I recently read an article in EatingWell about the best exercises for developing your core.
And while the exercises they recommend are solid, it misses something critical—especially if you have low back pain.
Knowing how important the core is for supporting the spine, it’s easy to read an article like this and feel motivated to jump in and start doing planks, bird dogs, or dead bugs right away.
But if you have back pain, that approach can actually set you back.
The article promotes some of the most effective core-strengthening exercises—and they are effective.
The plank, for example, is often considered a “must-do” exercise. It strengthens the deep core muscles that support your spine and improve stability. Even celebrities like Cher are known for holding planks for several minutes.
But here’s the part that often gets missed…
👉 These are not the exercises most people should start with.
For many people—especially those with a history of back pain—jumping straight into these exercises is one of the most common mistakes we see.
After years of working with people with low back pain, the pattern is clear. When your body isn’t ready, you tend to:
- Use the wrong muscles
- Reinforce poor movement patterns
- Increase irritation instead of reducing it
👉 The result? You start to feel like exercise “doesn’t work” for your back.
What most people don’t realize
Core exercises aren’t wrong—but they need to be earned.
✔️ They should be progressed to
✔️ They need to match your back and your directional preference
✔️ And the right starting point is often much simpler than people expect
👉 Core strength isn’t where you start—it’s what you build toward.
What you should do instead
If your back is already irritated, starting with high-level core exercises like planks, bird dogs, or dead bugs can do more harm than good.
🚫 These are not beginner exercises for someone in pain.
When introduced too early, they often lead to:
- Increased pain
- Bracing and gripping instead of true stability
- Reinforcing the exact movement patterns that caused the problem
The first step is understanding what your back actually needs:
✔️ The right direction of movement
✔️ The right level of exercise
✔️ The ability to move without aggravation
From there, you can build safely into more demanding core work.
Why this matters
This gap—between what people are told to do and what their body is ready for—is exactly why so many people struggle to make progress.
It’s also why we created the Healthy Back approach.
During development, we kept hearing the same thing:
“I wish I had clearer guidance, better progressions, and exercises I knew were safe to follow.”
🚨 Coming Soon
The Healthy Back Program is launching soon—designed to help you:
✨ Start at the right level
✨ Follow clear, guided progressions
✨ Build strength without making your pain worse
If you’ve ever felt unsure about which exercises are right for you—or felt worse after trying to strengthen your core—this is for you.
“The best exercises to develop your Core are the ones that you are ready for!”
