back focus
Pelvic Tilt
Activates deep core and relieves lumbar tension.
Key cue: Gently flatten your low back into the floor, then let it go. Small and slow.
Area
back
Level
beginner
Volume
10 reps
Goal
pain relief
How to do it
- 1Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat, hip-width apart. Your lower back keeps its natural small curve.
- 2Breathe in and let your tummy relax.
- 3Breathe out and gently flatten your lower back towards the floor by drawing your lower tummy in. Your tailbone tips slightly up.
- 4Hold for 5 seconds while you keep breathing, then let the curve come back slowly. Repeat 10 times.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier
- Tilt in a smaller range and skip the hold, tilting and letting go with your breath.
- Harder
- Hold the tilt for 10 seconds while you breathe normally, or slowly lift one foot a couple of centimetres off the floor while you keep the tilt.
Helps with
Commonly used for:
Acute lower back painLearning neutral spinePre-exercise activation
Part of these condition plans
Where it fits in the step-by-step plans on our condition pages.
Benefits
- Relieves lumbar tension
- Teaches pelvic control
- Activates deep core
Muscles worked
Activation. Wakes up your transverse abdominis, glutes and lower back.
Transverse abdominisGlutesLower back
Form tips
- It is a small movement: if your hips are lifting off the floor you have gone too far.
- Rest a hand on your lower tummy to feel the muscles tighten gently.
Common mistakes
- Squeezing your buttocks hard or pushing through your feet to tilt.
- Holding your breath.
When to avoid or modify
- Back pain that gets worse as you flatten your back: stop and go back to your usual position
- Recent abdominal surgery, unless your surgeon has cleared it
- Pregnancy beyond 16 weeks: use the standing version (Standing Pelvic Tilt) instead
- New numbness around your groin or inner thighs, or changes in bladder or bowel control: get urgent medical help straight away
If in doubt, check with a qualified physiotherapist before continuing.
Where to go from here
The ladder