Top 8 Erector Spinae Exercises for a Stronger Back

As far as your back is concerned, your erector spinae muscles are some of the most important of all, and unfortunately, many people neglect exercising them.

Also known as your backstrap muscles, they are important for a variety of reasons, so today we're going to talk about the best exercises to build bigger and stronger erector spinae muscles.

Let's get to it and take a look at some of the best erector spinae muscles for a stronger back.

 

The Function of the Erector Spinae Muscles

Although many people may not have heard of the erector spinae muscles, they are found on both sides of your vertebral column, and they run all the way from the top to the bottom of your spine.

These muscles help twist, laterally tilt, and extend your spine also keeping it upright or erect, hence the name, erector spinae muscles.

If you have weak erector spinae muscles, it may lead to back pain, shoulder pain, and overall poor posture.

This is why doing the erector spinae exercises that we're about to talk about below is so important.

 

The 10 Best Erector Spinae Exercises for Your Back

Right now, we will look at some of the best erector spinae exercises to help build a stronger and more resilient back.

Now, to avoid repeating ourselves repeatedly, a general rule is to aim for a total of three sets and perform anywhere between 8 and 12 repetitions per set.

This is going to be the amount of reps and sets that you should do for each of the exercises that we're going to discuss below.

Furthermore, we always suggest starting with a lower weight and performing a higher amount of reps, as opposed to doing fewer reps with heavier weights.

It's a good way to avoid injury and overworking yourself while also getting stronger erector spinae muscles in the process.

 

1. Back Extension

If you're looking to exercise your erector spinae muscles, then doing a regular back extension is a fantastic way to go about it.

This is an especially beneficial exercise for your erector spinae muscles but also works out your core along with other key muscle groups.

1. Get a yoga mat or exercise mat and then lay face down on it. Put your hands just slightly behind your head.
2. The trick to this exercise is ensuring that your shoulders are pressed towards your back pockets.
3. Tuck in your pelvis and squeeze your glutes before starting the exercise.
4. Lift your upper body off the ground while activating your core. During this exercise, keep your head straight and keep looking at the ground.
5. Hold this position for two or three seconds, and then slowly lower yourself back to the ground.

 

2. The Superman

This exercise is very similar to the back extension exercise we discussed above, with one key difference. The back extension above only involves lifting your upper body off the ground, whereas this Superman exercise also involves lifting your legs up off the ground, therefore activating more major muscle groups.

1. Get a yoga or exercise mat and lay face down on it. Keep your shoulders pressed down towards the mat and your back pockets, and straighten your arms overhead.
2. Tuck in your pelvis and squeeze your glutes before performing the exercise.
3. Lift both your upper body and legs off of the ground while activating your core. Make sure that your head stays straight and that you keep looking at the ground, along with having pointed toes.
4. Hold this position for two or three seconds, and then lower yourself back down to the ground.

 

3. The Wall Squat

The wall squat is a fantastic exercise to work out your erector spinae muscles all along the spinal column. To help remind you to drive your knees out, which is an essential aspect of this squat, you can add a resistance band just below or above the knees. This exercise should have you feeling a strong contraction along the spinal column.

1. Start by standing with your feet about one hand width away from the wall, with your feet at hip width or slightly wider. You may need to adjust your position depending on your mobility.
2. Place your hands flat on the wall by reaching your arms overhead.
3. While keeping your core braced, move your hips back a little bit and squat down as you move your palms down the wall.
4. While doing this exercise, keep your feet and toes rooted firmly to the ground.
5. Hold this position for one or two seconds, and then use your heels and midfoot to drive back up.

Related Post: 8 Hack Squat Alternatives

 

5. The Glute Bridge

Although you might be familiar with the glute bridge as being a glute exercise specifically, it also does a great job at working out your erector spinae muscles. To help remind you to abduct your thighs during this exercise, you can add a resistance band around your legs.

1. Get a mat and lay down on your back. Your feet should be flat on the floor with your knees bent.
2. Tuck in your pelvis and slowly raise it up one vertebrae at a time until your pelvis is fully extended. You should be in a reverse plank position, where the only points of contact to the ground are your shoulders and heels.
3. It's at the top of the position you notice that your back is arched, make sure to retouch your pelvis.
4. Roll back down a single vertebrae at a time, and then lower your pelvis back down to the ground.
5. To add another level of difficulty to the equation, particularly for more hamstring engagement, raise your toes up off the ground while doing this exercise.

Related Post: How To Do Hip Thrusts on a Smith Machine

 

6. The Cobra

If you're looking to get a relatively light stretch going, just enough to activate your erector spinae muscle without putting too much strain on them, then doing the cobra pose is a great way to go.

1. Start by laying face down on the ground, with your palms on the ground right underneath your shoulders.
2. Make sure that your elbows are tucked into the size of your body, and that your pelvis is tucked as well.
3. Lift your upper body off the ground using your hands, until your back is arched and your arms are fully extended.
4. Hold this position for a few seconds, and then return back down to the ground.

 

7. The Banded Row

If you're looking to exercise your erector spinae muscles while also exercising your posterior deltoids and upper back, then the banded row is a fantastic exercise to consider.

1. Start by finding some kind of post, whether at home or at the gym.
2. Loop a resistance band around it and hold it using an underhand position, which means that your palms are facing upwards. Your hands should be roughly shoulder width.
3. Take a few steps back until there is some tension in the band and your arms are fully extended.
4. Make sure that your spine stays tall and straight with your head in a neutral position. Make sure to brace your core while keeping your knees slightly bent.
5. Pull the bands inwards towards your hips, but don't allow your shoulders to bunch up. Make sure that your shoulders stay pressed backwards.
6. Hold the position for one or two seconds, and then return to the starting position.

Related Post: What Are Gorilla Rows?

 

8. Quadruped Row

Here we have a great erector spinae muscle exercise if you are looking to isolate half of your back. In other words, this is a fantastic exercise for isolating half of your erector spinae muscles, on either side of the spine, along with working out your posterior and medial deltoids.

1. Start by getting a yoga block and a relatively light dumbbell.
2. Put your left hand on the yoga block or bench with your right hand holding onto either a kettlebell or a dumbbell.
3. Stabilize the supporting shoulder by pressing it downwards towards your back, while keeping a neutral spine.
4. The arm that holds the weight should hang straight down.
5. You're now going to pull the weight towards your hip, but if you can't do it without hunching your shoulders, lighten the load.
6. Perform this motion in a slow and controlled manner, and slowly return to the starting position.

 

9. Deadlift

Yes, the deadlift, it's a fantastic exercise for your hamstrings and your lower back too. In fact, it's a great exercise for working out your erector spinae muscles.

1. Using a barbell, place your midfoot right under the bar, and keep your feet roughly hip width. Your feet need to stay planted firmly to the ground during the entire movement.
2. Hold the barbell at roughly shoulder width apart, just on the outside of your shins, while using an overhand grip with your palms facing towards you.
3. Make sure to engage your erector spinae muscles to keep your spine flat, while slightly bending at the knees.
4. Shift your center of gravity backwards and brace your core as you inhale to create some tension on the bar.
5. Drive through your feet as though you're trying to push the floor away from you and lift the bar upwards. Thrust your pelvis forward as you do this.
6. Lift upwards until your legs are virtually fully extended, and then hold this position for one or two seconds.
7. Slowly lower the bar back down to the ground in a slow and controlled manner.

 

10. The Hip Hinge

What we have here is the hip hinge, a great exercise for stretching both your erector spinae muscles and your hamstrings. This exercise is also known as the good morning. If you find that it is too easy for you, hold a small weight plate or kettlebell behind your head and upper back.

1. Start with your hands resting behind your head, stand with your feet at shoulder width apart, and keep your knees soft.
2. While keeping your core braced, move your hips backwards and hinge your upper body forward. If you're flexible enough, your torso might end up being parallel with the ground.
3. Make sure that your spine does not round during the exercise and that it stays straight. This is how you'll feel the stretch.
4. Hold the position for one or two seconds, and then return back to the starting position by driving your hips forward.

 

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, the 10 erector spinae exercises that we discussed above are the best ones for strengthening this crucial muscle. If you expect to have good posture and a back without soreness, then exercising these muscles is essential.