How to Work the Lower Outside Back

The muscles of your lower back include the quadratus lumborum -- or QL -- and your obliques. Together, these muscles make up a big part of your trunk and are responsible for lateral flexion and rotation of your midsection. When it comes to core and lower back training, many people solely focus on the rectus abdominis muscles on the front or the spinal erectors on the back. Also working your QL and oblique muscles, however, helps to increase core strength and prevent injury.

Instructions

  1. Side Planks

    • 1

      Lie on the floor on your right side with your body straight.

    • 2

      Place your right forearm flat on the floor underneath your torso and lift your body off the ground, so only the outer side of your right foot and your right arm are in contact with the floor.

    • 3

      Push your hips up as high as you can and squeeze your lower back and core muscles tight.

    • 4

      Hold the position for as long as possible with good form, then switch sides and do the same on your left.

    • 5

      Use the side plank as a diagnostic tool to check for strength imbalances between sides. If you can hold the side plank for 70 seconds on your right, but only 40 seconds on your left, it's clear that you need to work more on your left QL, notes strength coach Chad Waterbury on his website.

    • 6

      Perform side plank raises as a variation. These involve the exact same movement, but instead of holding the position for as long as possible at the top, you pause for just a second or two, then lower your hips back down and repeat.

    Side Bends

    • 7

      Stand upright while holding a dumbbell or kettlebell in your right hand.

    • 8

      Bend to the right, descending until your right hand is in line with your knee, or is slightly lower than that if you can do so comfortably.

    • 9

      Bring yourself back up while focusing on the action of the obliques.

    • 10

      Lean slightly to the left as you return to an upright position and then return back to the middle.

    • 11

      Repeat this move for your desired number of repetitions on the right, then hold the dumbbell in your left hand and bend to the left.

    • 12

      Vary your side bends by using a cable machine. For these, you'll need a cable machine with a D-handle on the lowest setting. Stand side-on to the machine, holding the handle in one hand and perform the same movement as you did with the dumbbell or kettlebell. Repeat on the other side for the same number of repetitions.