Quadratus Lumborum — Release & Rebuild

The QL move. Stand side-on to a table (or a chair-back / kitchen counter), put the inside elbow on it and cross the far leg behind the near one. Dip down 10–15 times and hold the bottom of each dip 1–2 s — that hold is where the quadratus lumborum lets go.

1. Stand ~1 step from the table, feet hip-width, the leg closest to the table staggered back
2. Rest the elbow near the table on the support and let the hips drift away from it
3. Cross the far leg over in front so the whole side line loads
4. Dip 10–15× — pause and breathe at the deepest point instead of bouncing
5. Then swap sides; expect the tight side to feel completely different

Seated wide-leg side bend — the classic long-hold QL stretch. Slides straight down the side of the torso into the QL and 12th rib, and picks up the adductors and hamstrings on the way.

1. Sit on the mat in a wide straddle, feet flexed, knees soft
2. Reach the opposite arm overhead and lean toward the straight leg
3. Keep both seat bones down — no rolling onto one glute
4. Hold 30–45 s per side, breathing into the ribs you're stretching
5. Option: bring the reaching hand behind the head for a deeper rib-cage stretch

Lumbar rotation with the shoulders pinned to the floor. Moves the low back through rotation instead of loading it — the companion piece to a tight QL.

1. Lie on your back, arms out in a T, legs together and lifted to ~90°
2. Keep the shoulders and upper back glued down the whole time
3. Let the legs sweep side to side like wipers, exhaling on each pass
4. 8–12 slow passes through the middle — never force the bottom range
5. Option: bend the knees to shorten the lever if the low back complains

The reel's glute-max move: sit with hands behind you, cross one ankle over the opposite knee, then let the crossed legs fall side to side ×15. Opens the deep hip rotators that keep the QL guarded.

1. Sit tall, hands planted behind the hips, fingers pointing back
2. Cross one ankle over the other thigh (figure-4)
3. Let the crossed legs fall to the side, then swing back through and to the other side
4. 15 controlled passes, holding ~1 s at each end range
5. Switch which leg is crossed and repeat

The QL's day job is resisting side-bend, so train it exactly that way. Hips high, one straight line, no sagging into the bottom shoulder.

1. Elbow under the shoulder, forearm flat, feet stacked or staggered
2. Drive the hips up so the body is one straight line head-to-heel
3. Squeeze the bottom-side waist (that is the QL working)
4. 20–40 s per side; add a top-arm reach or a knee drive once 40 s is easy
5. Do the weak side first and match the reps on the strong side

Quadruped opposite arm/leg raise. Trains the QL and deep core to hold the pelvis level while the limbs move — the anti-rotation half of the equation.

1. Hands under shoulders, knees under hips, back flat like a table
2. Reach the right arm and left leg out long, both parallel to the floor
3. Keep the hips square to the floor — the common fault is a hip that rolls open
4. Hold 3–5 s per rep, 8–10 reps per side
5. Beginner: lift only the leg, then only the arm, before combining

Sit on the edge of a table (or bed), reach the upper body over the far side, then lift the trailing back leg 10–15×. Stretches the lats while strengthening the glute medius — the muscle that carries the pelvis so the QL doesn't have to.

1. Sit on the edge of the table/bed, one leg hanging free behind you
2. Reach the torso over and down toward the far side — long spine, not collapsed
3. Lift the trailing leg up and down 10–15× against gravity
4. Keep the reach held the whole set — the stretch is the position, the lift is the work
5. Rest, swap sides

Fold a towel under one knee, get on all fours, round the back, then lift the towel-knee up and down 10–15×. Strengthens the glute medius while untwisting the lumbar spine — the closing move for one-sided low-back pain.

1. Fold a towel (or a small cushion) and place it under one knee
2. On all fours, round the back slightly to flatten the lumbar curve
3. Keep the pelvis level and lift the towel-side knee a few cm, then lower
4. 10–15 slow reps — no rocking the hips to cheat the range
5. Swap sides; the sore side usually needs the extra set