Visiting several gyms recently, I saw athletes doing various exercises incorrectly. The exercises in question were those that required good back positioning, such as in the good morning, deadlift, bent-over row, bent-over twist and squat. By doing these exercises incorrectly you can injure the back.
The number of athletes who have been injured because of poor back position (mainly when the back is bent forward or backwards) is quite high because they have not learned proper technique. But even experienced athletes are not exempt from back injuries. So it’s important to learn how to do these exercises safely and effectively.
Most injuries occur when raising the weight from the floor or from a hang (when the weight is between shin and hip level). They occur not only from lifting weights in the weight room but in all forms of lifting at work or in the home.
In the execution of exercises such as the squat or in the typical lift of an object off the floor, you are always told to keep the back straight. But what does this mean and why is it important?
Very often the term straight-backed is interpreted as keeping your spine vertical or straight so that there is no curvature. But this is impossible in these exercises. If you try to hold a vertical position in the squat you would lose your balance and fall.
The correct interpretation of this term is to keep your spine as straight as possible regardless of the angle at which it is inclined. Thus if your spine is at a 40 to 50° angle, as in the squat or parallel to the floor as in the bent-over row and start of the dead lift, it should be as straight as possible while maintaining the normal curves of the spine.
Your back can’t be perfectly straight since is normally arched in the lumbar area. Thus the key is to keep your spine slightly arched (lumbar lordosis) when doing these exercises. By doing this you keep your spine in its normal alignment, regardless of its angle of incline. With this positioning, your spine is in a safe position, regardless of the loads placed on it. Keep in mind that your spine can handle well over 1000 pounds of force!
To keep your back in this position however, requires very strong erector spinae muscles, which run the length of your spine from the sacrum to the head. They must contract isometrically to hold your spine in place and they must be stronger than the loads that are placed on your back. Thus you must not rely on getting a strong back only by doing exercises in which you arch your back but also by doing special strength exercises for the back muscles.
The most effective exercise is the back raise in which your pelvis is firmly secured. The most effective apparatus to use for this purpose is the Yessis Glute Ham Back Machine or a glute ham machine that is sufficiently adjustable to attain the position needed.
When doing the deadlift, many athletes have a tendency to round the back. When your back is rounded, you are hanging by the ligaments and other support tissues. Your spine is not held in proper position by the erector spinae muscles and the pressure on your intervertebral discs increases tremendously. If the pressure becomes great enough and your ligaments are not strong enough, your chances of a spinal injury are greatly increased.
A similar problem arises when doing the bent over row. Instead of keeping the spine in an arched position many athletes relax the spinal musculature while lowering the weight and the back becomes rounded. If the weight is lowered too quickly, it may place excessive strain on the lumbar discs and muscles and cause an injury.
When you lift an object off the floor, the same principles apply. You should keep your back arched as you squat down to pick up the object. If you round your back it becomes vulnerable to injury, especially in the lifting phase.
When you keep your back firmly arched in lifting weights, the action occurs in your hip joints – not in the spine. This is the safe and effective way to lift. You rely on the large muscle of your buttocks and the hamstrings.
However, a problem arises if you have tight hamstring muscles. You will not be able to bend forward as needed in the various exercises. Thus, you must also develop sufficient flexibility in the hip joints so that you can keep your spine slightly arched as you bend over. This is not always an easy task.
In the typical hamstring stretch when you bend over in a standing or sitting position and try to touch your toes, you round your back. This knocks out the erector spinae muscles that hold your spine in place and you end up “hanging” by your ligaments. In time, this will give you a loose back more prone to injury.
The best exercise, therefore, is to do a modified good morning. Arch the back slightly, hold this position and slowly bend forward from the hip joints. Keep your legs straight until you feel a strong pull on the hamstrings. Hold for 6 to 8 seconds and return to the initial stance. Do this exercise 2-3 times daily until you can get your spine parallel to the floor while keeping it arched.
If your hamstring muscles are tight and you wish to do the deadlift, bent-over row and bent-over twist, always use a bent-knee stance. In addition, you should always bend your knees (keeping your back arched) when lifting objects from the floor or from a hang.
Hip joint flexibility also plays an important role in successful execution of the squat. If you have ample flexibility in the hip joints, you will be able to easily keep your back inclined at a 45° angle to the horizontal. In addition, you will be able to go into a full parallel squat while still keeping your feet flat on the floor.
This is the safest and most effective type of squat. It keeps your weight equally distributed on both feet and does not throw excessive force onto your knees, which can be injurious. Also helpful in this regard is to be sure that the knees remain over the feet during the squat.
In conclusion, it is important to maintain a slightly arched spine in all exercises that require a forward lean of the trunk. Not only will this position allow you to execute the exercises most effectively, but it will be the safest.
For more information see Biomechanics and Kinesiology of Exercise.