A couple of videos from Dr Doug McGuff, on how to train the lower back:
First the physiology:
then the exercises:
hat tip
First the physiology:
then the exercises:
hat tip
I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was taking part in "Dry January". I didn't make a big song and dance about it, but I decided to go for a calendar month or so with no alcohol. A few people have asked me about my experience, so here are a few points. Why take a break from drinking? Alcohol is an interesting topic. As a drug it is widely accepted in society, central to so much of our socialising and leisure. There seem to be lots of health benefits - so we are told - yet there are also a lot of problems in terms of health, relationships and lifestyle that come from drinking. Over a few years I'd begun to become aware and then concerned that I was drinking too much and too regularly. I am in a busy and stressful job and sometimes a glass of wine after work to relax is really helpful. But over time, one glass became two. Two glasses became ....I might as well finish the bottle. A habit got established....and was starting to get too e...
Comments
In the intro of the first video Doug said that they perform these exercises infrequently...so, when should these types of exercises be used? Will performing deadlifts and swings adequately develop these more intrinsic muscles of the low back?
I've been recovering from some lower back injuries from pushing too hard on kettlebell swings while still developing my form. I'd like to not do this too often (obviously), and I wonder about the best way to structure lower back exercises to avoid injury.
The deep lumbar muscles tend to fatigue considerably and have a long recovery phase. We perform direct lumbar work no more often than every 14 days. 14-28 day intervals are fine.
I would not suggest using any skill-based activity (such as kettlebells or Oly lifts) in a fatiguing/conditioning fashion. When form breaks down, injury is much more likely.
This is particularly true for the low back area. As the more superficial muscles fatigue, there can be a sudden shift of load onto the deeper muscles which are smaller and weaker. If you are a kettle bell enthusiast injury is not a matter of if, but when. For those who claim to have never been injured, read Nassim Taleb's story of the Thanksgiving Turkey (get used to being petted and fed for 364 days, then get your head cut off on day 365).
I know this will make a lot of folks mad, but that is my take.
Doug McGuff
Thanks for the response! Your analysis of when injury is likely to occur *feels* right to me, as I typically experience injury when I am near fatigue and my form breaks down.
Thanks, I definitely plan on taking your exercises and recommendations into account in my fitness program.
Boltfit
My experience of being a "kettlebell turkey" was that my first injury was a painful lower back one, which recovered after a week of rest. Unfortunately, I did not take that warning seriously enough, so after 9 months of training I also received a broken forearm which required surgery, a steel plate and 6 screws to repair (I use that word "repair" loosely, it is only a repair in the way the current economic climate can be classed as a "recovery".)
To put that in context, I had trained with weights and other modalities for 24 years by then, and I had also trained others, without myself or anyone else EVER being injured. Only the kettlebell ever injured me. The link above contains comments after the main article which give more detail on this. The last comment on that page references Dr Doug McGuff, which is how I came upon this website.
John Logan
chris @ conditioningresearch.com
I think your experience would make a good guest post for the blog.