I Tested 4 Popular Videos To Relieve Low Back Pain And Here’s What I Found
By Brad Elgan
Last Updated Sept. 8, 2017 I recently turned 39. Not what I’d consider old, but not really young anymore. I’m about middle aged. And with that comes body changes. Over the past 3 years I’ve really noticed a difference in my body. Aches and pains come out of nowhere, it takes me longer to recover from workouts, and my body just doesn’t respond to workouts like it did in my 20’s. One of the most notable changes is how I can’t recover from tweaking my body like I recovered 10 years ago. This is most notable with my back. If I sleep the wrong way, I can tweak my neck and wake up to find I can’t turn my head without a lot of pain. Furthermore, I injured my mid-back when I was 25. In my 20’s I still had a strong desire to lift a ton of weight and get huge muscles. That ship has sailed and I just exercise to stay in shape, but that injury will still bother my occasionally. Finally, as a result of years of heavy squats and leg presses, my lower back is almost constantly aching. |
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So I finally decided to do something about it. Instead of relying on lower back pain relief devices, I tested 3 popular lower back pain relief videos/workouts, and here’s what I found…
The Experiment
The first 3 are videos from popular YouTube channels, the 4th is a Beachbody yoga video. The YouTube videos all have hundreds of thousands of views.
To make this “experiment” as fair as possible, you’ll notice the Beachbody video is a 3 week workout. Therefore, I did the first three videos individually for 3 weeks with an on one day, off the next schedule for 3 weeks straight.
Also, keep in mind my results are subjective. Its hard to quantitate how effective each video is because I didn’t lose any weight, nor gain noticeable muscle. There is no definitive “before and after” picture so you’ll have to just take my word for it.
Ready? Here we go…
The Experiment
The first 3 are videos from popular YouTube channels, the 4th is a Beachbody yoga video. The YouTube videos all have hundreds of thousands of views.
- "Fast Lower Back Pain And Sciatica Pain Relief" from PsycheTruth
- “25 Minute Lower Back Exercises For Lower Back Pain Relief Stretches For Lower Back Strengthening Rehab” produced from HASfit
- “Lower Back Pain Prevention” by Robyn for Grokker
- Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat
To make this “experiment” as fair as possible, you’ll notice the Beachbody video is a 3 week workout. Therefore, I did the first three videos individually for 3 weeks with an on one day, off the next schedule for 3 weeks straight.
Also, keep in mind my results are subjective. Its hard to quantitate how effective each video is because I didn’t lose any weight, nor gain noticeable muscle. There is no definitive “before and after” picture so you’ll have to just take my word for it.
Ready? Here we go…
Fast Lower Back Pain And Sciatica Pain Relief By PsycheTruth
First, a quick note...
The YouTube channel PsycheTruth is a great resource for wellness, yoga, fitness, and diet information. However, when you type in something like "low back pain relief" or "low back pain exercises" into YouTube, you get a few popular videos by PsycheTruth first.
In fact, the first video by PsycheTruth "How To Yoga Stretches For Lower Back Pain And Sciatica Relief" by Jen Hilman has over 4.5 million views! But....
...this video is a little deceptive. The instructor, Jen Hilman seems to be a very competent instructor, but after doing this video I found the title to be a little deceptive. The video doesn't actually target your lower back effectively. Rather, it contains a lot of stretches for the hips, and inner thighs. Similar to another popular video in the search results "Stretches For Back Pain Relief, How To Stretch Routine, Beginners Home Yoga", that has 4.3 million views.
These two vidoes by PsycheTruth are good, but don't directly target the lower back. Furthermore, they are more intermediate fitness level and not really practical for beginners.
This was just an interesting find I made in my search. Just because it has over 4 million views doesnt mean its a great video.
First, a quick note...
The YouTube channel PsycheTruth is a great resource for wellness, yoga, fitness, and diet information. However, when you type in something like "low back pain relief" or "low back pain exercises" into YouTube, you get a few popular videos by PsycheTruth first.
In fact, the first video by PsycheTruth "How To Yoga Stretches For Lower Back Pain And Sciatica Relief" by Jen Hilman has over 4.5 million views! But....
...this video is a little deceptive. The instructor, Jen Hilman seems to be a very competent instructor, but after doing this video I found the title to be a little deceptive. The video doesn't actually target your lower back effectively. Rather, it contains a lot of stretches for the hips, and inner thighs. Similar to another popular video in the search results "Stretches For Back Pain Relief, How To Stretch Routine, Beginners Home Yoga", that has 4.3 million views.
These two vidoes by PsycheTruth are good, but don't directly target the lower back. Furthermore, they are more intermediate fitness level and not really practical for beginners.
This was just an interesting find I made in my search. Just because it has over 4 million views doesnt mean its a great video.
Click On This Video
Don't Waste Your Time With These Videos
So anyway...
I completed the video "Fast Lower Back Pain And Sciatica Pain Relief" By PsycheTruth many times in my 3 week experiment and was pleased with the results.
First, the instructor was really good. Lindsey Samper was very accomodating for beginners, very descriptive and specific for each movement. She incorporates basic movements like cat/cow and even warrior two, but includes other basic movements that were really effective and easy to do for beginners. The video is 19 minutes long and moves at a fast pace. However the movements are easy to perform, so don't worry about getting left behind.
I completed the video "Fast Lower Back Pain And Sciatica Pain Relief" By PsycheTruth many times in my 3 week experiment and was pleased with the results.
First, the instructor was really good. Lindsey Samper was very accomodating for beginners, very descriptive and specific for each movement. She incorporates basic movements like cat/cow and even warrior two, but includes other basic movements that were really effective and easy to do for beginners. The video is 19 minutes long and moves at a fast pace. However the movements are easy to perform, so don't worry about getting left behind.
Pros:
- Simple movements, easy to follow instructions
- Effective stretches that target the lower back and surrounding muscles
- Great instructions. She is very specific, even tells the viewer how to properly move from a seated to standing postion
Cons
- Fast pace may be difficult to follow
- Almost exclusively stretching movments, very little stregthening movements
Conclusion
This is a great video for beginners. The movements are easy to follow and I definitely felt the aches disappear after just a few times doing the video. Lindsey Samper is a no-nonsense instructor who moves at a quick pace, but is very descriptive in her instructions. I really felt that I was getting a quick and effective stretch for my lower back and surrounding muscles.
I would recommend this video to anyone looking for lower back pain relief, especially beginners with little flexibility. Its an easy to follow video with good descriptions of the movements.
25 Minute Lower Back Exercises For Lower Back Pain Relief By HASfit
This instructor for this video is coach Kozak, a fitness trainer who runs HASfit, a popular online fitness and weight loss website with tons of YouTube videos. This particular video has over a million views, and the best part is its free on YouTube.
It incorporates standard lower back exercises like cat/cow, straight leg stretches, bent knee stretches, and my favorite, the bent side leg lower back stretch.
The workout is 27 minutes long and consists of lower back stretches and lower back strengthening exercises.
Pros:
- Good combination of stretches and strengthening exercises
- Good for beginngers, intermediate, or advanced levels of fitness
- Concise, easy to follow instructions
- No fluff, just gets right to what needs attention. In this case the lower back
- Coach Kozak is a fitness instructor, not a yoga instructor, so its not a very “holistic” approach to low back relief
- Does not emphasize breathing enough for more effective stretches
- No significant core abdominal exercises which aid back pain relief and rehab
Conclusion
I enjoyed this video. I felt I was getting a good combination of stretches and strengthening exercises. The video is a familiar fitness instructor format with a muscular/toned appearance and motivational approach.
I definitely felt better after 3 weeks of this video. My chronic lower back aches were gone, and my glutes felt stronger which had a big affect on my lower back pain.
I would recommend this video for someone looking to quickly rehab their lower back pain. Unlike the yoga videos for lower back pain, this video focuses directly on the lower back and the surrounding muscles. It will strengthen those muscles and stretch your lower back in a relatively quick workout. Yoga movements tend to take a more holistic approach and don’t necessarily focus directly on the lower back itself, but rather a whole body approach.
Lower Back Pain Prevention By Robyn For Grokker
Similar to the previous video, this low back workout is on a popular fitness YouTube channel called Grokker. Robyn is the instructor, and unlike the HASfit video, she is clearly a yoga instructor, not simply a fitness person doing a yoga workout.
The video is 28 minutes long and offers a good combination of the best of the HASfit video and the Beachbody yoga retreat workouts.
Similar to the previous video, this low back workout is on a popular fitness YouTube channel called Grokker. Robyn is the instructor, and unlike the HASfit video, she is clearly a yoga instructor, not simply a fitness person doing a yoga workout.
The video is 28 minutes long and offers a good combination of the best of the HASfit video and the Beachbody yoga retreat workouts.
Robyn takes more of a conventional yoga approach with the lower back relief as she emphasizes breathing, form, and core more than the HASfit video. However, she also goes directly to the problem area and focuses her time on the lower back and surrounding muscles rather than a whole body holistic approach.
Robyn does classic low back exercises like alternating straight leg raises, flutter kicks while lying on your stomach, and of course my favorite the bent side leg lower back stretch.
Pros:
- Targets the lower back directly with low to moderate challenging movements
- Emphasizes breathing and form for more effective movements
- Good workout. Somewhat challenging movements for lower back, glutes, and core
- Challenging movements might be better suited to intermediate and advanced levels of fitness
- Not enough exercises or stretches, could use more variety
- Too much emphasis on strengthening, not stretching. Would like a better balance of the two.
Conclusion
This was another good video. Its similar in length to the HASfit video, focuses on low back pain relief, but has an almost entirely different feel than the HASfit workout.
For example, its more of a yoga-based routine than the HASfit workout. Robyn places more emphasis on proper form and breathing, and the transition to each movement is in sequence with a yoga workout. A fluid transition to each new movement rather than stopping after 10 reps, repositioning and doing another exercise.
After several of these workouts, my lower back definitely felt better. I would recommend this video to someone looking for low back pain relief that wants an intermediate level of exercise difficulty within a yoga framework.
Important Note: At the time of publication, this video could be found free on YouTube. Shortly after I published this review, Grokker made this video part of their subscription service. They now charge $14 each month for access to this video and many others. However, if you are serious about low back pain relief, yoga, and quality health and fitness information, the subscription service is worth the money.
Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat
I recently signed up for the Beachbody On Demand, a streaming video service that gives access to all the workouts within the Beachbody library. There are hundreds of high quality workouts in the library and the Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat is one of many programs available.
While this progam doesn’t specifically target low back pain relief, I know from having done yoga in the past, that low back pain relief is a welcome benefit of any yoga routine.
I recently signed up for the Beachbody On Demand, a streaming video service that gives access to all the workouts within the Beachbody library. There are hundreds of high quality workouts in the library and the Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat is one of many programs available.
While this progam doesn’t specifically target low back pain relief, I know from having done yoga in the past, that low back pain relief is a welcome benefit of any yoga routine.
The format is a 3 week program designed to introduce the viewer to yoga basics the first week and then transition to full yoga workouts by week 3. However, its designed for someone at all levels of yoga experience, from total beginner to advanced. All levels of experience will benefit from this workout.
Here is the breakdown of each week for the 3 week yoga retreat
- Week 1: Foundation
- Week 2: Expansion
- Week 3: Progression
- Day 1: Core
- Day2: Stretch
- Day 3: Balance
- Day 4: Flow
- Day 5: Flow on-the-go
- Day 6: Relax
- Day 7: 3 separate 10 minute workouts for the morning, afternoon, and evening
As you can imagine the foundation week is an introduction to yoga basics. You’ll learn how and when to breath, fundamental poses, and basic stretches and balance movements.
Week 2 literally expands on what you learn during week 1. The movements are a little more challenging, and the sequence of exercises has more rhythm. The exercises you learned in week 1 flow together in a more coordinated workout rather than just doing an individual movement or stretch then moving onto another.
Week 3 expands on week 2 as you progress through the yoga practice. You learn more challenging movements and the coordination is much more thorough than week 1 and 2. This is a true week of yoga.
I was excited as the first week progressed. The first 5 workouts are full of yoga basics and tips I was never aware of, despite having done many yoga workouts throughout my life. However, day 6, the “relax” workout definitely left me wanting more, since it was a very basic workout. Similar to day 6, the day 7 workouts left me wanting more.
However, as the remaining two weeks progressed I felt like I was making progress. The movements went from akward and challenging, to comfortable and relaxing. I felt I gained insight into my body and overall physical self-awarness that I never experienced before. Furthermore, my lower back aches were gone and I gained muscle tone, balance, and coordination I never knew I had!
Pros:
Cons:
Conclusion
The Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat is a great way to address your lower back issues as well as get a whole body workout. The breathing techniques combined with focus, patience, endurance, and stretching provide not just a workout for three weeks but an experience.
I learned that not only can yoga help my lower back pain, it can clear my mind, calm anxieties, stretch muscles that desperately needed stretching, and tone muscles that I never knew I had. If you have the time to commit to this program it will not only ease your lower back but provide a ton of other benefits.
The only downside is that it takes a longer, more patient, whole body approach. Yoga is not about simply fixing low back aches. It’s a body and mind workout that combines balance, stretch, endurance, and coordination. As good as it may be, it takes time to get results, whereas the other videos will address your lower back concerns faster.
Important Note: this is not a free set of videos, but part of a subscription service called Beachbody on Demand. This service will cost about $99 a year, although there are various monthly payment options. You not only get access to the 3 week yoga retreat, but hundreds of high quality workouts.
Pros:
- A nice introduction to yoga
- The instructors are very knowledgable and provide easy to follow tips
- A whole body (and mind) fitness routine, not just lower back relief
- Great production quality for the videos
Cons:
- Does not specifically focus on lower back, but whole body
- Some “filler” workouts in days 6 and 7 of each week that provided little value
- Slow pace compared to the other videos
Conclusion
The Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat is a great way to address your lower back issues as well as get a whole body workout. The breathing techniques combined with focus, patience, endurance, and stretching provide not just a workout for three weeks but an experience.
I learned that not only can yoga help my lower back pain, it can clear my mind, calm anxieties, stretch muscles that desperately needed stretching, and tone muscles that I never knew I had. If you have the time to commit to this program it will not only ease your lower back but provide a ton of other benefits.
The only downside is that it takes a longer, more patient, whole body approach. Yoga is not about simply fixing low back aches. It’s a body and mind workout that combines balance, stretch, endurance, and coordination. As good as it may be, it takes time to get results, whereas the other videos will address your lower back concerns faster.
Important Note: this is not a free set of videos, but part of a subscription service called Beachbody on Demand. This service will cost about $99 a year, although there are various monthly payment options. You not only get access to the 3 week yoga retreat, but hundreds of high quality workouts.
Final Thoughts
All four of these videos provided the lower back pain relief I was looking for. The combination of stretching and strengthening of the surrounding muscles was just what I needed to help ease the constant ache.
The video by PsycheTruth is a great routine for beginners. The movements are simple, yet effective, and the instructor is descriptive in how each movement should be performed properly.
If you’re looking for a quick relief of your symptoms, I’d recommend the HASfit video. I think it provides a good combination of stretching and strengthening movements that directly target the problem area.
The Grokker video is good, and provided relief, but I felt it was the weakest of the four videos. There wasn’t enough stretching and although it offers a yoga approach to low back pain relief, it was nowhere near the effectiveness of the Beachbody yoga videos.
The Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat not only helped my low back pain, but it toned and strengthened my entire body. I’d recommend this video to everyone for the same reasons. The videos not only provided a workout, but a real experience getting to know my body like I never knew before. I know that sounds a little weird, but I guess that’s a benefit of yoga.
All four of these videos provided the lower back pain relief I was looking for. The combination of stretching and strengthening of the surrounding muscles was just what I needed to help ease the constant ache.
The video by PsycheTruth is a great routine for beginners. The movements are simple, yet effective, and the instructor is descriptive in how each movement should be performed properly.
If you’re looking for a quick relief of your symptoms, I’d recommend the HASfit video. I think it provides a good combination of stretching and strengthening movements that directly target the problem area.
The Grokker video is good, and provided relief, but I felt it was the weakest of the four videos. There wasn’t enough stretching and although it offers a yoga approach to low back pain relief, it was nowhere near the effectiveness of the Beachbody yoga videos.
The Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat not only helped my low back pain, but it toned and strengthened my entire body. I’d recommend this video to everyone for the same reasons. The videos not only provided a workout, but a real experience getting to know my body like I never knew before. I know that sounds a little weird, but I guess that’s a benefit of yoga.
Random Thoughts
- Although these videos were specific for low back pain relief and very effective, I think a comprehensive fitness program may be even better. For example, a fitness program several days each week that stretches and strengthens your lower back and entire body, yet also provides muscle building and cardio as well. Something like P90X, X2, or X3, that incorporates yoga yet has cardio and resistance workouts too.
- The most important thing with low back pain relief and these videos is consistency. One workout each week won’t get the job done. It takes a consistent effort at least 3 days a week to stretch and strengthen that problem area.
- I felt my core/abs weaken a little during each 3 week period. I did not do any other workouts during the 3 weeks. No cardio, no ab workout, no resistance workouts. As a result I felt my overall fitness decreased. My lower back pain was gone, but overall fitness diminished. This is why I recommend these videos combined with an fitness routine…to strengthen the entire body, not just the low back.
- 2 out of the 4 videos reviewed are now only accessible with a paid subscription service. The Grokker video now requires a $14 a month payment for accesss to this video and many many others. The Beachbody 3 Week Yoga Retreat is part of Beachbody On Demand, a $99 per year service that provides access to hundreds of fitness videos. If you are serious about health and fitness, I would recommend either of the subscription services since they are high quality with great workouts.
- For further additional help with chronic low back pain, check out our page on lower back pain relief products, a comprehensive look into 3 popular alternatives to exercise and strengthening movments.