“Do not assume that what feels natural is the best way to move.” – Gray Cook
I had a client - this is a true story - who often came in after
a night of “pleasure” dragging like he was beaten by a mob. Hands on hips, he winced
with each step. What the heck was he doing – or trying to do? I didn’t have to
wonder about his exploits. I knew the reason he was hurting.
His ass was weak.
Let me explain. I hesitate to call this a textbook case only
because of the act involved, but it reaffirms what I preach to my clients - and anyone else who will listen: the need to
activate and strengthen the glutes. If they’re not firing – and this poor guy’s
clearly were not – even routine activities like bending over, bending down, standing
up or sex, can become painful. As I
explained in a video last week, the body will find a way to get things done –
even if it is, ultimately, to its detriment.
“There are many
different ways the body can move. Some are efficient and some are not. It is
possible for an athlete to perform well even when poor form is used. But
eventually the athlete will experience breakdown, inconsistency, fatigue,
soreness and even injury,” writes Gray Cook, the pioneering physical therapist
and strength and conditioning coach.
For efficient movement you need good glutes. The gluteus
maximus is a large muscle with many functions, one being to extend the hips. Tight
hips and weak glutes compromise that ability, affecting the way you walk, run,
jump – and more. The brain senses this shortcoming and, in my client’s case,
calls on the low back to help thrust the hips back and forth. Bad move.
Why? The primary job of the lumbar spine is stability, not
mobility. So you’ll never see me or my clients on a back extension machine bending
all the way to the floor or doing weighted side bends. For safety and
effectiveness, you’re much better off doing a walking unilateral suitcase carry
with a 25-pound plate or more. This forces true core stability as the muscles
of the trunk must contract in order to keep you tall and upright.
Mobile hips and strong glutes are the back’s best friends. Muscles
absorb and produce force. Your gluteus maximus is one of the strongest muscles
in the body. Well, it should be. If it’s weak, the body compensates and develops
bad movement patterns, most of which increase the risk of injury.
Cook, creator of the Functional Movement Screen, which has
become the standard in assessing athletes, calls the spine a “victim.” If your back hurts, look for dysfunction above
or below. It is there, in many cases, where you will find the culprit. My own back
misery years ago had little to do with the spine itself. It stemmed from working
two desk jobs and sitting 15 hours a day, tightening my hip flexors and weakening
my glutes.
Back pain frequently is a symptom. You must find and treat
the cause. And then you can treat yourself to more of life’s simple pleasures –
whether that’s playing with the kids, the grandkids, golfing, gardening or,
yes, even sex - pain free!
Contact me with any questions about personal training, small group or corporate training. E-mail - robhadd@hotmail.com
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