We need healthy back muscles to squat, to press, to pull, to push. And for anyone who’s been sidelined by a back injury, you know how important proper back rehab exercises are. Even if you’ve never had back trouble, it’s never too soon to adopt a spine-sparing core and back routine to prevent future trouble.
Dr. Stuart McGill, professor of Spine Biomechanics at the University of Waterloo, in Waterloo, Ontario, has devoted his career to researching and developing the safest and most effective core exercises to address low-back pain. McGill has rehabbed the backs of some of the world’s greatest athletes, taking them from immobilizing pain to pain-free performance.
Unfortunately, too many lifters are performing exercises they are led to believe are good for the back, when in reality, they can actually contribute to new or recurring lower-back pain. What are they? According to McGill, these four rank as some of the most troublesome movements that should be avoided.
The bad
1. Swiss ball crunch: Similar to the movement pattern of the ab crunch machine, the Swiss ball crunch places the same compressive load on the low back with the added risk for disc injury.
2. The ab crunch machine: This motion pulls your back into flexion, placing substantial compressive force on the low spine. Performed repeatedly, this exercise increases the likelihood of disc problems.
3. The torso rotational machine: Repeated side-to-side twisting around the waist wears down the outer layer of the disc. This heightens the risk of the gel-like substance inside the disc to seep out and rub against the spinal nerve causing substantial pain in the low back.
4. The “Superman” movement, which targets the muscles that run the length of the back, imposes a nasty 1,400 lbs of pressure on the hyperextended spine, making it an especially problematic exercise for anyone, with or without back trouble, to perform.
To counter these risky movements, McGill has developed his signature “Big Three” exercises that keep the spine in a neutral position, eliminating compression on the low back and reducing the possibility of injury.
See ‘The Good’ moves on next page.
The good
1. Loaded carries turn on the core muscles to create more stability and stiffness while protecting the back.
How to perform:
Pick up a heavy object (dumbbells, kettlebells) with one or both hands, hold it, and walk for distance or time.
2. The side bridge works the obliques without any of the risks from rotational twisting.
How to perform:
On your side, prop yourself up on one elbow and use feet for support
Top foot should be placed in front of the bottom foot
3. The McGill curl-up: Replace the ab crunch machine with the McGill curl-up. This movement blasts the rectus abdominus without any flexion to the low spine.
How to perform:
Lying on your back, place hands under the small of your back
One knee is bent, one leg extended
Keeping the head and neck in locked position, slightly raise the shoulders off the floor, making sure not to round the shoulders
4. Stir the pot: Ditch the stability ball crunch and “stir the pot” instead. This movement hits the rectus and the obliques while keeping the spine in neutral.
How to perform:
From a pushup position, start with forearms and elbows on the stability ball
Rotate the ball in a circular motion, controlling the core so it does not move
Repeat clockwise and counterclockwise
Putting it all together
Perform each movement using the abdominal-bracing technique to ensure that loads are transmitted through your core and not lower back. To brace properly, imagine being punched in the gut. Your core muscle will automatically stiffen. Brace with every repetition.
Rep/set scheme. Use a Reverse Pyramid routine. Choose number of sets and perform reps in descending order; e.g. set #1, 8 reps, set #2, 6 reps, set #3, 4 reps, etc. This method prevents muscle fatigue from setting in with each successive set, ensuring good form is maintained with every rep.
Time under tension. Hold each rep for 8-10 seconds. Any longer, oxygen demand exceeds supply, resulting in muscle fatigue and loss of form.
For more advanced progressions of these exercises, check out McGill’s book, “Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance.” And for more information on how to self-treat low back pain, check out his new book, “Back Mechanic,” available on Dr. McGill’s website: www.backfitpro.com
