MID/LOWER BACK EXERCISES
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EMG STUDIES
RECTUS ABDOMINIS, EXTERNAL & INTERNAL OBLIQUE, ERECTOR SPINAE
– Multiple Exercises
Trunk Muscle Activities During Abdominal Bracing: Comparison Among Muscles and Exercises – 2013 – Maeo
5 Static Exercises
– Abdominal Bracing, Abdominal Hollowing | Prone Plank, Side Plank, Supine Plank
5 Dynamic Exercises
V-sits, Sit-ups Feet Anchored, Curl-ups | Back Extensions on the floor, Back Extensions on a bench
Results
Rectus Abdominis: V-Sit 80 . Sit-up feet anchored 44 . Curl-up 44 . Prone Plank 30
External Oblique: V-Sit 65 . Sit-up feet anchored 44 . Curl-up 36 . Side Plank 36
Internal Oblique: Abdominal Hollowing 62 . Abdominal Bracing 60 . V-Sit 50 . Sit-up feet anchored 36
Erector Spinae: Floor back extension 62 . Bench back extensions 58 . Supine Plank 36
1
RECTUS ABDOMINIS, EXTERNAL OBLIQUE, ERECTOR SPINAE, MULTIFIDUS
– Row Exercises
· Also see → Upper Body Row Exercises with Elbows Down or In
The effect of bilateral and unilateral row exercises on core muscle activation · 2015 – Saeterbakken; Vidar Andersen
Procedure
– 15 resistance-trained men
Results
External oblique: db row 25% · seated cable unilateral 15%· machine unilateral 15%
Rectus abdominis: no significant differences
Erector spinae: bb row 30% · db row 28% · seated cable bilateral 25% · machine bilateral 25% · seated cable unilateral 15% · machine unilateral 12%
Multifidus: bb row 22% · db row 22% · machine bilateral 20% · seated cable bilateral 18% · seated cable unilateral 15% · machine unilateral 15%
1
RECTUS ABDOMINIS, EXTERNAL OBLIQUE, ERECTOR SPINAE
– Squats, Leg Press, Smith Machine Squats
· Also see → Posterior Chain, Hamstrings – Straight Legs .
· And → Squats & Deadlifts .
Core Muscle Activation in Three Lower Extremity Exercises With Different Stability Requirements – Saeterbakken – 2022
Procedure
– compare core muscle surface electromyography (sEMG) during 3RM and the sEMG amplitude in the turnover from the descending to ascending phase
Results
Erector Spinae: squats 75 . smith machine 75 . leg press 65
Rectus Abdominis: squats 17 . smith machine 15 . leg press 10
External Oblique: squats 20 . smith machine 17 . leg press 14
1
RECTUS ABDOMINIS, EXTERNAL OBLIQUE, LONGISSIMUS, MULTIFIDUS
– Multiple Exercises
Trunk Muscle Activity During Stability Ball and Free Weight Exercises – Nuzzo, McBride – 2008
Procedure
– compare trunk muscle activity during stability ball and free weight exercises
– 9 resistance-trained men; squats (SQ) and deadlifts (DL) were completed with loads of approximately 50, 70, 90, 100%1RM
Exercises
1. Quadruped – Big Ball Bird Dog
2. Pelvic Thrust – Big Ball: shoulders & head on floor; feet on ball; legs straight through movement; not a hip thrust
3. Back Extension – Big Ball: both feet remained in contact with the floor; hands were placed behind the head throughout the movement.
4. Squat: repetitions were complete when a 70° knee angle was attained
5. Deadlift: feet were shoulder-width apart; grip lateral to the legs with an alternating grip
Results – Deadlift & Squat @70%RM
Longissimus (L1): Deadlift 130 . Squat 90 . Ball Back Extension 70 . Pelvic Thrust 50 . Quadruped 30
Multifidus (L5): Deadlift 125 . Squat 95 . Ball Back Extension 50 . Pelvic Thrust 50 . Quadruped 40
Rectus Abdominus (RA): no significant differences observed
External Oblique (EO): no significant differences observed