Lower back pain from cycling: try these 3 simple techniques to prevent it

Most, but undoubtedly not all, back pain in cyclists who don't do any back work like carrying heavy buckets etc., is due to back weakness. Cycling is useless for back 'core' strength- your back muscles are doing sod all. I don't know anything about yoga, and I'm not intending to find out, but it sounds to me like exercises for nutters although it could come out to be the same thing as proper exercises- which are what you need! I do recommend people with back pain doing kettleball swings, but it's sensible to work up to them with this (and also as a warm up before a kettleball session) for a few days:

Stand with legs slightly apart for stability, one arm straight out ahead from the shoulder, and the other straight out behind. Swing them backwards and forwards simultaneously, so that they reverse position, 20 or so times.Then graduate to doing these with the excellent Aldi 5 kg dumb-bells. Also 'the plank' as recommended below, but I spend some of the time with alternate legs lifted off the ground. All done every day, initially.

I used to have terrible back pain as a runner. Once I switched to cycling, it went away completely! haha.

Also doing basic yoga (lots of sun salutations) helped. Overall spine mobility is really important.

I wouldn't recommend anyone with back pain start doing kettle ball swings!

Personally, I've got to the stage when about the only time my back doesn't hurt is when I'm riding my bike.

I've been switching between a cut out saddle (Bontrager Aeolus) and non cut-out saddle at the moment (Charge Spoon) as I try to resolve a saddle sore type issue.

I've noticed my lower back is usually more painful after a couple of hours on the non cut-out saddle, I guess because I'm subconsciously trying to rotate my pelvis backwards slightly to take pressure away from the perineum. 

Whereas with the cut-out saddle I can let my pelvis rotate to exactly where it wants to be, so the lower back muscles aren't having to engage as much to hold it in an unnatural position.

Not saying this is a solution for everyone, but worth considering.

As general life conditioning goes, I stretch quads and hip-flexors every morning now, so that my lower back muscles aren't constantly fighting them to maintain a natural curve in the spine.

"using a tennis ball, rolling pin, or can of rice pudding".
I'm probably focusing on the wrong thing here but why rice pudding specifically? Can I expect the same results from a tin of beans?

I get issues more with my upper back/shoulders than my lower back - I've taken to doing upper trapesius stretches in an attempt to fix it. Luckily, the current political situation means that I have lots of excuses to do exaggerated shoulder shrugs which helps loosen the traps.

I feel something that doesn't get stressed enough in training type articles is the idea of building solid foundations first.

I didn't realise that lots of time on the turbo would be putting strain on muscles such as the piriformis that doesn't otherwise get strengthened by cycling.

Cue enormous spasm which has left me with some pretty serious sciatica. No more turbo and bye-bye cyclocross season!

Basically, if you're embarking on a new training regime, don't neglect your glutes and core! Your legs will be putting out more power and putting more stress through your glutes but they will be ill-equipped to deal with it.

Although I've learned this the hard way at least I now know what I need to do for next season, e.g. focus on building strong foundations before I start tearing my legs off on turbo!

Edit: I think my back is spasming just watching that kettlebell swing video! Think I'll be leaving that exercise well alone...

Despite being pretty disciplined about yoga practice I suffer from this.

I solve it completely by switching bikes if I'm going to be out for a longish ride - onto the recumbent.

The one thing I've never suffered with but have shoulders that whilst not like biscuits can ache like crazy sometimes due to old injuries. Back was one of the things we always had to warm up with and stretch for rugby and you get bent around a fair bit as well as lots of pressure from being tackled/tackling. F

Yoga can help and is a good thing generally anyways but if you do suffer, something like Shiatsu can help and maybe find out if there's an underlying problem too.

Splendid.  I thought I'd saved this article last time around, but it went AWOL.  Making sure I bookmark it this time.  

First of all have an age appropriate bike position not based on your racing past <- note to self

Secondly this book has really sorted me out; written by a London cyclist/sports science type. Has an absolutely terrible title but the exercises in (and the descriptions about exactly why to do each one) are simple and actually work...  I took the rather large book to the gym with me for a couple of weeks and got some strange looks; who cares, it works! 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ride-Strong-Essential-Conditioning-Cyclists/dp/...

Thirdly consider not riding with a backpack... I loathe panniers do I use a large saddle bag a couple of times a week on the comutte just to get a load off.

I've been doing the two proactive exercises every morning after cycling to work for a month now, and my fairly mild lower back pain is fixed. Have to hope no-one walks in on me in the changing room, but it's made a real difference, thanks.

My tip: Keep well hydrated all the time.  Thats the stuff that helps the discs absorb shock. If you every experience back discomfort the day after  'a bender', that'll be a likely reason.

10 mins of yoga every morning will do it

10 mins of yoga every morning will do it

A bike that fits would probably help that guy in the photo. They look comically mismatched

Plank seems to work for me. That and glute exercises. 

Dangling your balls over an electric fence? You'd soon convince yourself that wasn't back pain you were feeling.

Sounds like you're describing the common groin openers that footballers favour.

Applying pressure on the psoas is also useful as it's all tied in with an anterior pull on the pelvis.

strengthening hammies can help with that issue too.

Nice stuff Dave. I'll give it a go - it's all about routine and a bit of discipline IMO - both of which I suffer a lack of.