ExRx.net

Hear! Hear!

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So I've been following the program for a week now. My chiropractor also advised me to include daily foam rolling (tennisball) of the right glute because he thinks that's the reason for my lower back pain (I do think there are other problems as well but we'll see after a while what's changed).

I think my left glute is finally getting looser due to all the stretching which is nice (my painfull right glute hasn't got any flexibilty problems)!
It's weaker in exercises like BB Stepups than my right one, I don't know what to think of that.

I haven't noticed anything posture-related yet, I'm not sure how fast I can expect results. It's like Harpoon said, it's awkward to walk with good posture as it requires lots of focus.


How do you know you're doing the wrong stretches?

Also another question: how do you know your glutes are properly firing when doing the prescribed exercises (especially snatch grip deadlift and front squat) ?

With stretches, I meant he needed to be more specific with what stretches he was doing and why he thought he needed them. I was trying to extract more information really. Personally, I think people will often include something just because they read somewhere its a good idea.

The purpose of the program as far as I see it is this, you do it to the letter and the resulting DOMS teaches you what muscles do what and when they fired, what that feels like.

As far as how long untill I see results, well, you have to be realistic, you may see a real difference after 6 weeks like me or it may take longer. You just need to suck it up and see it through if you really want the results.

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Well ok then that's what I'll do.
My glutes are very sore and I think it's from the BB stepups, I'm not sure if I properly used them doing snatch grip deadlifts.

I think I've been lifting for too long just thinking about arching instead of bracing the core too.
I find it hard to correctly brace the abs (push it out and 'breathe in through the stomach'), sometimes I forget this or I can't make it feel right and I feel some uncomfortable pressure on the lower back just when the weight comes off the floor. Same feeling with 40kg as with 100kg. This happens like 2 out of 6 sets (almost exclusively on the first rep).
However when I do it correctly the weight feels way more easier than else (I think that's because of more glute involvement as a result of the core that's stronger).

Week 2 over!

Visible posture improvement in shoulder area. In fact it feels uncomfortable/vulnerable to let the shoulders round forward like they used to.
Lower back pain is after one year finally improving, I do need to foam roll the right glute daily, or the next day I will regret it.
I also have the impression that hamstring stretches help relieve a lot of pressure from the lower back, so I will test it out and do it daily for the next week.

A few questions arise though, kinda late:
1. the warmup description for the workouts read: "Precede this session with a dynamic warm-up emphasizing ballistic stretches for the hip flexors, hamstrings, erectors spinae, and IT band", and the same goes for the UB (lats, delts, pecs). I don't know how to do this other than wave my arms around or do some 'good morning bouncing'. What would be a good way to do this, or a better suggestion?
2. I'm not performing the daily 15s stretches. Instead I've been doing 60seconds IT Band stretching (sometimes hams and hip flexors too) because I feel they help me with my LBP / flexibility issues. Is this too much static stretching or should I not diagnose myself and just follow the program?
3. How will stretching the hip flexors help as I believe these are already lengthened when you have anterior pelvic tilt?

Thanks!

Here are examples of a dynamic warmups. I'm sure others have their favorites.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S1q6abG4AI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgxr6xAB5ZM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH5inK4WKXo

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

What is the best sleeping position for people with kyphosis?

I'm beggining to wonder if you've read the entire program/article? Read it ALL. Its all there:

Part 4 contains the lat stretches etc.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... ore_part_i
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... re_part_ii
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... o_more_iii
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... re_part_iv
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... ore_part_v

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Thanks Steward, I will use the last 2 (been using the DeFranco one for a while now). I don't know if they fall under the 'ballistric stretch' category but I'm sure the authors just meant something like this.



I read it all, of course. The lat stretch they explain in part 4 is part of the 'Additional Stretches (to be performed daily)', which I modified a bit.
Because they said 'ballistic' stretches I thought they meant something different. Thanks anyway for the input!

I'm going to start Neanderthal No More (part IV) soon and have some questions.

Re the 'Postural GPP' that is to be done on the off-days. What sort of warm-up should be done before this? Is it enough simply to raise body temperature?

Chin Tucks
Theraband External Rotations
Prone Cobras
Single Leg Knee-to-Chest on Foam Roller
Supine Bridges
Prone Bridges
Side Bridges
Scap Pushups

With regards to the stretches that should be performed daily (Lat Stretch, Good morning stretch, Seated side bend (QL) stretch) I assume it's OK to do these without warm-up? Is there a limit to how many should be done in a day ie. is there such a thing as too much? Once every hour is that OK? Twice a day?

i don't think you would need a warm up for doing those. Those exercises are actually quite similar to what I do FOR a warm up, so don't worry.

As for the stretches, there is no upper limit to how many times you can do them, and yes, its fine to do them without a warm up.

Good luck, and be patient. Posture correction takes a long time.

@robertscott - many thanks for your prompt reply. Good to know as I'll have to fit it around family life.



Indeed I fully expect this to take a while, I have 25+ years of sitting behind a desk/steering wheel to reverse :-)

I'm considering buying a set of resistance bands to do the pulley exercises. Do you think it's a good idea?

Yes. I do the majority of my shoulder pre-hab work with resistance bands. I'm noticing particularly good results from facepulls.

I'm about to embark on this myself. I'll take some before/after/progress photos along the way for your judging pleasure.