Lower Back Curl

Setup

1. 01Lie face down on a mat with legs extended.
2. 02Place the hands lightly beside the head or crossed at the chest.
3. 03Keep the feet and hips anchored to the floor.
4. 04Set the neck neutral with the gaze at the floor.

Execution

1. 01Exhale and curl the chest a few inches off the floor using the lower back.
2. 02Pause briefly at the top without cranking the neck upward.
3. 03Lower the chest back down under control.
4. 04Repeat at a smooth, unhurried tempo.

Checkpoints

• -Hips and feet stay glued to the floor.
• -Neck stays neutral, chin gently tucked.
• -The lift comes from the back extensors, not arm push-off.
• -Range is modest; height is not the goal.

Common mistakes

• -Yanking the head back to fake extra range.
• -Kicking the feet up off the floor for leverage.
• -Holding the breath and straining through reps.
• -Ballistic bouncing instead of controlled reps.