Session 82

Some soreness during exercise is normal. Sharp, escalating pain is not.

1. 

   Exercise 1

   Seated sciatic nerve slider

   20+ slow reps/side

   Preferred slider. Can't comfortably hold your leg up? Swap in the lying slider: same drill, with the floor doing the holding. ⚠️ Peripheralizing (symptoms moving DOWN the leg) → stop. Centralizing (retreating toward the spine) → continue. Progressive weakness, saddle numbness, or bladder/bowel changes → seek medical care.

   How to do it

   1. 1Sit tall near the front edge of a chair with both feet flat on the floor.
   2. 2Bring your leg and chin up together: straighten your working leg out in front of you while you lift your chin and look up. The leg stays extended from here on.
   3. 3Now sync your ankle and your head. Pull your toes back toward you as your chin lifts up, then point your toes away as your chin drops down toward your chest.
   4. 4Repeat that rhythm, slow and steady, for 20 or more reps, then switch legs. The rhythm matters more than the range: ankle and chin move together, like they're on the same string.
   5. 5STOP rule: if symptoms spread further DOWN your leg (peripheralizing), stop for the day. If they draw back UP toward your spine (centralizing), continue. Progressive weakness, saddle or groin numbness, or any bladder or bowel changes mean stop and seek medical care.

   Why this exercise

   This is the preferred slider because the synchronized head movement keeps neural tension low. When your toes pull back, the nerve is tugged from the bottom end; lifting your chin at that same moment feeds in slack from the top, so the nerve slides through its path instead of being stretched at both ends. Floss sliding back and forth, not a rope pulled tight.

   Make it easier

   • Can't hold your leg up comfortably? Use the lying slider instead; the floor does the holding.
   • Soften the knee; the leg doesn't need to be perfectly straight.
   • Smaller ankle and head movements.

   Make it harder

   • More reps (25-30 per leg) before anything else.
   • A slightly straighter knee, only if symptoms stay calm.
2. 

   Exercise 2

   Standing hamstring stretch

   1 × 20-30s/side

   Only now that symptoms have subsided. Stop if leg/nerve symptoms return

   How to do it

   1. 1Stand facing a low step or sturdy support and place one heel on it with the knee straight or slightly soft.
   2. 2Keep your chest up and a gentle arch in your low back, then hinge forward slightly from your hips.
   3. 3Lean until you feel a comfortable stretch along the back of your thigh, avoiding bouncing or forcing the position.
   4. 4Hold for the prescribed time while breathing, then return to standing and repeat on the other leg.

   Why this exercise

   Think of the standing variant as a mobility-friendly version of the seated stretch. Same goal, but easier to get into and easier to keep a neutral spine, and you can do it quickly on almost any raised surface.

   Make it easier

   • Lower the height of the support
   • Softer knee (slight knee bend)
   • Shorter holds

   Make it harder

   • Slightly higher support
   • Longer holds
   • Add a gentle hip hinge (not rounding) to target the hamstrings, not your discs
3. 

   Exercise 3

   Figure-4/piriformis stretch

   1 × 20-30s/side

   Maintenance: bent knee + neutral spine

   How to do it

   1. 1Sit on a chair or lie on your back with both knees bent.
   2. 2Cross one ankle over the opposite knee so your leg forms a "figure-4" shape.
   3. 3Gently lean your trunk forward (if sitting) or draw the uncrossed leg toward your chest (if lying down) until you feel a stretch in the buttock and outer hip of the crossed leg.
   4. 4Hold for the prescribed time without bouncing, then relax and repeat on the other side.

   Why this exercise

   This is a personal favourite of mine, and I swear by performing this daily. This is a common stretch recommended to those with sciatica as the piriformis muscle sits right near the sciatic nerve (and for some poor people, the nerve runs right through the piriformis muscle). Stretching this muscle may help with nerve compression. This stretch reduces tension in the piriformis, hip extensors, and external rotators.

   Make it easier

   • Do it lying down on your back (often easier to control)
   • Don't lean your torso into the stretch very much
   • Shorter holds

   Make it harder

   • Slightly deeper stretch over time (lean deeper with torso)
   • Longer holds
4. 

   Exercise 4

   Hip flexor stretch (half-kneeling)

   1 × 20-30s/side

   Maintenance: ribs down, don't arch

   How to do it

   1. 1Kneel on one knee with the other foot flat in front of you, both knees at roughly 90 degrees.
   2. 2Squeeze the glute of your kneeling leg, tighten your lower abs, and push your pelvis forward slightly. Don't arch your back. Stay upright.
   3. 3Lift the arm on your kneeling-leg side straight up toward the ceiling, keeping your ribs down.
   4. 4Lean slightly deeper into the stretch (pain permitting) while maintaining a neutral spine. A subtle lean toward the opposite side can increase the stretch.

   Why this exercise

   Tight hip flexor muscles can pull your spine into extension. The psoas major in particular can pull your lumbar spine into excessive arching (hyperlordosis) and contribute to anterior pelvic tilt. Reducing tension in the hip flexors helps reduce this pull on the spine.

   Make it easier

   • Keep your arm down instead of reaching overhead
   • Decrease depth of the stretch

   Make it harder

   • Increase depth of the stretch
   • Reach and lean farther
5. 

   Exercise 5

   Gentle mid-range cat-cow

   1 × 5-8 reps

   Introduced now that symptoms have settled. Mid-range only

   How to do it

   1. 1Start on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
   2. 2Gently round your back up toward the ceiling (like an angry cat), staying in a comfortable mid-range rather than pushing into strong end-range. Only extend until you feel mild stiffening and then do not pass that range.
   3. 3Then slowly let your back sag slightly toward the floor (cow position), again staying in a mild, comfortable range.
   4. 4Move smoothly between these two positions for the prescribed number of repetitions, keeping your breathing relaxed and easy.
   5. 5Slow and controlled. Do not extend and arch aggressively and do not continue through painful motion.

   Why this exercise

   Motion can be medicine. Mid-range cat-cow helps reduce stiffness and reintroduce comfortable movement without cranking into end-range, which is where a lot of people get into trouble. This gentle exercise is intended to decrease stiffness and liberate motion - not to test how far you can round your back in each direction. In fact, that's the opposite of what we want to do. This exercise should be performed carefully and not immediately after waking up. Performing this exercise to the 'end range' in either flexion or extension can elicit pain for those suffering from back pain.

6. 

   Exercise 6

   Seated good morning

   2 × 20+

   Hands behind head: your end-of-Phase-3 rung, strict neutral spine

   How to do it

   1. 1Sit tall on a flat bench or the edge of a firm chair with your feet wide apart and knees bent so that your heels are roughly beneath your knees.
   2. 2Breathe in and brace your core.
   3. 3Hinge forward slowly while maintaining your brace and a neutral spine.
   4. 4Fight to keep a straight back and stop the movement when you feel that your back may begin to round.
   5. 5Drive down through your feet and push your hips forward into the bench to return to the starting position.

   Why this exercise

   A seated position increases stability and lets you build confidence with hinging at the hips before you try it standing. The extra stability means 100% of your attention can go to moving through the hips with a locked, neutral spine.

   Make it easier

   • Micro-hinge: lean only as far as stays comfortable, build over time
   • Rest your hands on your thighs to support your torso
   • Drop down a rung of the lever ladder

   Make it harder

   • Climb the lever ladder (longer lever = harder): (1) hands on thighs
   • Arms crossed on your chest
   • Hands behind your head (do not push your chin down)
   • Hug a weighted object to your chest (a book, water jug, or filled bag)
   • Increase the depth of the hinge (back must not round into flexion)
7. 

   Exercise 7

   Single-leg RDL / hip hinge

   2 × 8-10/side

   Your rung: neutral spine

   How to do it

   1. 1Position yourself near a supporting surface for your hand.
   2. 2Stand tall on one leg with that knee slightly unlocked (not rigid) and gently brace your core.
   3. 3Tip your chest forward while moving the raised leg straight out behind you.
   4. 4Stop when torso and trailing leg are roughly parallel to the floor, or sooner if balance shifts or your back begins to round into flexion.
   5. 5Squeeze the standing-leg glute and pull your hips forward to return to standing.

   Why this exercise

   This is a step up from the standing hip hinge. Standing on one leg asks far more of the glutes, hamstrings, and the small stabilising hip muscles, while still teaching your back to stay neutral.

   Make it easier

   • Drop back to the standing hip hinge and build strength there
   • Let the trailing toes lightly brush the floor for balance
   • Press more firmly into the supporting surface

   Make it harder

   • Reduce support: full hand support
   • Fingertips only
   • Light or no support
   • Hold a light weight in the hand opposite your standing leg
8. 

   Exercise 8

   Single-leg hip thrust

   2 × 8+/side

   Neutral top

   How to do it

   1. 1Sit on the floor with your upper back against the edge of a sturdy couch or bench, knees bent and feet flat about hip-width apart.
   2. 2Lift one foot off the floor, holding that knee bent toward your chest, and gently brace your core with your ribs down.
   3. 3Drive through the heel of your planted leg and squeeze that glute to lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to the working knee.
   4. 4Keep your hips level (do not let the lifted side drop), pause at the top, then lower with control and repeat before switching legs.

   Why this exercise

   Building real single-leg hip power means your glutes can handle stairs, hills and standing up off the floor without your back taking the strain. With one leg carrying the whole load through a full range it's the hardest rung of the glute ladder and the biggest payoff for protecting your spine, and it still asks nothing of your back.

   Make it easier

   • Drop back to the double-leg hip thrust
   • Drop back to the single-leg glute bridge
   • Lifted-leg toe lightly touches for support
   • Smaller range, fewer reps

   Make it harder

   • Add a 3-5 second pause at the top
   • Weighted object or loaded bag across your hips
   • Slow the lowering phase right down
9. 

   Exercise 9

   Step-ups

   2 × 8-10/side

   How to do it

   1. 1Stand facing a stable low step or platform with your feet about hip-width apart.
   2. 2Place one foot firmly on the raised surface, lean your body slightly forward over that leg, and gently brace your core.
   3. 3Push through the heel of the front foot to straighten that leg and bring your body up onto the step.
   4. 4Slowly lower back down with control, lightly tapping the other foot to the floor before repeating for the prescribed repetitions on each leg.
   5. 5Stairs are a great location for this as they often have railings for additional balance support.

   Why this exercise

   Step-ups are simple, functional leg strength with built-in balance work. Great for building walking/stairs capacity and easing back into 'real life strength' without needing a gym setup.

   Make it easier

   • Lower step
   • Hold a railing or fingertip support
   • Reduce reps and go slower

   Make it harder

   • Higher step/platform
   • Add load by holding a weight in one hand
   • Slow eccentric (3-4 seconds down) if your next-day response behaves
10. 

    Exercise 10

    Bird Dog

    2 × 5/side × 5-8+s hold

    Strict neutral spine

    How to do it

    1. 1Start on hands and knees with your knees directly below your hips and hands below shoulders.
    2. 2Breathe in and brace your core, then slowly extend one arm forward and the opposite leg back without letting your low back sag or twist (the raised arm and leg should be parallel with the floor). Hold for the prescribed time in the extended position, then return and switch sides.

    Why this exercise

    Life is basically 'keep your trunk stable while a limb does something.' Bird dogs trains that skill. Another favourite of Dr. Stuart McGill's and the final exercise of his 'big 3'.

    Make it easier

    • Arm-only reach
    • Leg-only reach (toe slide back)
    • Shorter holds

    Make it harder

    • Longer holds and more repetitions
    • Slower tempo (3-5 seconds out, 3-5 back)
    • Increase the width of your hands and knees on the floor (the width of your base)
11. 

    Exercise 11

    Front plank

    2 × 30s+ (your end-of-Phase-3 plank)

    How to do it

    1. 1Set up face down with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly under your shoulders, and your feet (or knees) behind you.
    2. 2Take a breath in and brace your core hard, then lift your hips so your body forms one straight line from your head to your heels (or knees).
    3. 3Squeeze your glutes and gently tuck your tailbone so your low back does not sag toward the floor.
    4. 4Hold for the prescribed time, breathing steadily, then lower with control and rest.

    Why this exercise

    A braced, stable trunk lets your spine stay still and protected while your arms and legs do the work, which is exactly what spares your back during everyday lifting and carrying. The plank is the step up from the curl-up: instead of a small lift you hold a full-body brace against gravity, so it builds far more whole-body core endurance.

    Make it easier

    • Plank from your knees
    • Hands on a raised surface (a couch or bench)
    • Shorter holds

    Make it harder

    • Knees, then full plank on your feet
    • Long-lever plank (walk your elbows further forward)
    • Feet-elevated plank (toes up on a step)
    • Longer holds
12. 

    Exercise 12

    Side Plank (from feet)

    2 × 20+s/side

    How to do it

    1. 1Lie on your side with your legs straight, elbow under your shoulder, and body in a straight line from elbow to shoulders.
    2. 2Lightly brace, then lift your hips so your body forms a straight line; hold for the prescribed time, breathing steadily, then lower with control and repeat on both sides.

    Why this exercise

    Same idea as the knees version, just more difficult due to the longer lever from being on your feet instead of your knees! This is the middle rung of the side-plank ladder.

    Make it easier

    • Back to knees version
    • Stagger feet for a wider base
    • Shorter holds with perfect alignment

    Make it harder

    • Longer holds
    • Lift your top leg a few inches and hold it (abduction) while you brace
    • Add resistance (a weight or object) onto your side while you hold