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Back

Strengthen the glutes and abs without causing irritation to the back.
Why Does My Back Hurt?
The bones of the spine need shock absorbers between them to not fracture each other.
The shock absorbers between the bones, like all structures in the body, are adaptive.
If they’re exposed to high forces consistently they get very strong.
If the forces are only at one angle then other angles can still become vulnerable.
If one of the shock absorbers is exposed to too much compressive pressure or an angle of force it’s not adapted to it can be damaged.
A damaged shock absorber like a broken bone or muscle will signal the body for rest if needed.
Progressing from a brief period of immobilisation back to full function / full force is the game.
If you get immediate relief then it’s the site of weakness.
If sore later then you exceeded capacity.
 
Sitting is strangling and creates a debt.
Spinal waves repay the debt
  • Peeling the pelvis off the floor
  • Leaning against the wall
 
 
 
Checklist
Can you play with each of these movements, film your function and take notes about the sensations and perceived risk/ benefit:
  1. Hang
  1. Rest in full squat
  1. 90 degree Back extension hold for 30 seconds?
  1. Jefferson curl movement with no weight?
  1. Side bend both ways
  1. Atg Split squat hold (up to 30 seconds)
  1. Cross bench pullover
  1. Kneeling ab wheel rollouts
  1. Cable / banded seated good morning
  1. Posterior to anterior tilt in lying & standing / spinal waves
 
What Can Your Healthy Spine Do?
Look at what children’s spines can do and studying animal spines is a way to understand what’s possible and what’s normal.
Returning to something like child-like ability is a good compass that is hard to argue with.
 
Movement is life. All the structures of the body degrade without force placed on them.
Bed rest and low gravity decrease the density of bones and the tolerance of discs.
 
Side Bending - tipping the shoulders, left shoulder towards left hip, right shoulder towards right hip and stretching the quadratus lumborum.
 
Rotation - one shoulder forward while the other moves backwards.
 
Forward Bending - tail-bone and shoulders move closer together.
 
Back Bending - back of the head towards the tail-bone.
 
Compressive Load - jumping running, weight on the back, weight through the head.
 
Combining all of these together skilfully and with increasing forces creates an increasingly high function spine.
Getting Back To Daily Activities
Initially learning how to not exceed the force that the spine is prepared for is key.
 
Foundations
Belly button to ground and
Belly button to sky as well
Belly button to both sides with progressive tension will allow.
 
Start strengthening and using the pain free movement you have and increase it progressively.
 
Checklist
Able to adjust pelvic tilt - start small range, lying and then against the wall standing.
Glutes firing + long range glute strength. -
Abs engaging in short and long range.
Lateral glute strength and lateral ab strength.
Hip flexors and

Engineered Alignment

The spine is designed for the movements humans can use it for.
It’s not meant to be a trampoline or a door stop or a kettle.
When we use the spine in the way it was designed it will function well without us needing to “fix” it.
If we change the alignment and forces significantly from what the spine is engineered to handle then our innate intelligence will adapt as much as possible. The structure and alignment of the spine can only move / adapt so far.
 
Restoring Alignment…
  1. Learn to move the spine.
  1. Restore muscle balance around the spine
 
 
Starting Movements To End Goals
Respect all these movements like you would respect maximal weight training.
Increase tolerance gradually.
Regress anything that feels like it might “rip the scab off.”
 
Hip Flexors
ATG Split Squat
Couch Stretch → Advanced Diagonal Stretch & Long Lunge
Hamstrings
Standing Foot Elevated Hamstring Stretch → Single Leg Jefferson Curls
 
Resist Extension
Beginner - 4 point crawling position
Intermediate - Front plank variations - 1 arm / one foot, reverse back extensions.
Advanced - Wheel rollouts, loaded reverse back extensions.
 
Resist Flexion
Beginner - Glute bridges, Back extension holds, Chinese plank
Intermediate - Cable good mornings
Advanced - Loaded back extensions, (seated) Good mornings
 
Unloaded to Loaded Extension (Long range trunk flexors)
Beginner - Lying front push-up (Mckenzie stretch)
Intermediate - sit-ups on a curve / over ab mats or a wall ball
Advanced - standing and bending backwards, GHD sit-ups
 
Unloaded to Loaded Flexion (Long range trunk extensors)
Beginner - Sit and reach, standing toe touch
Intermediate - Extremely light Jefferson curls / Squat and curl
Advanced - 50% bodyweight Jefferson curls, squatting Jefferson curls
 
Unloaded to Loaded Side Flexion
Beginner - Standing side flexion
Intermediate - Light weight in hand by side standing side flexion / hands over head, Back Side Flexion, Squat with bar on back side flexion.
Advanced - Weight over head (Saxon side-bend), Heavy side bends (DB by side), Bar On
 
#! Why The Spine Breaks The Rebuilding Rules
The unique structure of discs and nerves in the spine mean that often the short to long range principles and progressing tension don’t work.
If alignment of the structures not the health of the tissues is the problem then blood flow and tension won’t be as helpful.
Disc & joint function can restored by movement.
Movement without creating irritation is generally the answer.
Learning to stay stagnant or stable is only helpful until life comes along and requires something else from you.
It can help initially to avoid damaging the structures but it’s not the longterm solution.
This is stereotypical story of the powerlifter with the 300kg deadlift doing his back picking up his child or getting out of the car does happen but can be avoided by strategic movement.