We either have envy or a painful feeling when we see someone doing the front to back splits. We may feel inadequate when we are able to only achieve half split. Remember everyone has unique flexibility capabilities because of our genetics and life experiences that have created these amazing bodies. Being able to attain full splits doesn't make you a better yogi or person and it may not even get you out of back pain. When you are going through a flexibility routine without creating strength behind it you are opening yourself up for injury.What it is important that putting in a glute strengthening exercise right after opening up the hamstrings, hip flexors and adductors is critical. Doing a glute bridge is easy and effective pose/lift and here is the link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2EZw1HaMek) for the finer points for glute bridge and I highly recommend watching if you still roll up one vertebrae at a time b/c that is not ideal for this situation. When you roll up one vertebrae at a time you are effectively teaching the body that the lumbar spine is the hip and losing the hip/back disassociation that is needed to protect the spine and the hip (and the knee and ankle sh$t rolls down hill) Instead of glute max driving the movement and being a global stabilizer that rolling of the spine or tucking the tail under encourages the piriformis, lumbar erectors and and the hamstrings, adductors and hip flexors to not only drive the movement but take on the role glute max has for global stabilization. These muscles get tight and angry and back pain shows up. This video helps with options to release some of these tension. It might even help you relieve some of your back pain.