Mobility · Beginner
Chair Lower Back Stretch
This seated side-bend gently lengthens the muscles along your lower back and the sides of your torso. It's done in a chair, so there's no getting down on the floor and no balance worries. Regular practice can ease the stiffness that builds up from sitting, sleeping, or just going about your day.
Category
Mobility
Difficulty
Beginner
Equipment
Chair
MET
2.3
Primary muscles
The movement
Form cues
- 01
Sit near the front edge of the chair so your back isn't resting against anything.
- 02
Plant both feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.
- 03
Sit tall — imagine a string gently pulling the top of your head toward the ceiling.
- 04
Raise one arm overhead, letting your palm face inward toward your head.
- 05
Slowly lean your raised arm toward the opposite side, letting your ribs slide with it — think of making a long arc, not a crunch.
- 06
Grip the seat of the chair with your free hand to keep your hips from lifting or twisting.
- 07
Stop when you feel a comfortable pull along your side and lower back — no sharp pain.
- 08
Hold for 10 seconds, breathing normally, then slowly return upright and switch sides.
Dosage
How long, how many
Sets
3
Reps
1 per side
Rest
30 sec
Watch for
Common mistakes
Twisting the torso instead of bending sideways — your chest should stay facing forward the whole time, not rotating toward the floor.
Letting the opposite hip lift off the seat — if your hip rises, you've gone too far; back off until both hips stay level.
Holding your breath — if you notice you've gone quiet, exhale slowly and let the stretch deepen on the breath out.
Reaching with a bent elbow — keep your raised arm as straight as comfortable so the stretch travels all the way down your side.
Rushing through the hold — a 10-second hold that you actually feel is worth far more than five quick bobs to each side.
Scale it
Easier and harder variations
Easier
Instead of raising your arm overhead, simply rest your hand on your thigh and lean gently to the side — this gives you a milder stretch with less shoulder involvement.
Use this if raising your arm overhead causes shoulder discomfort or if the full reach feels unsteady.
Harder
Extend the hold to 20-30 seconds per side and take three slow, deep breaths during each hold, trying to sink a little deeper with each exhale.
Once the basic stretch feels easy and you want more lasting flexibility gains.
Note
If you have a recent lower back flare-up, keep the lean very small — just a few inches — and skip any position that produces pain beyond mild tightness.
During an acute back episode or after spinal surgery; check with your doctor or physical therapist before progressing.
Sources
Form descriptions and cues are sourced from wger (CC-BY-SA 4.0) and the Free Exercise DB (public domain), edited for the 60+ audience. MET value cites Ainsworth BE, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 43(8):1575-1581.
- free-exercise-db · Unlicense / Public Domain
- claude