups simultaneously, including your entire posterior chain.
The deadlift works all of your erector spinae muscles, strengthening your lower back, mid back, and upper back.
How to do a conventional deadlift:
- Set up your barbell, including ensuring your barbell is around 8 inches from the ground.
- Put a loaded barbell on the floor. Stand with your feet hip width apart, neutral spine, feet straight forward. The bar should be directly over the middle of your foot.
- Squat down to grab the bar (one hand in and one out, or both in). Try to keep your body as upright as possible, and don’t round your lower/middle back forward. Pull your shoulder blades back. You will be leaning forward a bit, but your lower back should be straight.
- Lift up, using your lower body, and once the bar passes your knees, you can start pulling with your back muscles while also thrusting your hips forward.
- At the top, squeeze your glutes and thrust your hips to a neutral position.
- From there, lower the bar down with the same form but in reverse. Don’t just drop it! If you do that, you are missing out on the eccentric portion of the movement, which is like throwing away half of the benefits you can gain from deadlifts.
Deadlift Notes: Although the deadlift is the best exercise for the erector spinae, it is also the riskiest, so be smart when performing them. First, get the form down and go light, then slowly build up to heavier weights. Eventually, you'll want to train heavy, aiming for 5 reps per set. If you are going light, you can up the repetitions.
Tip for Beginners: If deadlifts are very difficult for you, even at a light weight, try to do some other erector spinae-specific exercises before jumping back into deadlifts.
2. Rack Pulls
Rack pulls train your entire back, and because you are lifting from just above knee level, you can go heavier than you can with deadlifts while minimizing your injury risk. The rack pull is a serious power movement, so you can maximize muscle size and strength in your back.
Heavy sets of 5 reps are best for this exercise. I recommend adding rack pulls into your workout every other workout or every so often, and do deadlifts every week.
How to do rack pulls:
- Using a squat rack, set the barbell on the side bars of the rack or the safety bars. The barbell should be at knee level (or just above). You want to be able to grab it by slightly bending your knees and tilting your hips back.
- Grab the barbell with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
- Pull the barbell up by pushing through your heels and using all of your back muscles. The path of the barbell will be pretty much straight up, not diagonal towards you. Toward the top, thrust your hips forward and contract your glutes and hamstrings. Keep everything completely tight (especially your core) once you are fully standing tall.
- Pause, then lower the barbell back down until it touches the rack. Don’t just drop it. The negative part of the movement is equally as important.
- Repeat.
3. Stiff-legged Deadlifts
Stiff legged deadlifts are fantastic for posterior chain development and less risky than a conventional deadlift as it is easier to maintain a posterior pelvic tilt.
It also isn't as taxing on your body as a conventional deadlift. Perform higher reps, in the 8-12 rep range, going heavy enough where those 8-12 reps are challenging.
While this deadlift variation is similar to the conventional deadlift, they're different enough that you should include both in your training program. You can do stiff-legged deadlifts and deadlifts on the same day or do stiff-legged deadlifts on leg day and deadlifts on back day.
How to do the stiff-legged deadlift:
- Put a loaded barbell on the floor. Stand with your feet hip width apart, neutral spine, feet straight forward. The bar should be directly over the middle of your foot.
- Squat down to grab the bar (one hand in and one out, or both in). Try to keep your body as upright as possible, and NO bend in your back. You will be leaning forward a bit, but your lower back should be straight, so if you put a pole on your back, it would be touching your entire back from the neck down.
- Lift up, using your lower body, and once the bar passes your knees, you can start pulling with your back muscles. This way, your back won’t round forward.
- Once you are standing erect, thrust your hips forward so your glutes are squeezed tight. (The first rep will be the same as a deadlift as you need to get the barbell off the floor - from here, there is a difference).
- Lower the bar back down while maintaining a slight bend in your knee and using a posterior pelvic tilt. Stop once the bar reaches about mid-shin. Your back will be parallel to the floor (or almost). Then contract your glutes and hamstrings and push through your hips as you stand tall. Then repeat from step 4.
- After your desired rep count, slowly lower the barbell back down to the floor using the same form as a deadlift.
Notes On The Stiff-Legged Deadlift: You won’t be lowering your body down with your legs, instead using your upper body, so your legs will be stiff the entire time. Keep a slight bend in your knees as you lower the weight down, avoiding bringing the barbell down to the ground. Stop a little below the knees.
4. Good Mornings
Good mornings are another posterior chain exercise with an emphasis on the erector spinae. As with deadlifts, good mornings need to be performed with good form or it can be easy to injure the lower back.
Although you can use a Smith Machine for this movement, I highly recommend using a barbell for a full range of motion. Avoid going too heavy as this exercise requires controlled movement best achieved with lower weights and higher volume.
How to do a good morning:
- Using a squat rack, unrack the barbell on your traps, like you would for a low bar squat. Maintain a posterior tilt and keep your knees bent as you bend forward. Keep your chest up.
- Bend your knees while leaning your torso over until your upper body is (almost) parallel to the floor. Use a posterior pelvic tilt as you lower your body to the floor, as to keep your back from rolling forward. Keep your legs straight, but your knees should have a slight bend. It is similar to a stiff legged deadlift.
- At the bottom of the movement, lift your torso back up to an upright position by contracting your glutes and hamstrings. Your erector spinae will be the major stabilizer of this movement, and it will be tested big time.
Banded Good Mornings: You can also use a resistance band for this exercise, which will pretty much eliminate any chance of injury, and it will be equally as effective since you won’t be going heavy anyway. Bands are much easier on your joints. It is a good exercise for any fitness level, but Banded Good Mornings are especially great for beginners.
5. Bent Over Rows
Bent-over rows work your erector spinae in an isometric fashion, as they isometrically contract to keep you in the proper position. You can use a barbell or dumbbells, making sure to keep your movements slow and controlled.
In the concentric phase, when you're pulling the bar toward your body, use more explosive force. On the eccentric phase (negative phase), always lower the bar slowly, so as to maintain the posterior tilt, which protects your spine from rounding forward.
How to do the bent-over row:
- Put a loaded barbell on the floor and stand with your feet slightly more than hip width apart, keeping a slight bend in your knees. Maintain a posterior pelvic tilt throughout the movement.
- Using deadlift form, bend down and grab the barbell with a shoulder-width grip. Keep your shoulders back and chest out.
- Bring the barbell up to about knee level, keep your knees bent and your back straight and about 45 degrees above parallel with the floor.
- Pull the barbell up to about midway between your navel and sternum.
- Pause, then slowly lower the barbell back down while keeping your same position.
- Once your arms are fully extended, row the barbell back up, and continue this for the desired reps.
- When you finish your reps, extend your arms down and move into a deadlift position to place the barbell on the ground.
Bodyweight Erector Spinae Exercises:
The following bodyweight erector spinae exercises are great as accessory work for those who powerlift and bodybuild and ideal for those who train calisthenics or bodyweight only.
As a bonus, the first four erector spinae exercises in our bodyweight section are great for those who have pain in their lower back from sitting all day. Instead of stretching, do those four bodyweight exercises!
6. Back Extensions
Back extensions are arguably the best isolation exercise for the erector spinae. And although we have this as a bodyweight exercise, you can add weight once a 15-rep range becomes too easy by holding a weighted plate or dumbbell at your chest.
For more variations of this move, check out our articles on the Best Back Extension Variations and Back Extension Alternatives!
How to do the back extension:
- Position yourself on the back extension machine so your feet are secured in place. Your hips should be just barely above the padding. Keep your torso upright.
- Then, cross your arms on your chest. Keep your chest up, and maintain a rigid spine.
- Now, lower your torso down until it’s just below parallel to the floor. Avoid going lower than this as it can increase your risk on injury.
- Then, squeeze your glutes on the way back up and stop when your body is in line with your legs.
7. Glute Bridge
The Glute Bridge is a good isometric exercise for the hamstrings and erector spinae. Since your lower back will be one of the main focuses during this exercise, you can expect some good strength improvements with this one.
The glute bridge will also greatly help with improving posture and lower back pain.
How to do a glute bridge:
- Lay on the ground with your back to the floor.
- Put the soles of your feet to the floor, with your knees bent at about 45 degrees.
- Raise your hips up to the sky while keeping your feet completely on the floor.
- Squeeze your glutes, quads, and hamstrings, and keep your core tight. If your hips start to fall to the ground, attempt to push them back up into position by squeezing your glutes, hamstrings and core.
- Hold this position for a set count of 30-60+ seconds.
8. Bird Dog
The bird dog is a great exercise to tone and strengthen your entire core, which includes your erector spinae, of course!
How to do a bird dog:
- Get down to the floor on your hands and knees.
- Your hands should be stacked directly under your shoulders and your knees at the same width of your hands and directly under your hips.
- Raise up your right hand so that your thumb is pointing to the sky and your arm is perfectly straight forward and parallel with the floor,
- At the same time, raise your leg on the opposite side of your arm so that it is straight and parallel to the floor. So if your right arm is raised, your left leg should be raised.
- Hold this position for 2-3 seconds while keeping completely tight , then alternate sides.
- Repeat this for a total of 8-12 times.
9. Prone Superman
The prone superman exercise strengthens muscles along your entire spine, meaning your entire erector spinae will be engaged with this one. In addition, research shows that the superman is one of the best exercises for correcting low back pain1.
How to do a prone superman:
- Lie face down with your chest, stomach and quads touching the ground. Your hands should be straight out in front of you.
- In a smooth and slow motion, raise both arms and legs off the ground. Use your back muscles to achieve this position, not your legs and arm muscles.
- Your stomach should be the only point of your body touching the ground.
- Hold this position for 2-5 seconds, then slowly lower back to the starting position and repeat.
- Do this 8-12 times for one set.
10. Standing Superman (aka Standing Bird Dog)
This is a great dynamic erector spinae isometric exercise that also improves balance. The Standing Superman is very effective because it hits all of the musculature running up and down your spine.
Watch: Standing Bird Dog Demo on YouTube
How to do a standing superman:
- Stand with your feet hip width apart, neutral spine.
- Slowly lean forward as you extend your right leg straight behind you until it is parallel with the ground. Your body should also be parallel with the ground and in line with your leg.
- At the same time, raise your left arm until it is straight in front of you. Your palms should be facing straight down and your bicep will be running along your ear.
- Keep your eyes focused on the ground, this will help you keep balance.
- Hold this position for a count of 5 seconds, then slowly return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.
- Do this movement, alternating sides each time, for 8-12 reps.
Tip for beginners: As this exercise is especially tough for beginners due to the balance and mobility needed to achieve the position, keep a chair in front of you so you can place your palm on it. This will greatly help you keep balance, allowing your to focus on engaging your erector spinae muscles.
11. Roman Chair Glute-Ham Raise
Although the glute ham raise only has glutes and hamstrings in the name, it is also a fantastic exercise that heavily relies on the erector spinae. To make this already difficult exercise even more difficult, hold a weight at your chest level (like you would with a back extension).
You will need a Roman chair to do this exercise, which most gyms have. If yours doesn't, check out these Best Glute Ham Raise Alternatives.
How to do a Roman chair glute ham raise:
- Place your feet on the platform of the roman chair, your shins and knees should be pressed up against the pad. Your quads will be above the pad.
- Cross your arms over your chest, with each hand touching your front delts.
- Bend forward until your upper legs and body are parallel to the floor. Your legs and body should be perfectly aligned. Keep your hamstrings, glutes, and core super tight to achieve this.
- Return to the top position and pause for a second then repeat for 8-10 reps.
Unconventional Erector Spinae Exercises:
The following exercises are unconventional as they employ different equipment and movement patterns than conventional training. These are dynamic exercises that are going to train your erector spinae in an explosive and dynamic way.
12. Kettlebell Swings
The kettlebell swing is a total body exercise in which you move with explosive force and burn tons of calories as a result.
Kettlebell swings work your hamstrings, glutes, back, shoulders, and forearms. Your erector spinae will be fully engaged for the entire movement. This is a great exercise for athletes (or lifters who want to train like athletes), as they need to move with explosive power without comprising their lower back.
How to do a kettlebell swing:
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Bend over to grab the kettlebell with both hands on the handle. Use a posterior pelvic tilt and bend your knees slightly to get into position, like you would a stiff legged deadlift.
- Using explosive force of your hips, swing the kettlebell up to shoulder level, while keeping your arms straight.
- In the same motion, swing it back down until it passes through your legs, then using explosive hip force, thrust it back through your legs and up to your shoulder level again. Your back should never round forward.
- Repeat this for 12-20 reps.
13. Steel Mace 360s and 10-to-2s
Steel mace 360s and 10-to-2s train your entire upper body, in addition to being both rotational and anti-rotational. You will need to turn at the spine slightly as you swing the mace around you, but you will also need to keep your hips, core, and spine tight to maintain control at different points of the movement.
Below are instructions for both exercises.
How to do a steel mace 360:
- Stack your hands near your navel and start with the mace at vertical front. Feet hip-to-shoulder width apart; neutral spine.
- Swing the mace over your shoulder at the 10 or the 2 (depending on how your hands are stacked - with hands right over left you should swing to your left; left over right means you swing to your right). Keep your ribs tucked, don’t flare your elbows and your hands as low as possible behind your head on the back part of the swing.
- When the mace reaches the opposite side pull it over your shoulder at a diagonal angle, use the momentum (yet keep control) and torque to bring it back to the starting position.
- 1-second pause, keep tight, then repeat.
Choke up on the mace if it’s too heavy or if you want to practice the movement before lowering your hands to the bottom of the mace handle.
How to do a steel mace 10-to-2:
- Feet hip-to-shoulder width apart; neutral spine.
- Keep your hands stacked and at your navel. Try to keep your hands as far down the mace handle as possible - the higher you place your hand up the handle the easier it will be.
- Move the mace from the 10 to 2 o’clock position using a diagonal pull over.
- Keep your eye on the ball and the mace vertical and close to your body (without touching your body).
Importance of strengthening the erector spinae
Before you start training a muscle, it’s good to understand why you need to train it.
Three benefits of strengthening the erector spinae muscles are:
- Maintaining Good Posture: Weak erector spinae often leads to posture problems. Stronger erector spinaes allow you to be strong, stable, and aligned, helping with everyday movements such as standing and sitting up straighter.
- Reduces Risk of Injury: Lower back pain and posture related issues (headaches, tension in the neck and shoulders, difficulty breathing, etc.) are often caused by weak erector spinae muscles. Stronger erector spinaes can eliminate a lot of these issues.
- Makes You Stronger: Having erector spinae core strength makes you strong in all of your movements and exercises. With strong erector spinae muscles, you will squat heavier, deadlift heavier, and you will move and rotate with more power and explosion.
Should I stretch or strengthen my erector spinae muscles?
Strengthen!
Erector spinae becomes weak through overstretching. One way to correct overstretching, which causes weakness in your lower back, is to always think about your posture. Sit tall and stand tall, and don’t slouch! Also, try not to bend your neck down too much. Keep your chin parallel to the ground.
When it comes to the erector spinae, there is actually no need to stretch them. They are being stretched all day as we sit and bend our necks down at our phones or computers.
The best way to correct erector spinae weakness is with erector spinae strengthening exercises, primarily the ones we just discussed in detail.
How to incorporate erector spinae exercises into your training regimen
It should be noted that the erector spinae muscles are almost entirely made up of slow-twitch fibers. This means they are made for endurance and they will be hard to grow in size. They will, however, become stronger.
Moderate to high reps and sustained time under tension is the best way for erector spinae hypertrophy. If you are a bodybuilder or physique model, training your erector spinae like this can lead to a very well-developed set of spinal extensors, which will instantly set you apart on stage.
Include compound erector spinae exercises and one or two of the bodyweight or unconventional exercises into your training routine. Non-compound lifts should be at the end of your routine.
For example, on back day, do deadlifts and bent over rows. At the end of the workout, perform back extensions and supermans. You can superset those for 3 sets of 10-15 reps. That’s all it takes!
Sample Training Split:
A good training split to follow is:
- Day 1: Legs (and Lower Back)
- Day 2: Shoulders/Arms
- Day 3: Rest
- Day 4: Back
- Day 5: Chest
- Day 6: Rest
- REPEAT
Cardio/HIIT and Core should be done at least two days a week. You can do those on rest days or at the end of your workout as a finisher. This is a great time to do the free weight and unconventional exercises we discussed.
Sample Leg Day Workout (that will hit your erector spine too):
- Exercise 1: Squats - 4 sets of 5-8 reps
- Exercise 2: Stiff Legged Deadlifts - 4 sets of 8-12 reps
- Exercise 3: Split Squats - 3 sets of 10-12 reps
- Exercise 4: Good Mornings - 3 sets of 8 reps
- Exercise 5: Leg Press - 3 sets of 8 reps
Perform a core finisher after, and you are done!
Sample Back Day Workout:
- Exercise 1: Pull Ups - 4 sets of max reps
- Exercise 2: Deadlifts - 4 sets of 5 reps
- Exercise 3: Rack Pulls - 3 sets of 5 reps
- Exercise 4: Bent Over Rows - 3 sets of 8 reps
- Exercise 5: Back Extensions x Supermans - 3 sets of 10 reps (each)
Hit a quick HIIT finisher after and done!
Erector Spinae Strengthening Exercises: Final Tips
Building a strong set of erector spinae muscles doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated. If you train smart, you will be able to train all of your muscles effectively and efficiently.
Also, remember, there is no special stretch that is going to alleviate erector spinae pain. Instead, focus on strengthening them. Your posture will get better, your lower back pain will be alleviated, you'll get stronger in all your big compound lifts, and you will be able to move more explosively with less chance of injury.
That’s a certified quadruple win!
Looking for more moves for your lower back? Check out these 18 Back Extension Exercises!
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References:
- Ekstrom RA, Osborn RW, Hauer PL. Surface Electromyographic Analysis of the Low Back Muscles During Rehabilitation Exercises. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2008;38(12):736-745. doi:https://doi.org/10.2519/jospt.2008.2865
Garett Reid
Author