Hi Friend,
Last time, we talked about the crippling cost of back pain and the misery it can cause. We also mentioned some of the preventative measures you can take and showed how exercise tackles the “back pain time-bomb.”
And that’s not all…
If you missed the inspiring story about Russian kettle-bell coach, Pavel Tsatsouline’s dad (well worth a read), you can find the link at the bottom of this email.
So, continuing from last week, I want to share 3 super-simple training tips that will help safeguard your spine:
1. DON’T DO DEADS IN THE MORNING
You deadlift, right? Sure you do. But did you know WHEN you exercise can impact your results?
It’s true. Spine-compression exercises like the deadlift can seriously put the pinch on your lower back if you train in the mornings.
Choosing to work out early can be a real health hazard, as a study in the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation shows. Research revealed that subjects who avoided activities during which they had to bend over in the early morning significantly reduced the number of reported back pain days.
So how do you safeguard your spine? It’s easy. Spend at least three or more hours moving around before doing any spine-compression exercises like deadlifts.
2. STRETCH FOR SAFETY
Professor Steven Bevan is the director of the Centre for Workforce Effectiveness at the Work Foundation. He recently claimed that “sitting is the new smoking” before adding: “The more sedentary you are, the worse it is for your health.”
In addition to hammering your health, sitting for long periods also puts a hit on your hip flexors. When this happens, the flexors tighten and lose range of motion resulting in lower back problems.
So what’s the solution? You gotta stretch!
Science shows there’s no better way to prevent back pain, and here’s the really cool part — it’s easy.
To stretch your hips, drop into a lunge position on the floor and squeeze your glutes as your push your hips forward. Hold for 30 seconds, switch and repeat. Your painful posterior will thank you for it.
3. LIGHTEN THE LOAD
We all want to lift heavy, agreed? But lifting heavy all the time can often be a recipe for disaster, especially if you suffer with a problem back.
The simple way around this, is to periodically lighten the load.
Here is what you do:
At your next workout, cut all your training weights by 20%.
Worried you’re going to lose strength and size by going light? Don’t be. All the latest data shows mixing up your loads and rep ranges not only aids the recovery process, but helps you add muscle too.
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Did you miss last week’s email? No problem. You can now find it posted on my site below.
To learn how exercise tackles the lower back pain “time-bomb”, see
LOWER BACK PAIN REMEDY
Until next time,
Squat for Glory!
Lee
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