The Lying Back Extension - the Miracle Cure?

Morning All - its a lovely morning here in the UK

And even better for me - today I got out of bed and barely noticed the back pain troubling me this last week. I have been noticing a distinct improvement for the whole 9 days  since I foolishly went too heavy in the deadlift (see previous post last week)

I have done various things - iced at the beginning (although no access to ice immediately after so I used an ice spray - not convinced its anywhere near as good but better than nothing) and anti inflammatory gel rubbed in. I also moved about as much as possible as its far more painful after sitting. And I stretched thoroughly including immediately after the accident (and used a foam roller). The curved back stretch seems to help considerably.

Above all though I have made regular use of the lying back extension.



 I do the main version - superman pose and the legs raised at the same time - 30 reps with a distinct 1 / 2 second pause at the top where I feel the stretch. Straight away the pain relief was fairly obvious. At the beginning the first few reps sparked a little pain and so I would restrict my movement until it hit. After about 6 or 7 reps the back would seem to be fully 'oiled' and I would then go for the full stretch. After 30 reps it was for a little while as if I hadn't any issue.

See my earlier posting today on the video of how to do the lying back extension.

I would pack in as many sets as possible throughout the day and also quickly reintroduced my leg stretching regime as my knee issue requires and also because I believe they're all connected with each other (the problems that is).

So here we are - Day 9. It is still there but a shadow of what it was last week. For an injury to go in such a short time (more or less) is astonishing and I am quite convinced it is the lying back extension that I have to give thanks for. I have been there before - same injury when my son was becoming bigger and heavier but still couldn't walk and I was (badly as it turned out) getting him in and out of the car seat. It worked very well then too and I have often recommended to others with back pain. Now I've had to return in full force to use it again.

I have a resolve to incorporate this into my body weight training regime going forward. The one issue is progression, which as many of you will know by now is the key to strength training (but not in the way I did with the deadlift!!). I guess I can start adding more reps and even wrist and leg strap weights but this again is limited. Beyond that it is probably ultimately replaced by the bridge, but there the problem is that for some years the bridge is about arm strength before the back gets really hit (when you start bending it within the exercise and eventually doing the opening and closing bridges - way beyond me I'm afraid)

But in the meantime I am thankful of how well one exercise is working and how ' normal' I feel again now. Still no dead-lifting for at least another month though!

Happy training!