Correct. Would not do forward bends (as in spinal flexion), between sets, or even for a while after S&S. Any other time shouldn't hurt, but personally I don't really ever try to put my spine in flexion. Hip hinge is the better way to forward bend, with knees bent if necessary, with basically a flat back. That's just my preference. I've noticed that some backs naturally flex more than others... mine has always tended to be a non-flexion type, and even more so as I've developed more stiffness and strength from heavy lifting.
Many thanks. Flabbergasting! So Jefferson curl is out then! I will stick to hip hinge hamstring stretch. How does one lengthen the lower back then?Correct. Would not do forward bends (as in spinal flexion), between sets, or even for a while after S&S. Any other time shouldn't hurt, but personally I don't really ever try to put my spine in flexion. Hip hinge is the better way to forward bend, with knees bent if necessary, with basically a flat back. That's just my preference. I've noticed that some backs naturally flex more than others... mine has always tended to be a non-flexion type, and even more so as I've developed more stiffness and strength from heavy lifting.
Many thanks. Flabbergasting! So Jefferson curl is out then! I will stick to hip hinge hamstring stretch. How does one lengthen the lower back then?
personally I don't really ever try to put my spine in flexion. Hip hinge is the better way to forward bend, with knees bent if necessary, with
@Pavel Macek could tell us more about when/how/why the Jefferson curl could be done. I've not ever done it, myself.
As for hamstring stretch and lengthening the low back -- What is the objective?
Thanks. I've done yoga throughout my life in which forward and backward bends are fairly balanced. My understanding when doing forward bends with spinal flexion was that I was decompressing my discs.@Pavel Macek could tell us more about when/how/why the Jefferson curl could be done. I've not ever done it, myself.
As for hamstring stretch and lengthening the low back -- What is the objective?
Thanks. I've done yoga throughout my life in which forward and backward bends are fairly balanced. My understanding when doing forward bends with spinal flexion was that I was decompressing my discs.
A few thoughts on the Jefferson Pike Curl.
I was a competitive gymnast when I was young, until I was 16, and practiced the weighted pike curl as we called it quite often.
I carried on practicing it for the next 10 years in my career as an MMA fighter.
Most athletes were very young so Jefferson Curl was not used that often. Only when a full pike was achieved with strict posture (knees to nose with straight back) were we allowed to perform the Pike curl, and to start with only with an empty bar which I believe was 5kg. Strong athletes increased VERY slowly with weight.
I've seen a few athletes injure their hamstrings/back of the knees by performing this movement going to heavy, or pull their back. In the end when I switched full time to MMA, I decided to only practice the static stretch with weight for time, and not the curl up movement. I'd stand with the weight, slowly lower into pike and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Usually with 24kg, the heaviest I've done was with a 32kg kettlebell. Even with a full pike and 550lb deadlift, 32kg was pushing it for a weighted pike for me.
Whether with movement or static stretch, the weighted jefferson curl/pike is something to take great caution with. I definitely wouldn't recommend doing it heavy unless you're very strong and flexible and even then would ease into it. And consider focusing on the static weighted stretch rather than the movement, I've seen strong and flexible gymnasts pull their back and hamstrings with this one.
Definitely not one to perform in between sets of a stretch movement involving the posterior chain.
Just some thoughts to consider. But if it works for you, that's awesome. For me personally, the weighted stretch had less risk and more results.
Thanks. Are swings a stretch movement, then? I had assumed that they were shortening my hamstrings.
Thanks. Are swings a stretch movement, then? I had assumed that they were shortening my hamstrings.
My apologies. I meant to write 'strength movement.'
I'm not an expert (just through reading prof McGill book to fix my problems) but AFAIK to avoid back problems it is better to maintain the spine neutral, expecially under loads. So you have to use the hip and not the back for power movement.Thanks. I've done yoga throughout my life in which forward and backward bends are fairly balanced. My understanding when doing forward bends with spinal flexion was that I was decompressing my discs.
Currently I want to work on getting more comfortable with the 24kg two arm swings in five minutes and slowly introduce 24kg one arm swings.In Simple and Sinister Pavel writes that you should be able to do 10x10 one arm swings in 5 minutes comfortably before progressing the weight. He says the goal is 1:1 Work-Rest-Ratio, so 15 seconds work and rest for each set. When I timed my sets I noticed it takes me around 18-19 seconds at maximum effort, making my rest time pretty short when aiming for the 5 minutes. I tried both two arm swings with 24kg and one arm swings with 16kg. I can do both in 5 minutes anyway (16kg one arm Sarkari Result Pnr Status 192.168.1.1 comfortably and 24kg two arm barely). Currently I want to work on getting more comfortable with the 24kg two arm swings in five minutes and slowly introduce 24kg one arm swings.