The common thread that links basically any exercise together is the fact that maintaining spinal integrity is usually paramount, and of prime importance. Many times it goes beyond simply using good posture when performing a big movement – especially if you’re someone who’s more susceptible to spinal pain and injuries (we weren’t all built the same). If you’re someone with a history of chronic pain and injury, it behooves you to prepare a blueprint that looks at each segment of your spine, and goes over troubleshooting tips and exercises to help bulletproof it for anything it has to encounter in or out of the gym.
Cervical Spinal Pain
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The cervical spine consists of the head and neck, to keep things simple. It’s an area most people neglect to train, but the truth is that poor cervical spine health can lead to neck pain, shoulder discomfort, carrying tension in the traps, and even headaches. The truth is, it’s not all about the postural muscles on the back of the neck to straighten you up. Both sides of the body need to be trained evenly to maintain head posture.
Neck Raises
Attack the deep neck flexors by performing this drill for 3-4 sets of 30 second holds. Lie flat on your back with the hands by the head in a double biceps pose. The arms should be flexed at 90 degrees, and make the palms face up. Next, press the arms and hands into the floor and raise the head and neck as far away from the floor as possible; don’t tuck your chin into your chest – keep it as far away as you can. After 15 seconds of this movement you should feel t he fatigue. It’s a great way to start off a workout.
Chin Tucks
Stand tall with your back to a wall, and make sure your shoulders and butt are in contact with it. There’s a good chance your head won’t be touching the wall when you do this. Gently tuck your chin into your neck, and push the back of your head into the wall (you can use a thin pad or towel if it’s too hard on the skull). Drive hard for 6 sets of 10-15 seconds.
A neutral spine goes without saying when performing exercise, but many neglect to include the neck and head in that directive. When squatting, deadlifting, rowing, or doing any other compound movement, remember to ensure that the head follows the torso in every movement it makes. You should never be looking up while performing an exercise – even if it’s been recommended for your “target”. Always use a packed neck when lifting.
Thoracic Spinal Pain
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The thoracic region of the back refers to the 12 vertabrae from the mid back to the top of the lower back. This section of the spine is most called upon for one major function: Rotation. The truth of the matter is, in many lifters, plenty of dysfunction is evident in this very capacity. Insufficient thoracic rotation is usually compensated for by extra rotation in the lumbar region—which shouldn’t really happen (the thoracic region has more than five times the rotary capacity of the lumbar). Passively training the twist component can be instrumental in correcting this pattern:
Kettlebell Passive Rotation
Find a light medicine ball (6-10 pounds is perfect), and place it between your knees as you lie on your back. In one hand, hold a kettlebell at full extension—knuckles to the ceiling. The other hand should be out to the side, as far from the torso as you can make it, planted down for support. Raise the feet off the ground, and allow the knees to move slowly toward the floor on the side of the unloaded arm. Gently touch the ground with the legs and return to the start position. The tricky part is this: you must keep the loaded arm straight and both shoulders in contact with the floor the entire time. Focus on sets of 10 reps per side, and allow the obliques to work hard to create the rotation through the thoracic region.
Lumbar Spinal Pain
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We all know that spinal flexion is lesser desirable compared to neutral, but it’s less appreciated that spinal extension can be damaging to your lumbar health also. Whereas setting up for a squat or deadlift with a rounded low back can be quite dangerous, the answer doesn’t come in the form of arching your back to infinity either. This can cause compression on your vertebral discs, and also tilts the pelvis forward quite aggressively, shutting off the involvement of the glutes and lower abs – both key movements to be involved in major compound movements. Stretch your hip flexors and remember to seek a neutral spine – not an extended one.
Ab wheel Rollouts
This may seem unrelated to the subject matter at hand, but the truth is, if there’s any move that will train your core to counter excessive spinal extension, it’s the ab wheel rollout. With an ab wheel, assume a kneeling starting position, and ensure that your back isn’t arched to start the lift. As you roll the wheel away from you, remember to tuck your hips in and let them “follow” the wheel. Don’t let your back arch. If you do, you’ll feel the added pressure in it right away. If this is something you can’t seem to avoid using full range of motion, set a target at the halfway or 3 quarter point, and work within that range until you get stronger. In your other movements, think of replicating this abdominal feeling in your setup.
Tips To Keep Spinal Pain Away
Choose the Right Supersets
It makes sense for anyone in the habit of lifting heavy to pay attention to what force angles are created on the spine on a regular basis. Moving heavy things will create a lot of compression on the spine whether we like it or not, so paring movements that don’t compound one heavy spinal load upon another can be the saving grace for your spine’s health. Do your best to pair a movement that takes pressure off the spine with movements that load it: Below are a few examples of both:
| High Compression | Low Compression |
|---|---|
| Squat | Hanging Leg Raise |
| Deadlift | Chin Up |
| Overhead Press | Lat Pulldown |
| Loaded Carry | Dips |
| Bentover Row | Bench Press |
Pairing any of the above movements on the left with any of the movements on the right will be something your spine thanks you for in the long run.
Plan Your Workouts in the Morning
You may have heard people say humans are “taller in the morning”. It may sound like an empty adage but there’s actually plenty of truth to it. Laying horizontally for eight hours at night allows the spine to decompress, but also allows excess intervertebral fluid to enter the discs. Once you wake up, your spine needs some time to drain some of this fluid while walking and moving vertically—and it’s one reason people have stiff backs in the morning compared to later in the day once they’ve given it time. This can be a handy tip for someone who’s in the habit of lifting heavy early in the mornings, often before work. Loading up on heavy squats and deadlifts at 6AM may give you more energy, but it may be adding to your spinal pain. If at all possible, plan your workouts to be a few hours after you wake up. If you can’t make that happen ever y day, focus on lower compression movements on your early days to stay out of harm’s way.
Incorporate Isometrics Training
Isometric training (the kind that involves creating forces against immovable objects) can be a big help in the quest for a healthy spine, with very reduced risk for injury. Asking your trunk muscles to resist unwated forces by holding form and technique is healthier for the spine than asking them to create forces and make the spine move which can lead to worsening spinal pain. With that said, in addition to basic front and side planks, try an isometric deadlift pull. Set up a bar under low safety pins in the squat cage, and make sure they’re locked in. Step up to the bar and setup the way you normally would, and then pull with good form for a full 10-15 seconds. The bar should not move. Focus on six sets of 10-15 seconds, and then apply the same setup from a higher position by adjusting the pin height. Repeat the drill for six sets of 10-15 seconds. Finally, the pins to the mid thigh level, and repeat once again.
The science behind this is beautiful: When we deadlift normally, the bar starts on the floor and putting it in motion is the hardest instant. Once kinetic energy enters the scene, we’re being helped by momentum and are only passing through any given segment of the lift for a brief moment. Applying maximal force at each segment can only be made possible by stopping the bar, loading it, making it immovable, and pulling strong. That’s where this comes in handy. The benefits to back strength and resilience when using this method in conjunction with traditional weight training will be far reaching.
