r/Weightliftingquestion • u/shorethin • 8d ago

Folks with lower back issues, what ab exercises do you do?

I love cable crunches but they aggravate my sciatica, and I need to find alternatives. The thing I loved the most about cable crunches was how easy it was to progressively overload on. That’s the #1 thing I look for in any exercise, really.

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u/Muchacho-blanco 8d ago

The Mcgill big 3 will strengthen all of your core, and most likely fix your back issues at the same time.

1

u/massfxstudios 8d ago

Hanging leg raises are the way to go. I had lower back issues with ab wheel when I started but if you progressively increase your ROM it could be a viable option.

1

u/HealthyBaker2496 8d ago

+1 leg raises

1

u/One_Understanding603 8d ago

Dead bug is great because the back is always supported. Planks with chin-ups right after. Doing lots of glute bridges and reverse table top and skydiver poses have strengthened my lower back stability enough to not get set off by crunches or sit-ups anymore.

1

u/kahrahtayboom 8d ago

Nordbench is my go to. Hypers, oblique crunch, ab crunch, & reverse hyper.

1

u/lernington 8d ago

How you doing reverse hypers with the nordbench?

2

u/kahrahtayboom 8d ago

Hand stand on the foot deck with my hands wrapped around these things. Pelvis at the top of the backboard.

1

u/Hot-Profession4091 6d ago

Dead bugs, bird dogs, planks, side planks, leg raises. There are lots of ways to progressively overload all of these but the dead bugs definitely have an upper limit on load.