Stretching is important for every muscle group when it comes to general health, flexibility and recovery, especially when weight training is going to be involved in your workouts.Spinal StretchThis is one of the most generic and still one of the most effective back stretches you can possibly utilise. It's based on sitting on the floor with your legs spread and your arms out in front of you, and gradually sliding your hands outwards across the floor until you're in line with your heels or as far as you can go, and then slowly returning to the position you startedThis means that you're going to stretch your upper back right through to your lower back and even into your legs, so it's a great compound stretch that will really help you fight soreness and injury, providing you don't push too far.Cat-Camel Back StretchThis is one of the stranger sounding stretches that is also great as an overall back stretch. The point of it is to stretch in the same kind of way as was seen in the spinal stretch, where you need to be in a position where your torso is straight and able to curve your spine both ways, for a full range of motion throughoutThe way to do is it to be on all fours, before arching your back slowly, holding for a second, and then hyperextend to a comfortable position, ensuring that you do not go further than you should to make sure that you do not sustain any injury.Lower Back Rotation StretchThe lower back rotation stretch is seen as a classic amongst the rest of the exercises in this list. It's very easy to do and doesn't require a great deal of flexibility and can be done sitting on a chair or lying on the floor, depending on what is more comfortable for you.The movement is the same regardless and just requires you to essentially while still facing forwards, twist the lower half of your body so your legs are to the side of you, returning to your original position, and then going the other way. This should be repeated around 6 times for maximum effect.Mermaid StretchThis stretch is great for the sides of your body as well as your back, which is something that most other back stretches don't really offer. It's quite a popular stretch to see in aerobic exercise routines, but it's useful even as a warm up or as a stretch on its ownTo do it, you simply need to sit on a flat surface and bend to your side, keeping your legs fixed in their position. With the alternate arm, Raise and bend your arm in line with your body so you are forming a smooth and gentle curve from your hips to your fingers. Return to your original position and repeat with the other side.Shoulder Blade SqueezeThis is probably the easiest stretch to do in the list and takes little to no effort what so ever, but's still really important to remember whether you're about to work out or just go to bed.It's essentially just pushing back your shoulders so that you feel like you are trying to squeeze your shoulder blades together, which will help you prepare your entire upper and middle back muscle ranges so that you can see the best of your workouts in the gym as well as helping to aid your balance and posture in the long run. Who can complain about that?CobraFinally, to end this stretching series with a relatively simplistic but highly effective stretch to help you lower and middle back regions extend, the cobra move steps in to do just that. It is a popular yoga position, but it works just as well on its own to help increase the flexibility and muscle tone of your back, so it has earned its place here.It's a relatively basic movement but you will definitely feel the results immediately, so take it slowly and don't push yourself further than you feel you should. With you lying facing down on the floor, push your upper body upwards so you are looking outwards instead of down, all the while still keeping your hips and legs in contact with the floor.Before beginning any exercise or nutrition program, consult your physician, doctor or other professional. This is especially important for individuals over the age of 35 or persons with pre-existing health problems. Exercise.co.uk assumes no responsibility for personal injury or property damage sustained using our advice.If you experience dizziness, nausea, chest pain, or any other abnormal symptoms, stop the workout at once and consult a physician or doctor immediately.
