Erector Spinae
Exercises that target the erector spinae, grouped by whether they stretch or strengthen it.
The erector spinae are the long, rope-like muscles running either side of the spine from the pelvis up to the neck and base of the skull. They extend the spine (arch it back), control how you bend forward, and are the main muscles that hold the whole trunk upright against gravity.
Because they work all day to keep you erect, they tend toward tightness and fatigue — especially in the low back when the pelvis tips forward (anterior pelvic tilt) and exaggerates the lumbar curve. In the upper back the opposite can happen: they lengthen and weaken as the spine rounds into a slump.
They respond to a mix of mobility and endurance work — segmental flexion/extension, hip-hinge patterning, and core support — rather than aggressive stretching. See the lumbar and thoracic exercises.
