Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Roller Back Stretch: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The roller back stretch is a mobility exercise that uses a foam roller to gently mobilize and stretch the spine, with secondary benefits for the hamstrings and glutes. It is performed by rolling the back over a foam roller from the lower to upper back.

Primary muscles
Not recorded
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings , Glutes
Equipment
Roller
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the roller back stretch
Front view: muscles worked by the roller back stretch. Secondary: hamstrings and glutes.
Back view: muscles worked by the roller back stretch. Secondary: hamstrings and glutes.
Primary Secondary

How to do the roller back stretch

  1. Step 1: Start by sitting on the ground with your legs extended in front of you.
  2. Step 2: Place the roller perpendicular to your body, just below your glutes.
  3. Step 3: Slowly roll your body backwards, allowing the roller to move up your back.
  4. Step 4: Continue rolling until the roller reaches your upper back.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment, then slowly roll back to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the roller back stretch by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.