CategoriesAssessment coaching Exercise Technique

When to “Fix” Someone’s Squat

I often joke I’m the worst handyman in history. Something breaks in our apartment? I’m the first one calling the landlord. A picture needs hanging? My wife is the go to aficionado in that realm.

A task calls for a Phillips screwdriver? Well, I’ll hand you a Phillips screwdriver. I’m not that much of a moron.

That’s the flat head one, right?…;o)

47626951 - old tools on a wooden table

Copyright: tatom / 123RF Stock Photo

Suffice it to say: I am not great at fixing things. As a matter of fact – and at the expense of losing a few points off my man card – the risk of me setting a fire increases exponentially with the arduousness of the task being asked of me.

Replace a knob on a cupboard = relatively safe. The cat may end up with her fur singed, but the building is still standing.

Change oil in the car = Obama may as well hand me the nuclear codes.

Outside of the weight-room I’m a HAZMAT accident waiting to happen. Put me within four walls, however, surrounded by squat racks, deadlift platforms, barbells, kettlebells, selectorized machines, and maybe a movie quality Chewbacca mask for good measure, allow me the opportunity to watch people exercise and gauge movement quality, and I miraculously turn into Gandalf.

I can fix anything.1

Well, I like to think I have a good eye and can catch wonky movement and fix it.

That’s Assuming Something Needs Fixing

I had a very interesting interaction last weekend at CORE. I was contacted by a dude here in Boston who reached out asking if he could stop by the studio to have me look over his squat and to discuss a few ideas that had been reverberating in his head about bar path, acceleration, and power development.

Specifically he noted he was a high-level powerlifter (600+ lb squat at 181) and that he had been tinkering with his technique of late and wanted another set of eyes on him to see if there was something he was missing.

My first thought was “holy fucking shitballs, that’s a sick squat,” and more importantly I felt compelled to tell him “um, just so you know…I’m not a competitive powerlifter and maybe you’d be better off contacting my boys at The Strength House for more detailed badassery?”

“Nah, I respect the way you’re able to analyze movement and feel you take a balanced approach.”

High praise.

What transpired was pretty cool. It was every bit an educational/learning experience for me as it was for him (I think. He left happy).

To Repeat: this guy squats over 600+ at a competing bodyweight of 181 lbs. An advanced lifter indeed. His approach is unconventional to say the least.

Take this little tidbit of our conversation as an example (not taken verbatim, but it’s close):

“So we see guys all the time squatting 225 lbs in the squat rack, often with poor technique, but then are able to walk over to the leg press and perform 800+ lbs for reps. What gives? How is that possible? I thought to myself “there has to be something there.” I train alone in my home gym which allows me all the time in the world to play mad scientist and to tinker with my technique.

Then it dawned on me: why not leg press my squat?”

Of course, in my mind I’m thinking “well the leg press provides a ton more external stability to the body so there’s your answer.” What’s more there’s typically less ROM involved too.

I was intrigued to see this in action nonetheless, anticipating some sort of leg press to squat Transformer to appear.

I ended up witnessing a meticulous set-up, as well as a masterful demonstration of someone who knows what his body is doing at all times. Unconventional without question. But it worked. A few highlights:

  • His “low bar” position was lower than low bar position. I’m talking mid-arm.
  • Purposeful in-out-in motion of the knees.2
  • A flexed spine. In deep hip flexion, he’d go into lumbar flexion.3
  • He used a staggered stance (left side was a bit behind the right).

For all intents and purposes, many coaches would look at squat like that and start hyperventilating into a paper bag and immediately go into “I gotta fix this” mode.

Guess what I didn’t fix?

My point: everyone is different. No one has to squat the same way. And he’s an a-hole for being a freak…..;o)

Besides, he squats 600+ freaking lbs. He’s obviously trained himself enough to be able to get into (and out of) precarious situations; and he’s never been hurt or in pain.

It was the last point, though, the staggered stance, that he had never noticed or considered.

I don’t fall into the camp that says everyone must squat with a symmetrical stance. This defeats the purpose of individuality and respecting each person’s anatomy. When you factor in varying hip anatomy (varying degrees of APT/PPT, how this affects the ability to both flex and extend the hip, anteverted/retroverted acetabulums, anteverted/retroverted femurs, and varying femoral neck lengths), not to mention that you have two of them, not to mention other anthropometrical factors too, like torso length, femur length…it doesn’t take a genius to understand there’s no one right way to squat.

If a certain squat stance, width, depth, (whatever) feels better and more stable, why not run with it?

NOTE: I’d be doing a disservice by not linking to THIS article by Dean Somerset on the topic. He does a much better job at explaining things.

Back to the staggered stance.

600 lb squatter guy was trying to figure out why it seemed he couldn’t keep the barbell over mid-foot on his descent. I noted the staggered stance and he was like, “huh, I never thought of that.”

He then noted how he had always filmed his squats from the RIGHT side. I filmed from the left and his bar path looked to be on point. So maybe he was being a bit overcritical? Maybe the staggered stance evened things out? I’m sure there’s a biomechanical rabbit hole to be explored here (calling Greg Nuckols?).

When To “Fix” Someone’s Squat

I get it: Many of you reading aren’t elite level squatters, and much of the dialogue above has little merit in your training. The bigger picture, though, I think, is to avoid confirmation bias and sticking solely within camps that always agree with you. Everyone is a different, and there’s always more than one way to do something.

Last weekend, for me, was proof of that.

But I’d be remiss not to point out my standard or “comfort zone” is vastly different between an elite lifter and beginner/intermediate lifter.

Elite level lifters get much more leeway to mess up. More to the point: they’ve messed up enough to know what to do to not to mess up. Yeah, that makes sense. When I am coaching a beginner/novice, though, they’re rope for messing up is much, much shorter.

I still feel it’s important to avoid over-coaching and to allow an opportunity for newbies to figure things out.

But when it comes to squats I tend to have a few “No-No’s” initially.

1) You Round Your Back, a Part of My Soul Dies

Loaded spinal (end-range) flexion doesn’t do anyone any favors. Pick up a McGill book and join the party. I’d prefer to avoid it as much as possible in the beginning. If I see someone flexing their spine during a squat, it’s my job to figure out why?

From there I’m going to try my best to implement the modality or variation that’s going to best set them up for success.

Much of the time it’s getting someone to appreciate how to adopt a better bracing strategy and stabilize.

  • Brace your abs. <— Get “big air” and act as if someone’s going to punch you in the stomach.
  • Learning Active vs. Passive Foot, or spreading the floor with your feet (better yet, a cue I stole from Tony Bonvechio is “find the outside of your heels.”
  • Brace your abs.4

 

Full-body TENSION (trying to touch your elbows and pulling down on the bar helps here too) is the name of the game. The sooner a trainee learns this, the sooner he or she will clean up a lot of snafus in their squat technique.

Another easy fix is to implement an anterior load.

This is part of the reason why Goblet Squats or Plate Loaded Squats are so user-friendly and help to maintain a better torso position. The load is in FRONT which then forces the trainee to shift their weight and recruit/engage more of their anterior core, which then helps them remain more upright.

 

2) Knees Caving In (Past Neutral), Heels Coming Off Ground

The knees caving in aren’t always a deal breaker. Many trainees when they first put a barbell on their back and begin to squat for the first time resemble Bambi taking his first steps.

I don’t mind a little knee movement. Much of the time it’s just a matter of getting some reps in and whammo-bammo, the issue resolves itself.

It’s when it hits the point where they go past neutral and/or the heels come off the ground that it can become problematic.

Some things that have worked for me with knees caving:

  • Hey, don’t do that.
  • Think of your knee caps tracking with your pinky toe.
  • Place a band around the knees to provide some kinesthetic awareness. The band wants to push the knees in, they have to push the band out.

I want a squat to look like a squat. It requires ample ankle dorsiflexion, hip flexion, hip internal/external rotation, t-spine extension, among other things.

When someone’s heels come off the ground it’s often because they have no idea how to hip hinge.

Grooving the hip hinge and using props such as a box (box squats) to get someone to learn to “sit back” and use more of their posterior chain is a nice option. This will help keep the heels cemented to the floor.

 

NOTE: once they master that, the idea is to then perform an equal parts “knees forward, hips back” motion, learning to sit down into the squat (not so much back, back, back). Again, the squat should look like a squat

And That’s Really It

I’m not TRYING to find something wrong with everyone’s squat.

If the 2-3 things above are met from the get go we’re in a pretty darn good spot.

Things like bar position, foot stance/width, hand position, and everything else in between, while significant considerations for some people and staples for entertaining internet arguments, are all going to depend on several other factors (goals, anatomy, experience, ability level, injury history), and in the grand scheme of things are minute comparatively speaking.

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Strength Training

Strong Traps, Healthy Shoulders

A funny thing happens whenever I inform someone (namely, guys) they need to hit their upper traps more. The immediately go into Bane mode:

Visions of heavy barbell shrugs, breaking Batman’s back, and walking around asking people “do you feel in charge?” run rampant.

It’s all well and good, I have nothing against shrugs. I draw the line against breaking people’s backs though. BAD BANE, NO!

Shrugs are undoubtedly a great exercise to build the upper traps. And the upper traps are kind of important when it comes to the ability to bring one’s arms overhead – they’re one of three muscles that help to upwardly rotate the scapula.

Via my time as a coach at Cressey Sports Performance (and even now) I work with a lot of people with shoulder issues. Training the upper traps directly has gotten a bad rap in recent years. But for athletes and lifters who are stuck in spine-extension based postures and can’t raise their arms overhead, training the upper traps can be a game changer for overall shoulder health and performance.

The key? Ensure they’re trained with upward rotation.

Continue reading my latest article on T-Nation.com HERE.

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Program Design

It’s Coming: The Complete Shoulder and Hip Blueprint

Much like Winter in Game of Thrones……It’s coming.

Hip&Shoulder-Landscape

Except, you know, in this case “it” has less to do with the Night King, White Walkers, and the impending doom of man, and more to do with shoulder and hip assessment, corrective exercise, strength & conditioning, and programming strategies to optimize performance in the weight room.

Dean Somerset and I filmed our Complete Shoulder & Hip Workshop in Oslo, Norway this past spring and we’re excited to give everyone a sneak peak on what to expect:

 

Yes, the music is a bit dramatic. We were originally gonna go with “Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthin to F*** Wit” or “You’re the Best Around” from the Karate Kid soundtrack, but figured both were a bit more dramatic.5

In any case, we’d be honored for you to take a look. And stay tuned for a release date in the very near future.

Seriously, it’s coming…..

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Program Design Rehab/Prehab

The Forgotten, Often Overlooked Cause of Low Back Pain

There are many root causes of low back pain and discomfort, and there are many people who’s day to day lives are affected by it.

In my neck of the woods – Strength & Conditioning – the culprit(s) can often be displayed on the weight room floor. Lifters who routinely default into movement patterns that place them in (end-range) LOADED spinal flexion or extension are often playing with fire when it comes to their low back health and performance.

NOTE: this isn’t to say that repeated flexion/extension is always the root cause.

1) There’s a stark contrast between flexion/extension and LOADED flexion/extension. Many people have been programmed to think that all flexion/extension of the spine is bad. It’s not. The spine is meant to move, albeit under the assumption that one can do so without significant compensation patterns (relative stiffness), limitations in mobility, and with appropriate use of both passive (ligaments, labrums, and tendons, oh my) and active (muscles) restraints.

It’s when people start placing the spine under load in ranges of motion they can’t control – often in the name of social media glory – that bad things end up happening. 

2) However, there are plenty of examples of lifters (mostly elite level, which is an important point) who have been utilizing techniques many fitness pros would deem incendiary with regards to the increased likelihood of spines all over the world resembling a game of Jenga.

A great example is a piece Greg Nuckols wrote HERE, explaining the benefits – biomechanically speaking – of a rounded back deadlift.

But back pain – specifically low back pain – can strike at any moment. I’ve heard stories of people hurting their back during training of course. But I have also, and I think many of you reading will nod your head in agreement, have heard stories of people messing up their back while bending over to pick up a pencil or to tie their shoes.

Or while fighting a pack of ninjas (hey, it can happen).

In pretty much all cases it comes down to one of two scenarios going down:

1. Ninjas attack.A one-time blunt trauma. Think: spine buckling under load, car accident, falling off a ladder.

2. A repetitive aberrant motor pattern. Think: tissue creep into sustained spinal flexion for hours on end at work.

Dr. Stuart McGill and his extensive research on spinal biomechanics has been the “go to” resource for many people – including myself – to help guide the assessment process and to attempt to figure out the root cause of most people’s low back pain.

A term he uses often is “Spinal Hygiene.”

It behooves us as health and fitness professionals to use the assessment as a window or opportunity to “audit” our client’s and athlete’s movement and to see what exacerbates their low back pain.

From McGill’s book Back Mechanic:

“Our approach in identifying the cause of pain during an assessment is to intentionally provoke it. Provocative pain testing is essential and irreplaceable when it comes to determining which postures, motions, and loads trigger and amplify pain and which ones offer pain-free movement alternatives.”

People who have more pain and discomfort in flexion (slouching, sitting, bending over to tie shoes) are often deemed as flexion intolerant. Moreover, people who have more pain and discomfort in extension (standing for long periods of time, bending backwards, excessive “arching” in training), are often deemed as extension intolerant.

Ironically, in both scenarios, people will find relief in the same postures that are “feeding” the dysfunction and their symptoms.

What’s the Fix?

Funnily enough, pretty much everything works. There are any number of methodologies and protocols in the physical therapy world that have worked and have helped get people out of low back pain.

It’s almost as if the appropriate response to “how do you fix low back pain?” is “the shit if I know? Everything has been shown to work at some point or another.”

Active Release Therapy, Graston, positional breathing, stretching, mobility work, rest, sticking needles in whereeverthefuck….it’s all been shown to work.

I’ve had numerous conversations with manual therapists on the topic and the ones who tend to “get it” and elicit the best results are the ones who take a more diverse or eclectic approach.

They’ll use a variety of modalities to best fit the needs of the individual.

That said, I’m a fan of directing people towards therapists who take a more “active” approach as opposed to a “passive” approach.

Both can work and both have a time and place. However one approach is less apt to make me want to toss my face into an ax.

Passive Approach = Ultra sound, electric stimulation, etc. This approach treats the symptoms, focuses on instant relief, and not necessarily addresses the root cause(s).

Active Approach = Is more hands on and more “stuff” is happening. Practitioners who fall on this side of the fence tend to focus more on the root cause – poor movement quality, positioning, muscle weakness, mobility restrictions – and work in concert with the patient/athlete to educate them on how to prevent future setbacks.

Above all, an active approach is about finding and engraining a neutral spinal position, and finding pain-free movement.

I think by now you know my preference.

 

Tony, Shut-Up, What’s the “Forgotten” Cause of Low Back Pain?

Well, to say it’s “forgotten” is a bit sensationalistic. My bad.

We tend to solely focus on either flexion or extension intolerance…and granted those are the two biggies.

However, have you ever had someone come in and pass those “screens” with flying colors only to complain of back pain or discomfort when he or she rolls over in bed, rotates, or maybe experiences an ouchie when they sneeze?

What’s up with that? And bless you.

Spinal Instability – That’s What’s Up.

Instability can rear it’s ugly head with flexion/extension based issues too, but it becomes more prevalent when rotation is added to the mix.

The body doesn’t operate in one plane of motion, and it’s when people meander out of the sagittal plane and venture into frontal and/or transverse plane movements, when they begin to get into trouble.6

The muscles that provide intersegmental stability to the spine may be under-active and may need some extra TLC.

I’ve worked with people who could crush a set of barbell squats (they handle compression and shear loading well), but would complain of l0w-back pain whenever they did anything that required rotation.

 

The fix is still going to be helping them find and maintain spinal neutral – I don’t feel this is ever not going to be a thing. Kind of like too much money in politics or LOLcats.

In addition, gaining motion from the right areas – hips, t-spine, for example – will also bode well.

However, I’d like to offer some insight on what exercises might be part of the repertoire in terms of “pain free movement” when spine instability is a factor.7

The Stuff Most People Will Skip (It’s Okay, I Won’t Judge You)

One word: planks.

Dr. McGill has stressed time and time again that improving spinal endurance (and hence, stability) is paramount when dealing with back pain. They key, though, is performing them in ideal positions.

I chuckle whenever someone brags about holding a 5-minute plank. When in fact all they’re really doing is hanging onto their spine….literally.

This does no one any favors.8

RKC Plank.

1. It’s a bonafide way to help people gain a better understanding and appreciation for creating full-body tension.

2. I like cueing people to start in a little more (unloaded) flexion, so that by the end they’re residing  in a neutral position anyways.

3. When performed as described in the video below, 10s will make you hate life.

To up the ante you can also incorporate 3-Point Planks (where you take away a base of support, either an arm or a leg, and hold for time) or Prone Plank Arm Marches:

 

NOTE TO SELF: do more of these.9

You can also incorporate Wall (Plank) Transitions where the objective is to cue people to keep the torso locked in place. Motion shouldn’t come from the lumbar spine then mid-back. Everything should move simultaneously, as follows:

Deadbugs

I’m a huge fan of deadbugs. When performed RIGHT, they’re an amazing exercise that will undoubtedly help build core and spine strength/stability.

A key component to the effectiveness of a deadbug is the FULL-EXHALE (check out link above). However, one variation I’ve been using lately is the Wall Press Deadbug (for higher reps).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmtsGHk34C0

 

Here the objective is to engage anterior core (pressing into the wall), to breath normally, and then to perform a high(er) rep set (10-15/leg) making sure motion comes from the hips and NOT the lower back.

If you want to build stability (and endurance) this is a doozy.

Stuff People Are More Likely To Do (Because It Involves Lifting Things)

1. Offset Loaded Lifts

This is an untapped, often overlooked component to back health and performance. Offset or asymmetrical loaded exercises are a fantastic way to train spinal stability and challenge the core musculature.

By holding a dumbbell on one side, for example, you have work that much harder to maintain an upright posture and resist rotary force:

 

Likewise, with offset presses, the core must fire to prevent you from falling off the bench. Unless you fall off because you’re drunk. If that’s the case, go home.

 

And we don’t have to limit ourselves to dumbbells, either. We can use barbells too.

2. Shovel Deadlift

3. Farmer Carries

Farmer carries – especially 1-arm variations – can be seen in the same light. The offset nature is a wonderful way to challenge the body to resist rotation (rotary force) and to help build more spinal stability.

 

4. 1-Legged Anti-Rotation Scoop Toss

Another option is to perform anti-rotation drills such as the 1-Legged Anti-Rotation Scoop Toss. As you can see from my un-edited video below….it’s tougher than it sounds.

 

5. Anti-Rotation Press

 

A bit higher on the advanced exercise ladder, the Anti-Rotation Press is another great drill to help hone in on increased core strength and spinal stability. To make it easier, use a longer stride stance; to make it harder go narrower.

This Is Not an End-All-Be-All List

But a good conversation stimulator for many people dealing with low-back pain nonetheless. Have you got own ideas or approaches to share? Please chime in below or on Facebook!

CategoriesAssessment coaching personal training Program Design Strength Training youth/sports training

Addressing the Stone Cold Facts of Training Athletes

Remember that show diary on MTV? You know, the one that aired back in the early to mid-2000s?

The documentary style show centered mostly on musicians and celebrities and followed them through their daily lives.

Each episode started with said celebrity looking into the camera and saying…..

“You think you know, but you have no idea.”

And then for the next 60 minutes we got a true taste of the celebrity lifestyle, given an opportunity to witness their trials and tribulations with the paparazzi, hectic travel schedules, demands on their time, and what it’s like to demand a bowl full of green only M&Ms in their dressing room (and actually get it), not to mention the inside scoop on what it’s really like to be able to bang anyone you want.

Stupid celebrities. They suck….;o)10

Sometimes I feel like strength coaches should have their own version of the show diary, because when it comes to training athletes I feel like many people out there “think they know….

“…..but they have no idea.”

Oh snap, see what I just did there?

While I don’t think it’s rocket science, I’d be lying if I said there isn’t a lot of attention to detail when it comes to training athletes – or any person for that matter – and getting them ready for a competitive season. Everyone is different, with different backgrounds, ability level, injury history, strengths, weaknesses, goals, anthropometry, as well as considerations with regards to the unique demands of each sport and position(s) played.

By contrast, there are numerous parallels in training despite athletic endeavors or whether or not someone is an athlete to begin with.

We can take the Dan John mantra of:

Push, pull, hinge, squat, lunge, carry

Do those things, do them well, and do them often….and you’ll be better off than most. It’s complicated in its simplicity.

Much like Dan I prefer to train everyone I work with as if they’re an athlete. There’s something magical that happens when I can get Joe from accounting or Dolores from HR to deadlift 2x bodyweight or to start tossing around some medicine balls. Even better if it’s done while listening to Wu-Tang Clan.

They wake up!

They’re less of a health/fitness zombie, haphazardly meandering and “bumping” into exercises. Once they start to train with intent and purpose – and move – it’s game time.

That said, lets be honest: when it does come to training athletes there are many other factors to consider; many more than an article like this can cover. However, I do want to discuss a few philosophical “stamps” that some coaches deem indelible or permanent when it comes to training athletes, when in fact they’re anything but.

1) Strong At All Costs

There’s a part of me that cringes to admit this, but it needs to be said: strength isn’t always the answer.

Don’t get me wrong, I still believe strength is the foundation for every other athletic quality we’d want to improve.

If you want to run faster (<— yes, this matters for endurance athletes too), jump higher, throw things harder or further, or make other people destroy the back of their pants, it’s never a bad thing to be stronger.

When working with athletes, though, there’s a spectrum. If you’re working with a college freshman who’s never followed a structured program and is trying to improve their performance to get more playing time, you can bet I’ll take a more aggressive approach with his or her’s training and place a premium on strength.

When working with a professional athlete – who’s already performing at a high level, and is worth millions of dollars – is it really going to make that much of a difference taking their deadlift from 450 lbs to 500 lbs?

Moreover, we’ve all seen those snazzy YouTube and Instagram videos of people jumping onto 60″ boxes:

 

It may get you some additional followers and IG “street cred”…but man, the risk-reward is pretty steep if you ask me. I’m not willing to risk my career (and that of my athletes) for some stupid gym trick.

Besides, if I wanted to I’d up the ante and have them do it while juggling three chainsaws. BOOM! Viral video.

To that end, I like Mike Robertson’s quote which sums my thoughts up the best:

“I think athletes need to be using the weight room as a tool to improve efficiency and athleticism, not simply push as much weight as possible – MR”

2) You Don’t Have to OLY Lift

Some coaches live and die by the OLY lifts, and I can’t blame them…..they work. But as with anything, they’re a tool and a means to an end. They’re not the end-all-be-all-panacea-of-athletic-and-world-domination.

I don’t feel any coach should receive demerit points – or be kicked out of Gryffindor – because he or she chooses not to implement them into their programming.

Lets be real: If you know you have an athlete for a few years, and have the time to hone technique and progress them accordingly, the OLY lifts are a good fit. It’s another thing, too, if you’re competent.

I for one am never guaranteed four years with an athlete, nor am I remotely close to feeling competent enough to teaching the OLY lifts. And that’s okay….

I can still have them perform other things that’ll get the job done:

Jumps:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUbClRjpLGk

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn5v85ekXFs

 

NOTE: both videos above courtesy of Adam Feit.

Starts/Acceleration

5 yd Starts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TklqD8uN_Ds

 

5 yd Jog to 10 yd Acceleration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM-BPJKTslg

 

Change of Direction

Up 2, Back 1 Drill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSFDp1QSA2w

 

That One Time I Looked Athletic

Medicine Balls Drills

Scoop Toss

 

OH Stomp

 

Kettlebell Swings

 

Punching Ramsay Bolton in the Mouth

No video available.11

3) Single Leg Work Matters

This is probably the part where some people roll their eyes or maybe scroll past, but hear me out.

I think it’s silly when I see coaches on Facebook argue over bilateral vs. unilateral movements and try to win everyone over as to which is best.

They’re both fantastic and warrant attention.

Where I find the most value in single leg training:

  • Serves as a nice way to reduce axial loading on the spine when necessary.
  • It can be argued all sports are performed – in one way or another – on one leg, so from a specificity standpoint it makes sense to include it.
  • Helps to address any woeful imbalance or weakness between one leg and the other.
  • Places a premium on hip stability and core/pelvic control.

All that said, I do find many people are too aggressive with their single leg training. It’s one thing to push the limits with your more traditional strength exercises like squats and deadlifts, but when I see athletes upping the ante on their single leg work to the point where knees start caving in and backs start rounding that’s when I lose it.

I’m all about quality movement with any exercise, but more so with single leg training. I’d rather err on the side of conservative and make sure the athlete is owning the movement and not letting their ego get in the way.

Like that one time I posted this video and Ben Bruno shot back a text showing me a video of Kate Upton using more weight than me. Thanks Ben! Jerk….;o)

Unfortunately, some coaches are so set in their ways that they’ll never cross the picket lines. They’re either team bilateral or team unilateral.

How about some middle ground with B-Stance variations?

 

4) Recognize Positions Matter

I’m not referring to Quarterback or Right Fielder here. But rather, joint positions and how that can play into performance in the weight room and on the field.

If you work with athletes you work with extension.

As I noted in THIS post, anterior pelvic tilt is normal. However, when it’s excessive it can have a few ramifications, particularly as it relates to this discussion.

Without going into too much of the particulars, people “stuck” in extension will exhibit a significant rib flair and what’s called a poor Zone of Apposition.

Basically the pelvis is pointing one way and the diaphragm is pointing another way, resulting in a poor position; an unstable position.

Anyone familiar with the Postural Restoration Institute and many of their principles/methods will note the massive role they’ve played in getting the industry to recognize the importance of breathing.

Not the breathing that’s involved with oxygen exchange – evolution has made sure we’re all rock stars on that front.

Instead, PRI emphasis the importance of the reach and EXHALE; or positional breathing.

It’s that exhale (with reach) that helps put us into a more advantageous position to not only encourage or “nudge” better engagement of the diaphragm, but also better alignment….which can lead to better stability and better ability to “display” strength.

NOTE: this is why I’m not a huge fan of telling someone to arch hard on their squats.

 

When joints aren’t stacked or in ideal positions, it can lead to compensation patterns and energy leaks which can compromise performance.

5) You Need to Control Slow Before You Can Control Fast

It’s simple.

Learn More With Elite Athletic Development 3.o

Mike Robertson and Joe Kenn released their latest resource, Elite Athletic Development 3.0 this week.

I can’t begin to describe how much information they cover, but if you’re someone who trains athletes then this is a no-brainer.

Many of the concepts I discuss above are covered, in addition to twelve more hours worth of content over the course of ten DVDs

Point Blank: You’ll learn from two of the best in the biz.

The seminar is on SALE this week at $100 off the regular price, and it ends this Friday (7/22), so act quickly.

Go HERE for more details.

CategoriesAssessment coaching Corrective Exercise Exercise Technique

A Common Mistake People Make With Thoracic Extension

Thoracic (mid-back) extension is kind of a big deal.

Without turning this into an anatomy lesson, t-spine extension is important for a variety of reasons. In no particular order:

  • It’s what the mid-back (T1-T12) is designed to do.  However, due to the long hours many of us tend to accumulate at work and at home in excessive flexion (hunched over, rounded upper back), we lose the ability to get into and maintain extension.
  • In short: “good” posture can become compromised.
  • T-spine extension allows us to get into proper positions to lift things – it’s crucial for overhead activities (or elevating the arms overhead in general), deadlifting, squatting, and helping to offset “sheer forces” on the spine.
  • Lack of t-spine extension means you can never be Batman.12
  • Our scapulae (shoulder blades) are more or mess at the mercy of thorax position. For those who present with a more kyphotic/computer guy posture, the “resting” position of our scapulae can be affected (abducted, anteriorly tilted) which can (not always) lead to shoulder ouchies in addition to scapular dyskinesis.

There are numerous ways to address lack of thoracic extension, the most common being foam rolling the mid-back followed by corrective modalities such as:

Bench T-Spine Mobilizations

 

Rocked Back Extension-Rotations

 

Side Lying Windmill

 

We’d then follow all of that with strength-based exercises – cued well – to help “cement” things. Front squats, for example, would be a great fit here. The anterior placement of the barbell forces the upper back musculature to counteract the forward pull to keep the torso upright; in effect nudging trainees into more t-spine extension.

Another popular approach is to use the foam roller in a different way and pepper in some additional t-spine extension patterning.

You all know the drill: take a foam roller, lie on it, and lean back, waaaaaaay back.

Like this:

While intentions are good in this scenario and there is some mid-back extension happening, it arrives at the expense of movement coming from elsewhere…the lumbar spine (often times with the hips coming off the ground) in conjunction with a massive rib flair.

Thoracic movement is much more subtle than people think. I fear this is one of those cases where many people – fitness industry pros included – have grown infatuated with the notion more ROM (Range of Motion) is better ROM.

Not the case.

What T-Spine Extension on Foam Roller Really Looks Like

CategoriesAssessment Corrective Exercise Product Review

Stretch the Tight?

Note From TG: It’s July 4th. I’m in Maine. There’s no way I was writing a new post today, so I decided to repurpose the post below.

It coincides with Dean Somerset’s Ruthless Mobility, which is currently on sale at half-off the regular price. The sale ends TODAY.

Toodles! 

I started with a new client yesterday. As is the case every time I work with someone new I’ll sit down with him or her (in this case her) and attempt to get all the pertinent information I’ll need to help them achieve their goals and to write an effective training program. Things like injury history, what their training has looked like previously, training preferences, perceived barriers on what’s limited them in the past, favorite 80’s cartoon, you know, all the important stuff.

Please tell me someone out there remembers Disney’s Adventures of the Gummi Bears!?!?! And please tell me someone else out there tried to make their own version of Gummiberry Juice (which, when drunk by humans, gave them superhuman strength) as a kid by combining Mountain Berry Punch Kool-Aid with actual gummy bears???

No? Hahahaha. Well, uh, me neither. That’s just stupid talk!  Yeah, that’s what it is……stupid.

So anyways, along with the brief Q&A I’ll also perform an extensive movement screen so I can gain a better understanding of how someone moves and whether or not they present with any distinct compensation patterns which may (or may not) be “feeding” into their dysfunction or pain.

Many people have been programmed to think that increased range of motion is good – and that the more we have of it, the better off we are.

Yes and no.

For those who are stuck starring at a computer for ten hours a day and have little to no amplitude (ROM) in their daily lives (and as a result have the movement quality of a hipster wearing a pair of jeans 3 sizes too small), working on improving their mobility would absolutely be a priority and help to improve performance in the gym and their quality of life.

For someone like the individual I was working with yesterday, however – who had plenty of ROM, to the point where she was borderline hypermobile, yet still was under the impression she had “tight” hips – going out of our way to “stretch the tight” and work on improving mobility could have more deleterious effects than good.

She came in with a history of left hip/ITB pain, and upon testing her hip internal range of motion on that side, it was limited.

Pretty strange for someone with plenty of laxity, right?

As is par for the course, she has spent years stretching her hip in hopes of improving her mobility in an effort to get better.

It hasn’t worked.  Yet, I was able to improve her hip IR by a good 10-15 degrees in a matter of 30 seconds without “stretching” her hip. It was priceless to see her reaction when it happened.

So, how did I do it?

I’m Gandalf, duh!

Okay, in all seriousness what I did was work on her REACTIVE STABILITY, which is a term that Dean Somerset has tossed around for a while now.

The Cliff Notes Version: the body will limit a movement into ranges of motion it deems to be either risky, pain producing, or “un-known.”

This is often referred to as PROTECTIVE TENSION, which is what the body creates to help support an injured area.

If I test someone’s hip IR and it’s limited I can’t just assume it’s due to shortness or stiffness of specific muscles. It can definitely be a factor and the main culprit for some people, but it’s something I feel far too many fitness professionals gravitate towards because of an archaic mindset or because it’s “what’s always been perceived as the problem.”

As many of you know Dean (Somerset) and I are good friends. If you ever hear a joke that starts with an American strength coach and a Canadian exercise physiologist walk into a bar……

…..it’s probably us.

He and I have done several workshops together and I’ve had the opportunity to see Dean perform his voodoo assessment stuff each and every time. And it never ceases to amaze me.

One of the best “party tricks” he’ll use in our workshops is exactly the protocol I described above. In short, what he’s found (and I can confirm) is that reduced hip internal rotation is often a symptom of something not working and the body will compensate by forcing surrounding musculature to chronically fire and “tense,” impairing ROM, and thus mobility.

To be more succinct:  lack of hip IR = reduced lateral stabilization.

Have someone do a (correct) side plank, have him or her focus on deep, forceful breathing and watch what happens.

Awesomesauce, right?

The side plank helps work on lateral stabilization, which in turn tells the over tensed muscles to chill out, improves reactive stability, which then in turn takes away the “perceived threat” and ROM improves.

It’s not a catch-all for everyone, but you’ll be surprised as to how often it works. I should also note that it’s not something that will stick long-term. Typically the increased ROM will last a few hours, maybe a day. But for something like this to last at least now we know that it’s not a situation where we’re going to tell someone to “just go stretch.” We need to work on improving (lateral) stabilization.

And this is the type of stuff that Dean covers in Ruthless Mobility.

To reiterate, there are PLENTY of people who need to work on improving their mobility in the traditional sense – mobility drills, stretching, etc – and Dean covers that in droves here. So whether you or some of your clients need to work on mobility in specific areas (t-spine, hips, etc), this resource provides a TON of options.

Dean’s not a small human being. He practices what he preaches, and it’s amazing to see how supple he is in his own right! Trust me: you’re going to be watching the videos and think to yourself, “is that Dean Somerset or Houdini?”

But of more value, and more germane to the point(s) I made above, Dean covers stuff that most fitness peeps gloss over or fail to understand altogether. And that’s why I wholeheartedly feel this is THE next “go to” resource on the topic.

Not only do you get 4-5 hours of brilliant content, but you also earn valuable CEUs to boot. So there’s that to consider as well.

Ruthless Mobility is currently on sale at a heavily discounted price, but the sale ends tonight (July 4th). Get on it people. You won’t be disappointed.

—> Ruthless Mobility <—

CategoriesAssessment coaching Corrective Exercise mobility

3 Unconventional Ways to Move Better

Counting today’s post, four out of my last five entries have had a number included in the title. That’s never happened before.

Wanna know what else I’ve never done?

  • Gotten a speeding ticket.
  • Tried calamari.
  • Deadlifted 2000 lbs.
  • Cried to the movie Notting Hill.13

Nevertheless, in conjunction with Dean Somerset putting his Ruthless Mobility resource I sale TODAY (through July 4th) I wanted to share a few thoughts on the topic (mobility/movement/general badassery) that maybe some of you reading would find useful or interesting or mildly captivating.

Captivating like this picture of a kangaroo punching someone in the face:

1. Anterior Pelvic Tilt Doesn’t Always Have to be Fixed, Nor Is It Bad. Everything Will Be Okay. Seriously.

New Client: “I’m so excited to work with you. I was told by my previous trainer I had anterior pelvic tilt.”

Me: “Okay, explain.”

New Client: “Well, I went in for my assessment and he told me I had anterior pelvic tilt and that it needed to be addressed and that he’d write me a program to fix it.”

Me: “I see. How long did you do the program for? And, was it fixed?”

New Client: “I worked with him for eight months, and I don’t know if it was fixed. All I know is that we did a metric shit-ton of stretching, corrective exercise, and very little strength training.”

Me: “Well, that’s unfortunate. Excuse me while I go toss my face into a brick wall.”

Okay, the brick wall comment didn’t really happen…but everything else stated above was said verbatim as I sat down with a new client recently.

Without going into the particulars I went on to state that roughly 7 billion other people in the world “suffer” from anterior pelvic tilt, and that it’s truly reached pandemic levels of clusterfuckedness.

In short: I explained that, aside from scenarios where excessive anterior pelvic tilt may be causing pain or movement dysfunction, having it was not a disease or a scenario which always required intervention.

In fact, APT is considered anatomically neutral. I.e., Your lumbar spine has a natural lordotic curve.

To quote Bret Contreras:

“Is APT abnormal?

No, it’s not. According to a published study by Herrington 2011, 85% of males and 75% of females presented with an anterior pelvic tilt, 6% of males and 7% of females with a posterior pelvic tilt, and 9% of males and 18% of females presented as neutral. Anterior pelvic tilt is also the most common postural adaptation in athletes according to Kritz and Cronin 2008, and it seems to naturally occur with athletes that do a lot of sprinting. Therefore, it’s actually normal for healthy individuals to possess APT, and the average angle of anterior pelvic tilt ranges from 6-18° depending on the study and methods used to determine the angle, with around 12° appearing as the norm (ex:Youdas et al. 1996, Youdas et al. 2000, Christie et al. 1995, Day et al. 1984).”

As I recall, there’s no definitive test or “screen” which can correlate “x-degrees” of APT and one’s vulnerability to pain and dysfunction.

Some people have APT and walk around in considerable pain, while others have APT (even excessive APT) and have no issues what-so-ever.

However, those coaches with an acute eye for assessment and movement can often use a plethora of screens and tests to ascertain whether or not APT may be something that’s needs to be addressed.

To reiterate, APT is not always wrong (or bad)…but it can be problematic once we start allowing ill-prepared people to load the pattern and not only that…begin to add repetitions and/or speed.

Often, it’s the LACK of ability (or our proclivity to refrain from) posteriorly tilting the pelvis when bad things start to happen.14

As Tony B mentions above: There’s a big difference between cueing someone to arch like crazy (and thus encouraging excessive APT, resulting in poor positioning and increased instability) and cueing someone to posteriorly tilt the pelvis to nudge them into a more neutral spinal position.

 

NOTE: As Mike Robertson notes in THIS article, there is no such thing as a bad cue. However, there does exist poor cues when they’re not applicable to the individual or are used haphazardly (because you heard someone else use it).

2. Thoracic Spine Endurance is Often Overlooked

A huge shout-out to Mike Reinold for hammering this point home in a recent Inner Circle I watched on How to Improve Thoracic Extension.

Mike noted that in order to improve t-spine extension it is important to work on mobility (Windmills, Bench T-Spine Mobilizations, Quadruped Extension-Rotations, etc), however we can’t dismiss the importance of ENDURANCE in order to maintain it.

 

Mike also noted that with regards to posture, “sitting upright is fictitious.” The amount of hours many of us spend in a flexed position far out-weigh the number or hours we’re upright. As such, keeping an upright posture is freakin exhausting.

My words, not his.

Building spinal endurance (not strength) is key here.

Don’t get me wrong: strength is (and always will be) important. A healthy dose of horizontal rowing (DB rows, seated rows, chest supported rows, Seal rows) is never a bad thing.

However, when we’re talking about our “posture muscles” – the muscles that need to be on all day in order to keep us upright – endurance is the name of the game.

3. Lack of ROM Isn’t Always Because You Need to Stretch More

The second someone is told that they lack range of motion (ROM) in any part of their body, they’re immediately shown 37 different stretches and ways to “smash” their tissue.

Many end up cranking this joint and yanking that joint till their blue in the face.

One of the more common examples I like to use here is lack of shoulder flexion (or ability to elevate the arms above one’s head).

Many people are unable to do so without some form of compensation via forward head posture, rib flair, and/or excessive lumbar extension. Picture on the left.

The fix can be any number of things: addressing lat length, fighting a zombie, poor anterior core control, poor tissue quality in the pecs/pec minor, you name it.

And none of those approaches would be wrong. Fighting zombies is awesome.

However, stretching tends to be the “go to” modality for many fitness professionals, and frankly it isn’t always the answer.

Oftentimes, taking the time to teach people to get 3D expansion of the rib cage with their breath (front, side, and into the back) and then learning to fully exhale (to get rib cage down and promote better engagement of anterior core) will help to “open up” the thorax.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tested someone’s shoulder flexion and saw an immediate 10-20 degree improvement after having them perform ten good breaths.

I call it my Gandalf moment.

Except, you know, I’m not a wizard.

Did Someone Say Gandalf?

For more insights on the topic and wizard-like shenanigans I’d recommend checking out Dean’s Ruthless Mobility.

You get FIVE hours of content (digital or DVD) from one of the smartest coaches I know on assessment, corrective exercise, and how to get people moving better.

What’s more, CEUs are available AND it’s on SALE at close to 50% off the regular price.

Go HERE and thank me later.

CategoriesAssessment coaching Motivational personal training

3 Questions to Assess Your Clients’ Willingness to Change

You may have heard I’m traveling in Europe.15

Today’s guest post comes courtesy of Canadian health and fitness professional, Dave Smith. He shares some excellent advice on how we can better assess our clients’ willingness to change.

Have you ever had a client who was extremely eager to jump into the health and fitness lifestyle?

They’ve bought their new fancy running shoes, pedometer, sweat pants, and they’re ready to go.

You sense this eagerness, and to help them, you construct an intensive diet and training plan that will help them achieve their goals.

1 week passes – everything is going well.

2 weeks pass – they’ve missed a training session.

3 weeks pass – they’ve missed 3 training sessions and only followed the diet plan for 2 days of the week.

4 weeks pass – they’ve given up. Dieting and training just “isn’t for them.”

We’ve all had these types of clients in the past, and it can be very misleading – one day they’re inspired and motivated to be healthy, the next day they’ve given up and are back to their old ways.

It’s important that when you’re working with new clients, you assess the stage that they’re at regarding to how willing they are to make changes.

You have to see past the initial excitement that they may have, and make a proper assessment of their level of dedication to changing.

The 5 Stages Of Behavior Change

The Transtheoretical Model is a handy little tool that you can use to assess your clients willingness to change – in this case, a change in their training and eating habits.

These 5 stages are:

  • Pre-Contemplation: The person is not planning on taking action at all
  • Contemplation: The person is aware that their behaviour is problematic, and is beginning to educate themselves on the changes necessary
  • Preparation: The person is preparing and is ready to take action in the near future
  • Action: The person is making changes to their behavior
  • Maintenance: The person has now made those changes a habit and is a part of who they are

Using these 5 stages, we are able to assess our clients and their willingness to change.

The Reason Why The Stages Of Change Are So Important

Understanding the stages of change is crucial for being able to properly assess a new client’s ability to build new habits.

For example, let’s look at a new client that we’re working with named Jimmy.

Jimmy’s a cool guy. He’s 32 years old – wife and two kids, works a standard office job.

Jimmy wants to make some real gains. He wants to put on some muscle.

So Jimmy comes to you looking for a training and diet plan that will help him with his goal. He seems extremely eager, energetic and ready to go all out with the new plan that you’ve written up for him.

But you’ve seen this too many times.

Too many times clients have come to you with the energy of a kid in a candy store, only to have that energy drained after a mere three weeks.

Not only have they upset themselves, but it can also can give the impressions that the service you’re providing is sub-par.

The reason why it’s important to recognize the 5 stages of behaviour change is because it allows you to see past the initial excitement and assess your client’s willingness to change in a long-term perspective.

So now when Jimmy comes to you ready and wired, it’s your job to ground his excitement and assess where he’s really at.

Not only will it prevent him from being upset in the future if he decides to drop off at the three week mark, but it also prevents the chance that your reputation is tainted.

3 Questions For Assessing Your Clients

To do this assessment, here are three questions you can ask Jimmy that will bring down the initial wavering excitement levels and decide if he REALLY is ready for change.

1. Have you tried anything previously to make progress towards your goals?

If Jimmy tells me he’s tried everything from calisthenics to Olympic lifting, there’s a good chance that he’s probably in the preparation stage. He’s searching for answers but hasn’t figured out an appropriate action plan.

This is shown by Jimmy’s inability to pick a path and stick with it. This might also tell you that Jimmy is looking for a “magic pill” to solve his problems. Maybe he’s looking for the quick fix rather than sticking with one plan.

2. What, specifically, has stopped you in the past from reaching your goals?

This is where you get to see if Jimmy comes up with an external excuse or not.

If Jimmy tells you he hasn’t had enough time because of work, or because his wife and kids have kept him too busy – you can recognize that he’s probably in either the Contemplation or Preparation stage.

While he sees value in adding more muscle to his frame, his priorities lie elsewhere.

Throwing him into an intensive program is doomed to fail (at this point).

Jimmy needs to be introduced to change more slowly.

3. Using a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being “there’s no way” and 10 being “definitely will do”), would you be able to exercise for _minutes for _days this coming week?

This is the ultimate test of Jimmy’s willingness to change.

In this case, Jimmy says that he’s probably at a 6 when it comes to exercising 45 minutes, 4 times per week: He’s got a lot of commitments next week, but he’s ready to “try his best.”

Is a 6 rating really that convincing?

Do you really want to give a client a task that has at least a 40% chance of failure? (I say “at least” because most clients overestimate their ability to take on change in the beginning!)

Identifying a Willing, Ready, and Able Client

Question #1 gets the ball rolling. It lets you see how new or experienced your client is with training and nutrition, and also his level of interest in these two areas.

Question #2 throws a curve ball to the client. He is perhaps thinking you’re just asking a basic question, but really you’re screening the client to see his attitude and willingness to change.

If your client blames the reason of not reaching their goals on external factors – deflecting the reason to things such as not enough time, too busy with work, the wife not cooking healthier meals or the kids bringing home junk food – then this is a sign of someone who’s in one of the earlier stages of change.

Again, the notion of wanting change is there, but perhaps not at the expense of other enjoyable things in life.

However, if they take responsibility for their actions or lack of, then that’s a good sign of someone who could possibly be ready to get started.

Question #3 is the true test of a client’s willingness to change. “Action speaks louder than words”, and we’re about to find out how loud their actions really are.

Any number they give you shows their level of commitment to following a training and nutrition plan.

  • Any number between 1 and 3 is a sign that they’re probably not ready for much of a change.
  • A number between 4 and 6 is an okay, mediocre response. A small change may be possible.
  • A number between 7 and 10 is a good sign that they’re ready to go. Let’s take them into Action.

Changing Your Plan For Different Behavioral Stages

You can’t give a client an intensive, thorough training and nutrition plan when they’re not ready to change, so it’s important to identify which stage your client is at and adjust their needs from there.

Remember, the majority of them are going to say “they’re ready for everything right now” when their excitement levels are high, but it’s your job to assess how willing they truly are.

Clients that are in the Precontemplation stage need help finding their “why.” Help them see why it’s important to work out and eat healthy. You can relate it to having more self-confidence, living longer so they will be able to spend more time with their family etc.

Once you find their why, keep tapping on that pressure point.

Clients that are in the Contemplation stage will benefit by showing what they can achieve as well as the sacrifices they’re going to have to make to achieve it. Also a basic level of the how to achieve their goals will help them.

 

Clients that are in the Preparation stage will benefit from organizing a custom plan for them. Sorting out times that they’re able to exercise, recipes that are healthy and they also like etc. Anything that is customized for them and moves them towards taking action.

When the client has reached the Action stage, they’re now to start working on the fitness plan that you’ve customized for them. Remember to not jump the gun and start with extreme exercise sessions to begin with. Gauge where your clients fitness levels are at and work your way up from there in small steps.

Once your client is in the Maintenance stage, you’re now able to just keep the ball rolling and help them so they don’t fall back to their old ways. Spice things up every now and then with different exercises, challenges; perhaps increasing their training frequency or adding some extra healthy snacks.

Remember, you’re the professional. You’re the leader. It’s up to you to properly assess a new client and then deliver a program that has the highest likelihood of success.

About the Author

Dave Smith is a professional fitness and weight-loss coach who was chosen as “Canada’s Top Fitness Professional” in 2013. He shares awesome health and weight-loss tips through his blog and podcast that you can find at makeyourbodywork.com.

CategoriesAssessment coaching Corrective Exercise Program Design

A Thoughtful Discussion on Low Back Sparing Strategies. Actually, Less “Thoughtful” More “Meandering”

I often joke that “lifting weights isn’t supposed to tickle.”

When you’re pushing, pulling, carrying, thrusting, and otherwise hoisting things around for the heck of it…you’re bound to end up with a few bumps and bruises along the way.16

Honestly, I can’t think of the last time my body was 100% devoid of any type of soreness or semi-nefarious “huh, well that doesn’t feel fantastic” sort of vibe.

I’m not referring to pain. Nothing that diminishes my ability to live my day-to-day life. Just, you know, sometimes my first step out of bed or sitting down to drop it like it’s hot isn’t the most enjoyable experience in the world.17

(Anyone who’s performed heavy squats the day prior can commiserate).

A lifetime of playing sports and training will do that to a body.

But that’s the point.

Lifting weights and pushing the body outside it’s comfort zone is what allows us to adapt and come back stronger and more resilient; to take on the world (or the squat rack) and tell it to GFY.

All that said: it still sucks donkey balls when the inevitable happens. We take things too far, go too heavy, or move juuuuust the right way for something wrong to happen.

Arguably, nothing stagnates or deflates progress more in the gym than a jacked up lower back.

Statistics will say that we’ve all been there. Or, alternatively, as fitness professionals, have worked with someone who’s been there.

So I figured today I’d shoot from the hip and fire back some quick-hitting suggestions/insights/alternatives to consider when working with someone dealing with low-back pain.

In No Particular Order

1) Except for this one. This is super important.

I’ll kick things off with the grandiose, off-kilter statement that if something hurts…don’t do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1Y73sPHKxw

 

Fucking profound, right?

Dr. Stuart McGill will advocate for provocative tests/screens to be performed – slump test, toe touch, McKenzie drills, etc – in order to figure out the root cause or possible source of someone’s back pain.

The stark contrast should be done outside of that window. It’s imperative as a coach, trainer, clinician, wizard, to demonstrate pain-free movement to the client/athlete. The objective should be to mute or pump the brakes on pain and start to mold more of a “movement quality” campaign.

Dr. McGill often refers to this as “spinal hygiene.”

2) Speaking of Dr. McGill

You should read his book Ultimate Back Fitness Performance. Specifically pages 1-325.

Spoiler Alert: it’s 325 pages long.

A more “user-friendly” text would be his latest book, Back Mechanic.

3) Back to “spinal hygiene.”

The good Doc refers to this as:

“The daily upkeep of your back. It includes your recovery exercise routine as well as changes to your existing daily motions all day long. Success in removing back pain requires removal of the movement flaws that cause tissue stress.”

This could refer to something as simple and innocuous as teaching someone how to sit in a chair properly, or even how to stand up from a chair.

As counterintuitive as it seems, those who have more flexion-based back pain will feel more comfortable in flexion. Likewise, those with extension-based back pain will feel at home in extension.

It’s weird.

So, often, taking the time to clean up activities and endeavors outside of the gym will be of most benefit.

As the saying goes: “we as trainers/coaches have 1-2 hours to “fix” things, and the client/athlete has 23 hours to mess it up.”

Other things to consider:

  • Walking. This is an excellent fit for those with low-back pain. It’s just important to make sure they’re not defaulting in forward head posture and a slouched posture. McGill refers to this as the “mall strolling” pattern. One should be more upright and swing the arms from the shoulders (and not the elbows). This provokes more of a “pertubation” to the body helping to build spinal stability.
  • Grooving more remedial hip-hinge patterns like I discussed in THIS article. Getting someone to dissociate hip movement from lumbar movement is a game-changer..
  • Pigging back on the above, the hip hinge creeps its way into EVERYDAY things like brushing one’s teeth or bending over to pick something up off the ground (golfer’s lift). Anything that can be done to spare the spine (discs) and make it less sensitive to pain is a win – no matter how trivial the activity.

4) Synchronous Movement

Learning to “lock” the ribcage to the pelvis is another key element to managing back pain. The abdominal brace is of relevance here. Basically the entire core musculature – not just any one muscle (ahem, transverse abdominus (drawing in method) – needs to work in concert and fire synchronously to spare the spine and offer more spinal stability.

One drill in particular that hammers the point home is the Wall Plank Rotation.

 

Here an abdominal brace is adopted and the objective is to “rotate” the entire body as one unit, locking the ribcage to the pelvis. Many will inevitably rotate through their lumbar spine and then the upper torso will follow suite.

5) Neutral Spine – Always (But Not Really)

The spine IS meant to move.

Neutral spine is paramount, but it benefits trainees to tinker with end-ranges of motions (in both flexion and extension) if for nothing else to “teach” the body to know how to get out of those compromising positions – especially when under load.

During our workshops together, Dean Somerset will often demonstrate to the trainees how squatting into deeper hip flexion (unloaded, and to the point where butt wink happens) can be of benefit to some people. The notion of learning where a precarious position is (and how to get out of it) is valuable.

I’ll use the simple Cat-Camel drill to teach people that it’s okay to allow the spine move.

 

Also of Note: I’d argue we’ve been so programmed into thinking that all spinal flexion is bad and that a baby seal dies every time we do it, that it’s caused a phenomenon referred to as reverse posturing.

The idea that more and more people are now “stuck” in extension, and thus at the mercy of a whole spectrum of other back issues (spondy, etc).

You can read more about that HERE.

Suffice it to say: we can’t discount Rule #1…helping to build improved spinal endurance/stability.

Plain ol’ vanilla planks come into the picture here.

This:

Not This:

This:

  • Keeping people honest and accountable on proper position (not “hanging” on passive restraints and dipping into excessive lumbar extension) is kinda of important.
  • Rule of thumb is to be able to hold a prone plank 120s, side plank (per side) for 90s. McGill will note it’s a RED FLAG if there’s a huge discrepancy between right/left sides.
  • I prefer more of an RKC style once someone is ready. This helps to build more bodily tension, to the point where everything – quads, abs, glutes, eye lids, everything – are firing. Ten seconds is torture when done right.

However, we can always graduate to less vomit in my mouthish exercises. As much as planks are baller and part of the equation to helping solve someone’s back pain, they’re about as exciting as watching a NASCAR race.

6) A few favs include:

Elbow Touches

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUgz2U65KPc

 

Progressing lower and lower towards the ground.

Farmer Carries – all of them

 

Offset Loaded Exercises

 

I love offset loaded exercises for a variety of reasons. But most germane to this conversation is the fact that there’s a heavy rotary stability component when performing them.

Getting people moving and performing more traditional strength & conditioning drills – assuming they’re pain free and of high movement quality – will help to get them out of “patient mode,” and more excited to stick to the plan.

7) A Few Other Ideas to Consider

Don’t be an a-hole and marry yourself to the idea that everyone HAS to deadlift from the floor and that everyone HAS to pull conventionally.

The only thing people HAVE to do is sign up for my newsletter. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge)

Sometimes we have to set our egos aside and do what’s best for the client/athlete and what’s the best fit for them. I think the trap bar deadlift is a wonderful tool for people with a history of low back pain.

To steal a quote from Dr. John Rusin:

“Without sending you back to Physics 101, the forward position of the barbell causes a less than optimal moment arm to stabilize the core position in neutral while moving some serious loads off the floor.

During the traditional deadlift, the center of mass (barbell) falls in front of your body, therefore causing the axis of rotation of the movement to be farther away from the load itself.  This all translates into increased shearing forces at the joints of the lumbar spine, putting all the structures, including intervertebral discs and ligaments at increased risk of injury with faulty mechanics of movement.”

The trap bar deadlift results in a better torso position for most people and less shear load in the spine. For anyone with a history of low back pain this is a no-brainer.

Use an incline bench rather than a flat bench when programming pressing movements. It’s just an easier scenario for most people and less “wonky” of a position to get in and out of.

Too, program more standing exercise variations – standing 1-arm cable rows, pull-throughs, landmine presses, Sparta kicks to the chest.