Like most desk workers, I deal with a stiff lower back. The truth is, sitting down all day isn’t good for us because it restricts muscles and joints, particularly around the hips and lower back.
That’s why I’m always looking for stretches that will relieve tension in that area. Fortunately, my favorite yoga instructor Adriene Mishler—better known to her 13 million YouTube subscribers as Yoga With Adriene—recently shared a routine dedicated to mobilising the lower back.
It’s just 10 minutes long and it doesn’t require any equipment, so I was keen to give it a go as a much-needed break from my working day.
Here’s what happened when I tried it.
How to do Yoga With Adriene’s 10-minute lower-back mobility routine
You don’t need any equipment to do this routine, although you might want to roll out your yoga mat, or at least a folded towel, to cushion your knees, because you kneel for some of the poses.
My experience trying Yoga With Adriene’s lower-back mobility routine
I feel like I’ve tried every stretch under the sun, but there were a couple of movements in this routine that I hadn’t come across before.
One involved bringing my knees to my chest and then pushing them away from the body, which activated my pelvic floor muscles and stretched my lower back. The other was pelvic tilts, which felt so good in my lower back.
These exercises not only stretched my lower back, but also activated the muscles surrounding it, which should help to reduce stiffness in the long term, so I’ll definitely come back to these moves.
The rest of the video took the same approach to a series of exercises, performing them dynamically first—moving in and out of position—and then passively, holding the stretch for a few breaths.
The moves include supine twists, extended child’s pose and cat-cow, all of which felt great for my stiff back.
Overall, this was a satisfying routine for someone like me with an achy lower back and my entire body felt less stiff after doing it. I’d recommend it for anyone who needs a short break from a sedentary routine.
It’s been a hit in the comments too, and a few people have said it reminds them of the lower back love video Mishler published in 2014. At 27 minutes long, it’s a great routine to know about if you want to spend more time rejuvenating your body after a long day in front of a computer screen.
