Session 86

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

1. 

   Exercise 1

   Seated good morning

   2 × 20+

   Hands behind head: your end-of-Phase-3 rung (CAP, no added load); FLAT-BACK neutral hinge

   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)
2. 

   Exercise 2

   Single-leg RDL / hip hinge

   2 × 8-10/side

   Your rung

   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
3. 

   Exercise 3

   Single-leg hip thrust

   2 × 8+/side

   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
4. 

   Exercise 4

   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
5. 

   Exercise 5

   Bird Dog

   2 × 5/side × 5-8+s hold

   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)
6. 

   Exercise 6

   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
7. 

   Exercise 7

   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
8. 

   Exercise 8

   Chin tucks (sitting or standing)

   2 × 8 reps, 8s hold

   How to do it

   1. 1Sit or stand tall with your shoulders relaxed and your eyes looking straight ahead.
   2. 2Gently draw your chin straight back as if making a "double chin," keeping your head level (do not tilt up or down).
   3. 3You should feel a mild stretch or activation at the base of your skull and the front of your neck, not pain.
   4. 4Hold briefly for the prescribed time, then relax and repeat for the recommended repetitions.

   Why this exercise

   Modern life is basically a chin-forward endurance sport. We are sitting at desks, staring at screens...then we go home and stare at more screens while slouching on the couch. Chin tucks help retrain neck flexors while stretching the posterior extensors. This helps correct a forward neck posture that most of us are guilty of. Get ready to show your double chin.

   Make it easier

   • Smaller movement (gentle glide back)
   • Shorter holds
   • Do it lying down (often easier to feel correctly)

   Make it harder

   • Longer holds / more reps
   • Add it into posture breaks (set-based habit)
9. 

   Exercise 9

   Shoulder-blade squeezes

   2 × 8 reps, 8-10s hold

   How to do it

   1. 1Sit or stand tall with your shoulders relaxed. Raise your arms out in front of you.
   2. 2Pull your elbows and arms straight back and imagine trying to touch your elbows together behind your back.
   3. 3If you have access to a gym, or weights, rowing movements or reverse pec-decks are what we're aiming for.
   4. 4Pause briefly at the end position, squeezing and feeling the muscles between your shoulder blades work, then return slowly and repeat for the prescribed repetitions.

   Why this exercise

   When upper back/neck symptoms are part of the picture, restoring scapular control is often a big win. This builds endurance in the "posture muscles" and helps make us aware of what muscles should activate to correct our posture.

10. 

    Exercise 10

    Gentle thoracic rotations (open-book)

    1 × 8/side

    How to do it

    1. 1Start lying on your side with knees bent to 90 degrees and your arms stretched out straight at 90 degrees(open-book position).
    2. 2Slowly rotate your upper body to open your chest, letting your top arm move away from the other than remains on the supporting surface.
    3. 3Move only into a comfortable range, pause briefly, then return to the starting position and repeat for the prescribed repetitions on each side.

    Why this exercise

    A stiff mid-back often forces your low back or neck to move more than they'd like. Open-book helps restore rotation where it's supposed to come from (thoracic spine) in a controlled, comfortable way. Perform this slowly and under control.

11. 

    Exercise 11

    Standing arm sweeps

    1 × 10 reps

    How to do it

    1. 1Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart and your shoulders relaxed.
    2. 2Bring your hands together behind your back or clasp them lightly if your shoulders allow.
    3. 3With straight arms, sweep them out to the sides and then up overhead in a smooth arc while keeping your trunk still and stable.
    4. 4Lower your arms back down in front of you or to your sides and repeat for the prescribed repetitions, keeping the movement comfortable and controlled.

    Why this exercise

    A simple way to open up shoulder motion and wake up the upper back without twisting or bending the trunk. Do your best to not sway or bend your arms. It is okay if your shoulders are a little cranky doing this, they'll warm up to it after a few movements.

12. 

    Exercise 12

    Gentle mid-range cat-cow

    1 × 5-8 reps

    Stay mid-range. Don't flex far into cat

    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.