By back zone
Lower Back exercises
Twenty-four of the 77 exercises in BackMaxx load Lower Back, and 21 of them target it directly. Eighteen are hip hinges. Pick one, not three.
The short answer
Lower Back exercises are the 24 movements in BackMaxx that load the erectors — 21 with the zone as their primary target, only 3 as a secondary, the highest primary share of any zone. Eighteen are hip hinges, nine use a barbell, and five carry no external load at all.
The most self-contained list on the site
Twenty-four exercises load Lower Back, and 21 have it as their primary zone — the highest primary share of the six. Eighteen are hip hinges. Nine use a barbell, more than in any other zone. Twenty-two of the 24 hit the erectors directly.
The practical consequence: this list barely overlaps with the rest of the site. Lower Back work is something you add to a back session, not something you get for free from one.
Six Romanian deadlifts, one variable apart
| Variant | What it decides for you | Prescription |
|---|---|---|
| Romanian Deadlift | Nothing. Hips back on soft knees until the hamstrings pull tight | 3 × 8–10 |
| Smith Machine Romanian Deadlift | The bar path — fixed rails hold it for you | 3 × 10–12 |
| Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift | The stopping point: slide down the thighs, stop before the back rounds | 3 × 10–12 |
| Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift | Load position — one bell in front, hinging until it passes the knees | 3 × 10–12 |
| Landmine Romanian Deadlift | Distance. The handle keeps the weight close and the blades set | 3 × 8–12 |
| Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift | Which side goes first, hips square, reaching for the floor | 3 × 8–10 |
Pick one. Six variants exist so a commercial gym, a bedroom and a bad grip day each have an answer — not so you can run two of them in a week.
The holds are not filler
Superman, Superman Hold, Bird Dog, Back Extension and Reverse Hyperextension are the five entries with no external load, and they are prescribed as holds and slow reps: 20 to 30 seconds on the Superman Hold, a second at the top of every Superman, hips dead level through the Bird Dog.
That work fills out the columns either side of the spine without adding to what a heavy hinge already costs. Four stretches close the zone out — Cat-Cow and Torso Twists among them — and they belong at the end of the session, not the start.
Two hard sessions a week is the ceiling
The erectors recover slowly, so two hard sessions a week is plenty. A Lower Back lead means one loaded hinge and one hold, never two hinges. Romanian Deadlift at 3 × 8–10 with Superman Hold at 3 × 20–30s is a complete pairing.
Five of the nine barbell entries are prescribed at eight reps or fewer. If Monday is Deadlift or Sumo Deadlift at 3 × 4–6, the week’s second session should be a Romanian deadlift variant at a weight you could hold a conversation through. Warm-ups here come from inside the zone: Bird Dog, Superman, then Cat-Cow.
What the Lower Back score can and cannot see
Zone scores run 0 to 100. Lower Back is the one most sensitive to how you stand for the photo, because the columns either side of the spine read clearly only when you are braced. The same back, relaxed, in the same light, scores lower.
So hold the same pose every week. The Back Score pages explain how the scan turns one photo into six numbers, and the Christmas tree guide covers what the pattern is and roughly when it starts to show.
Beginner (12)
Intermediate (8)
Advanced (4)
Frequently asked questions
How many lower back exercises belong in one session?
One loaded hinge and one unloaded hold. The erectors recover slowly, so two hard sessions a week is the sensible ceiling and two heavy hinges in the same session is the most common way to overspend.
Which Romanian deadlift variant is right?
Barbell if you own the bar path, Smith machine if you would rather it were fixed, dumbbells or a kettlebell if you train at home, landmine if you want the load kept close, single-leg if one side needs the attention. All six run 8 to 12 reps for three sets.
Are the bodyweight holds worth doing?
Superman Hold at 3 × 20–30s and Bird Dog at 2 × 8–10 are five of the 24 entries that need no equipment, and they add erector work without the recovery cost of a loaded hinge. They are also the two warm-ups the app picks when this zone leads.
Why do only three exercises list Lower Back as a secondary zone?
Because hinges and rows load the back in different directions. Only Barbell Row, Pendlay Row and Child’s Pose carry the zone as a secondary tag, which makes this the least overlapping of the six zones and the one most often skipped.
Which of these do you actually need?
BackMaxx scores six zones and eight muscles from one photo, then picks the movements that fix the lowest number — from the same 77-exercise library.
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