Two Common Training Mistakes That Can Cause Spinal Injury
Cervical Flexion During Exercises
Neutral spines are important, which usually involves a sturdy, natural back arch and high chest and ribcage position. For some reason, however, the cervical spine gets no love when it comes to ideal positioning. Now, the talk about cervical spine extension has been touched on in many an article. The cues of not to look up to the ceiling when deadlifting, doing push ups, or other movements isn’t that anomalous to come across in fitness training literature, due to the compression that can be placed on the discs. But going the other way – into spinal flexion – is worth a mention.
Many lifters will “get in their groove” and grind a solid set of standing biceps curls by looking down to the floor, or even at the biceps themselves while lifting. Another example would be lifting the head up off the flat bench when pressing, so that only the upper back and butt are in contact with the bench. It’s an easy habit to slip into without fearing any negative repercussions, due to the otherwise technically sound mechanics and setup.
Take Care of Your Spine
The take-home point is this: It’s important to remember that the vertebrae are treated with such special care when weight training because it encases the spinal cord, which receives stimuli from the brain and sends it to nerves, which fire your muscles. These vital processes can be inhibited when the cervical spine is held in a compromised or awkward position (like flexion) that can act to dull that electrical current. In other words, keeping the cervical spine neutral matters just as much as it does for the rest of the spine, in order to get the most out of your lifts – especially when it pertains to the upper body.
Back Hyperextension During the Standing Press
Lifters with muscle are big. Lifters with muscle are also tight.
Tight muscles are the number one reason chronic injuries develop in the first place, and less than desirable positions are achieved to perform exercises, instead of the ideals. The standing press is the first move that comes to mind when it comes to a tight body making compromises. A solid back arch is a good thing, but the overarch is a killer. That causes compression of the lumbar spine, which is bad news bears when it comes to bearing loads. It could lead to a symphony of problems, to the tune of herniated discs and posterior chain dysfunction.
What is the fix?
What we need to do is create more mobility and range, and starting your workouts with shoulder dislocates is one of the easiest ways to get this done.
A Tissue Issue
The ability to make tight muscles looser comes from improving their tissue quality, not just stretching the snot out of them for an ever so temporary fix. Foam rolling and lacrosse ball rolling can serve as vital tools to release the tissue that prevents the lower spine and pelvis from maintaining the ideal positions. Key areas to work on:
- Lats: These muscles internally rotate the shoulders, and tight lats can promote poor posture through the mid back, which could mean compensation through the lumbar region. Plus, they’ll prevent overhead positions from being reached optimally.
- Pecs: Tight pecs will prevent you from opening your arms wide. It’s that simple.
- Glutes and hamstrings: Improving their tissue quality will allow them to “take” more to exercises that are meant to hit them directly. Supple muscle tissue will have an easier time activating in full.
- Hip flexors: Tight hip flexors contribute to forward momentum of the pelvis. The by product is a nasty back arch, so lacrosse ball those bad boys!
Conclusion
These minor fixes can do major damage when it comes to improving your lifting techniques and busting through some long-standing plateaus. And doing so in a safe way. Even if it may mean biting the bullet and decreasing the weight you can lift by 15 or 20 percent, your body will thank you now. And later.
FAQs
- How do I prevent cervical spine flexion during exercises?
- Make sure to maintain a neutral spine position during exercises, and avoid looking down or away from the direction of movement.
- What are the key areas to focus on when improving tissue quality?
- Lats, pecs, glutes, and hip flexors are key areas to focus on when improving tissue quality.
- How do I improve tissue quality?
- Use foam rolling and lacrosse ball rolling to release tense tissue and improve flexibility and mobility.
- What are the benefits of improving tissue quality?
- Improved flexibility and mobility, reduced risk of injury, and enhanced overall lifting performance.