7 Beginner's Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain Relief

Sometimes, life moves so fast that it barely leaves you any time for yourself. Between work deadlines, family commitments, and personal engagements, it’s easy for your health to slip to the bottom of the list. But when that nagging lower back pain starts to creep in, it’s hard to ignore. Be it from slouching at your desk or lifting heavy items, the pain can turn everyday tasks—like tying your shoes, carrying groceries, or even sleeping comfortably—into a struggle.

The silver lining? Yoga offers a gentle and effective way to ease that tension and find relief. With a few beginner-friendly poses, you can stretch and strengthen your lower back muscles, helping you feel more comfortable and ease the pain.

7 Best Beginner-Friendly Yoga Poses for Lower Back Pain

Yoga focuses on stretching and strengthening the key muscles which can contribute to lower back pain. Some beginner-friendly poses include:

Child’s Pose

Child’s Pose gently stretches the lower back and relieves tension in the hips and spine.

It also promotes relaxation and reduces tightness and discomfort caused by poor posture.

How to do it:

• Start by kneeling on the floor with your big toes together and knees apart.

• Sit back onto your heels, extending your arms forward on the mat, with your forehead resting gently on the ground.

• Breathe deeply, feeling the stretch across your spine as you inhale and relax deeper with each exhale.

If you have significant back pain, focus on breathing deeply into the lower back to gradually release tension without pushing too deep into the stretch.

Cat-Cow Stretch

This stretch mobilizes the spine, increases flexibility, and reduces stiffness caused by tight muscles.

How to do it:

• Begin on your hands and knees, with wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your hips.

• On an inhale, arch your back (Cow Pose), lifting your chest and tailbone towards the ceiling.

• On an exhale, round your back (Cat Pose), tucking your chin and drawing your navel toward your spine.

• Repeat this fluid motion, coordinating with your breath.

Avoid overarching in the Cow Pose if you have a herniated disc. Move gently within your range of motion.

Cobra Pose

Cobra Pose strengthens the lower back and stretches the chest, which counteracts a slumping posture that contributes to back pain.

How to do it:

• Lie face down with your legs extended and feet hip-width apart.

• Place your hands under your shoulders and press into the floor, slowly lifting your chest as you inhale, extending through the spine.

• Keep your elbows slightly bent, and use your back muscles rather than pushing from your hands.

• Expand the chest as you lift, and exhale out.

If the full Cobra feels intense, practice a lower version by keeping your elbows on the ground. 

Seated Spinal Twist

This pose helps stretch the spine, relieve tension in the lower back, and improve flexibility in the surrounding muscles.

How to do it:

• Sit with your legs extended, and bend your right knee, placing your foot outside your left thigh.

• Inhale, lengthen your spine and prepare to twist.

• Exhale, twist gently to the right, placing your left elbow on the outside of your right knee.

• Inhale to lengthen the spine, and exhale to deepen the twist, keeping shoulders and neck relaxed.

• Hold for several breaths, then inhale to unwind and switch sides.

Avoid twisting too deeply if you have any spinal issues or pain.

Forward Bend

Forward bends stretch the lower back, hamstrings, and calves, which can release tension from sitting. It helps relieve stiffness and promotes flexibility in the spine.

How to do it:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart and inhale. 

• On an exhale, fold forward at the hips, letting your torso hang toward the floor.

• Keep a slight bend in the knees, and let your head relax.

• Reach your hands towards the floor or hold your opposite elbows to deepen the stretch.

If your lower back is tight and stiff, bend your knees more to alleviate pressure on your spine. You may also use blocks under your hands for added support.

Happy Baby Pose

This pose stretches the hips, lower back, and inner thighs, helping to release tension in these areas. It encourages relaxation and can alleviate discomfort from prolonged sitting or poor posture.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back and bend your knees toward your chest.

• Grip the outer edges of your feet with your hands and gently pull your knees toward the floor.

• Keep your back and neck relaxed on the mat.

If you have knee or hip problems, avoid this pose.

By incorporating these yoga stretches for lower back pain into your workout routine, you can say goodbye to that nagging sensation and prevent it from coming back.

How Does Yoga Help Alleviate Lower Back Pain?

Focuses on Alignment, Easing Back Pain

Misaligned posture is a common cause of lower back pain. Yoga helps correct and improve spinal alignment, which is essential for relieving discomfort and preventing future pain. By targeting imbalances in your posture, enhancing spinal flexibility, and strengthening the supporting muscles, yoga stabilizes the back and reduces strain. This minimizes recurring pain and keeps your spine healthy.

Stretches to Release Tight Muscles

Tight hamstrings, hip flexors, and lower back muscles often contribute to lower back pain by restricting movement and creating tension. Yoga poses for the lower back directly address this by gently stretching and lengthening these muscles, easing stiffness and improving flexibility. Consistently practicing yoga can release built-up tension in these areas, especially in the hamstrings and hip flexors, which commonly pull on the lower back, causing further discomfort.

Enhances Mobility

Yoga can enhance the mobility of both the spine and hip joints, both of which are crucial to manage and alleviate lower back pain. The gentle and controlled movement in yoga helps reduce stiffness, improve flexibility, and promote greater ease in areas that might otherwise feel restricted due to discomfort or tension. For example, gentle twisting and bending movements in yoga work to open up the hips and lengthen the spine, which can be particularly beneficial for relieving tightness in the lower back. 

Strengthens and Stabilizes the Core 

A weak core is often a root cause of lower back pain because it can’t adequately support the spine. Yoga strengthens core muscles—including the abdominals, obliques, and lower back—through targeted poses that engage and stabilize these areas. As your core becomes stronger, it offers better support to the lower back, reducing strain, improving posture, and lowering the risk of injury.

Relieve Lower Back Pain with 1-on-1 Coaching

Yoga stretches for the lower back are an excellent way to find relief, and with MyYogaTeacher’s personalized 1-on-1 coaching, you can get relief from lower back pain safely from the comfort of your home under the expert guidance of a coach. Here’s how:  

• Get Personalized Attention: By working out 1-on-1 with a coach, you receive personalized attention and tailored workouts to meet your needs. Whether it’s stiffness in the back from working long hours or any injuries, your coach will carefully select poses to target the root cause of your discomfort. If there are any limitations or you require additional support for a pose, your coach can incorporate props like yoga blocks or blankets. By doing so, they tailor the poses to your requirements, making sure you get the full benefits of yoga without any strain on your back. 

• Receive Real-Time Support and Guidance: With 1-on-1 coaching, your coach will guide you step-by-step through each pose, ensuring you perform movements correctly and safely. By offering ongoing support, your coach can help you focus on form, alignment, and posture, all of which are essential for relieving lower back pain. This real-time guidance can also help you prevent injuries while reducing strain or discomfort, making sure that each pose is effective and is done safely.

• Relieve Lower Back Pain by Building Consistency: Consistency is key to building strength and flexibility in your lower back, keeping the pain at bay. With the ability to workout with a coach regularly by scheduling sessions at your convenience, you can commit to a consistent routine from the comfort of your home. Even short, daily sessions with a coach will help improve your back health over time, leading to better posture, reduced pain, and long-term relief.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is yoga better than Pilates for lower back pain?

Both yoga and Pilates can help lower back pain, but yoga focuses more on flexibility and relaxation, while Pilates strengthens the core muscles supporting the spine. For a comprehensive approach, combining both may be ideal. A 1-on-1 coach at MyYogaTeacher can tailor the exercises to suit your needs, ensuring both strength and flexibility are addressed.

Is yin yoga effective in easing lower back pain?

Yin yoga can be highly effective for relieving lower back pain, especially if your pain is related to muscle tension or stiffness. Yin yoga involves long-held, passive stretches that target deep connective tissues, promoting flexibility and improving joint mobility. This slow and meditative practice can help release tightness in the back muscles and encourage better spinal alignment. However, it’s essential to practice mindfully, as overstretching or improper form can aggravate back issues. A 1-on-1 coach can tailor a Yin yoga session to your body’s specific needs and provide adjustments to ensure you're stretching safely and effectively.

Should I take any precautions to do yoga with lower back pain?

Yes, certain conditions require specific precautions:

• Herniated disc: Avoid deep backbends and forward folds.

• Spinal stenosis: Avoid forward bends.

• Spondylolisthesis: Skip deep forward bends and backbends.

• Osteoporosis: Avoid deep twists and forward folds.

• Pregnancy: Avoid poses that compress the abdomen or require lying on the stomach.

With the tailored instruction and guidance of a 1-on-1 coach, you can safely get relief without putting any additional strain on your lower back.

Is walking a good way to relieve lower back pain?

Yes, walking improves circulation and strengthens back-supporting muscles. Maintain good posture to prevent strain. If walking causes discomfort, a MyYogaTeacher coach can offer targeted exercises to help relieve tension.

Book a Free 1-on-1 Session Today!

Ease and prevent lower back pain with yoga. Book your free trial session and experience the benefits of 1-on-1 coaching today!