Seated Lower Back Stretch
Skip the guesswork: Seated Lower Back Stretch leans on pure bodyweight leverage for strength you can feel outside the gym.
How to do Seated Lower Back Stretch
- Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands on your thighs or on the sides of the chair for support.
- Slowly lean forward from your hips, keeping your back straight.
- Feel the stretch in your lower back and hold for 20-30 seconds.
- Slowly return to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Seated Lower Back Stretch Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 6-8 hard reps with 2 minutes of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 20-25 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Common Seated Lower Back Stretch Mistakes
Shortening the range as soon as the set gets hard
End the set on the last full-range rep instead of grinding out halves.
Feeling the movement everywhere except the muscle it trains
Lighten the load and rebuild the position until the target muscle burns.
Training every set to failure this early
Leave two or three reps in the tank and add sets instead.
Easier and Harder Than Seated Lower Back Stretch
Swap Seated Lower Back Stretch For
Seated Lower Back Stretch — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Seated Lower Back Stretch?
Sit on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the ground. Place your hands on your thighs or on the sides of the chair for support. Slowly lean forward from your hips, keeping your back straight. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Seated Lower Back Stretch work?
The Seated Lower Back Stretch primarily targets the lats. It is classified as a back exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Seated Lower Back Stretch should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Seated Lower Back Stretch good for beginners?
Yes. The Seated Lower Back Stretch is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Seated Lower Back Stretch?
Try the Exercise Ball Lat Stretch, Roller Side Lat Stretch or the Wide-Grip Lat Pulldown. Each trains the lats with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
