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Steve:
Throwing your back out can mean a lot of things. For example did you pull a muscle or herniate a disk?  If I were you’re trainer, I would want more specific information before I started you on any type of workout plan. However allow me to give you a basic run down on how I would handle someone with a back injury similar to yours.

The first thing I would do is personally contact your doctor. I would want to know what part of your back is injured and how serious the injury is. I would ask your doctor if there are any exercises that you should stay away form or any exercises you should include in your program. This information would help me get a snap shot of your current fitness level. For the sake of this article I am going to assume that it’s you’re lower back that’s injured.

I would then advise you to see a physical therapist to evaluate your injury. Physical therapist specialize in helping people like you get moving again without causing further injury. They are the vital link between doctors and personal trainers. They will teach you low impact exercises that will prepare your muscles so that you won’t get hurt again. Sometimes this takes only a few visits before you are ready to hit the gym. In most cases we would continue to use some of the exercises you learned at therapy in combination with a new weight training program.  

Next I would create a low impact weight training program with a strong emphasis on proper form. This program would be just enough to get you’re body moving again. A good example would be a simple full body workout with 1 exercise per body part and 2 sets per exercise. This workout would be very light. As you’re strength improved I would increase the intensity by adding a third set to each exercise. After 3-4 weeks I would add a third day to you’re program. It’s important to understand that you would be given at least one day of rest between each workout.

In addition to establishing a good weight lifting program we would need to work on strengthening you’re core. You’re core refers to the center of you’re body or you’re abdominals and lower back muscles. The best way to prevent back pain is to strengthen these muscles. I would start this process by adding the following exercises into you’re program.

The first exercise is Swiss ball crunches. This exercise will help strengthen you’re abdominals. To perform this exercise you will need to position you’re body so that the Swiss ball is directly underneath you’re lower back. You’re feet should be flat on the floor and you’re body should be arched toward the ceiling. Once you are in position lightly touch you’re ears with you’re finger tips and crunch toward the ceiling.

The second exercise is bird dogs. This exercise will help you strengthen you’re lower back. To complete bird dogs you will need to get down on all fours with you’re arms and legs spread at shoulders width and you’re head facing forward. Hence the name bird dogs. Once you are in position lift you’re right arm and you’re left leg straight out as if you are a hunting dog pointing to a bird. Complete this for approximately 5-8 reps. when you are finished repeat the process by using the left arm and right leg for the same amount of reps.

Last but not least we would need to work on getting you’re body weight down. All of those extra pounds you put on after you’re injury are putting a lot of stress on you’re back. Loosing twenty pounds alone would help you feel much better. For cardio we would use low impact joint friendly machines such as the elliptical, arch trainer and incumbent bike. Add all of this with a proper diet and you will be well on you’re way to getting back in shape.