In this video, I have given an example of what a small workout could look like to help with low back/lumbar stiffness. I say in the video that I haven’t done one in awhile and that’s because I have mixed feelings with exercise videos in general. Even after planning the routine and the why and how I still feel this video is incomplete, along with most other videos.
Firstly, I was trying to be quick because most want information as quickly as possible. I also wanted to make sure the exercise selection was thorough because I feel one or two suggestions would not be enough for the majority. So, the video is over 9 minutes long and I’m talking rather quickly because I have a lot of ground to cover. Even after all of that, I still feel I didn’t put out all the information I could have. There are so many things that someone can do that could affect the outcome of an exercise. Just because you may be doing the exercise exactly the way I showed on the video, you could still be doing something wrong, and that could be a major problem.
Secondly, with any exercise video, it may show you how to do an exercise and you may be able to do it very efficiently and safely. The problem is, do you know if this exercise is good for you? For example, I’ve known a lot of people who have really strong quadriceps (front thigh muscles) and that strength then overpowers the opposing muscle group, the hamstrings (back thigh muscles). If there is a large imbalance, that could mean that your ankles, knees, and hips are at a disadvantage. This is not a good thing and this inefficiency can lead to injuries down the line that can be serious. So just because someone does an exercise well, doesn’t mean that exercise is helping them. It could be supporting an imbalance, therefore increasing your chance for injuries. Knowing if an exercise is right for you is why personal trainers have jobs. Our job is to evaluate movement quality and see where the body needs to progress to create efficient and safe movement.
Lastly, this workout is one that I think is really effective for the slouching posture situation that many of us are in especially at this current time. I can’t be there for every rep of an exercise, but if I was, I would encourage embodiment during each rep. I Can go into much more detail in a future video, but for now I will give a brief summary of what I mean. Embodiment is something that I base all of my training around and something that I am writing about in a book that I am currently working. Most of us are taught from a young age to push through the pain or ignore the pain that comes with exercise. Muscle fatigue is sometimes good to push through if done correctly, but joint pain is always something you want to avoid pre or post injury. If you are doing an exercise and your knee hurts, don’t push through that. Ask yourself why, see if you can do anything to prevent it. Most importantly, talk with a professional to see if/how your body is imbalanced and what is needed to correct this dysfunction. Having an imbalance is not such a rare thing. I haven’t met anyone that doesn’t have some sort of movement dysfunction and I’ve been doing this for a long time.
This article is not meant to scare anyone, but rather to show the importance of how important it is to do what your body specifically needs. If unsure of the correct strength exercises for your body I would recommend working with a trainer and if that’s not an option maybe focusing on cardiovascular health would be the best solution until you can see a professional. This saying will always be true: “Fitness is not a one-size fits all approach”. I hope that you enjoy this workout and please let me know if you need any questions or feedback! Stay safe and healthy. If there is anything I or anyone here at Ampersand Integrative Wellness can do, please reach out to one of us.
Jesse Hershey
Personal Fitness Trainer
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