Lower back workshop Crossfit anywhere Feb 21 2016

     This took too long to get to.  Been busy!!

Things to know:

• Lower back issues tend respond best to exercise interventions
• In general I find 3 things that most lower back issues require: A. Soft tissue release B. Stabilization/movement control C. Hip flexibility
• Purpose of the spine is stability (limiting motion) around powerful movers (hips)
• Worst things: 1. Loaded extension with a spine that is not rigid  2. Loaded flexion of the spine

Screening:

• Figure out what hurts.  Is it bending, twisting, reaching, squatting?  Are you moving right or is something limited?  What are your triggers?

Soft tissue release

• Supple leopard book, smashwerx (youtube channel), and many other sources.
• Lower back- release with a lacrosse ball (or tennis ball).  Basically find the painful spots and hang out on them for 30-60" and then find another.
  
• Psoas-Releases with a kettle bell on top of a lacrosse ball.  Same thing, hunt for the painful spots
  
   Or using a lacrosse ball or even larger softball
  
  
  
• Glutes-Release with a ball or foam roller.  This is less trigger point and more of a rolling through the muscle for several passes to loosen.

Stabilization

• This article is fantastic as it relates to core activation.  Essentially we want to learn to use the diaphram to push out and stabilize while also allowing us to breathe.  Versus the model of just tightening the abdominals.  It is a skill and must be attained. 
  

Hip Flexibility

• Hip flexibility is crucial to taking the pressure off of the spine.  If they move more, it will need to move less.
• The 2 things I prefer are as follows:

Ido Portal Squat routine-This sequence is amazing.  For some, sitting on a medball or small type volleyball may be a progression until they can support the stretches free.

Couch stretch-The Ido Portal routine can sometimes make your hips feel closed up and the couch stretch will open that back up

• Hamstrings, piriformis can be added if that is a particular area of tightness.  I'm a big fan of dynamic hamstring stretching in the form of a kick type stretch as follows:

however static stretching is also a fine way to stretch and has its place.

Ankles and calves

• For crossfit, if we want to squat and take pressure off of the spine, we must have flexible ankles and calves to allow the most upright torso.  Calf stretching and ankle joint stretching are easy enough as follows:

Pretty easy to hold for 30-60" a few times each side as needed

Shoulders and T-Spine

• Finally if we are looking at lumbar movement and the ability to control it, we must discuss the implications of raising the arms over head and tightness through the thoracic spine.  If your shoulders or midback are tight, your lower back will often arch to compensate when trying to go overhead with weight.  So as a movement prep to protect your lower back, we advise stretching out the shoulders into over flexion as well as the extension of the thoracic spine.

Movement specific technique and scaling

• Squats.  1. Without proper hip hinge and stabilization control you will have a hard time squatting without excess spinal movement.  This generally is a source of pain.  2. Without adequate mobility (hips and ankles), your torso will be difficult to maintain more upright and this will cause you to lean forward more and expose the back to stress.  3. Great scaling options are front squats, goblet squats, lunges with DB instead of in rack, etc...

• Ballistics.  Box jumps, double unders, coming down from the rig or bar after pullups or toes to bar.  1. These all require care to land with both feet simultaneously.  2. These all require adequate stabilization during the impact portion.  3. Scale with step ups/downs, smaller boxes to gain proficiency, single unders, building up steps to the rig, etc...

• Rowing.  Can be great, can be trouble.  1. If you like the rower and it causes no issues, row.  If it does give you back problems, consider shortening the forward flexing when reaching for the catch.  There is no issue with being less efficient on the row but more protective of your back position.  2. Stabilization in and away from positions of pain become important.  A lower damper setting will reduce torque allowing you to learn to build stabilization abilities over time.

• Running.  Heel strike and vertical displacement.  1. If you are a heel strike type of runner, you will tend to transfer force through chain that can find the weakest link and that can be your spine.  Smaller, more rapid strides tend to help reduce the tendency to heel strike  2. A general way to tell if you are transferring force up through the ground (versus dissipating it through your lower extremities) is if your head seems to be bouncing up and down while you run.  You should imagine running under a line with your head staying as level as possible.

• Deadlifts and Olympic lifting.  1. Working from the hang and doing power versions of Snatch and Clean & Jerk can make it much easier to manage heavier loads and control back pain.  2. Deadlifts off of blocks may be a reasonable scale/starting point until proficency is achieved with proper hip hinging, load tolerance, and/or mobility to achieve pulling from the floor.  3. Must keep a rigid spine throughout entire movement.

• Situps-I prefer the frog situp version (feet together, knees bent) with an ab mat.  Straight leg sit ups are discouraged.

• GHD situps-If you are not going to regionals, I would not do these.  

• L-sits, Hollow holds/rocks-As discussed, the spine was meant to limit movement.  These exercises are fantastic static movement limiters.

• Banded decompression-This is a fantastic way to unload the spine.  It also works well laying on a bench.