My left Quadratus Lumborum is jacked. I think it's because I carried my heavy gym bag (full of groceries) home the other night, slung over my right shoulder. I got a rugby match this Saturday.

What can I do to help the pain? Stretching? Hot/cold?

Hey Eric. I was wondering if you had any suggestions on how to sleep on your back. I've pretty much always slept on my side, and it's definitely taking its toll on my shoulders. When I lay down now, I put two pillows under my knees so that my spine is more neutral and I feel really comfortable, but my habit of sleeping on my side negates the fact on forces me to roll onto my side, even though it hurts to sleep like that!

Thanks for your input,
BT

Hey Eric.

I'm a rugby player here in NZ. I'm 21 and currently obviously play in the men's grade. My problem is my upper body strength is seriously lacking. My chins are pretty decent, but my pushing power/strength is sad. My squat, DL are 145kg and 170kg respectively. My powerclean is just at 85kg - I started earlier this year. The highest I ever hit on bench was 100kg, and that was only twice this year. Otherwise I seem to be stuck on triples with 85kg-ish. My military press is 60kg for sets of 5, which I'm alright on. My question is, what are some of the most common weaknesses you see which result is lack of upper body pushing power? I ask because I'm suffering when I play really physical teams and my coach has told me I'll be eternally injured if I don't address this.

I'm 5'10ish
83kg
around 13% bf

Also, I have one of those long legged and long armed, but short torso bodies. I also have clear rounding of the shoulders which I'm working on. But frankly, where I live there's nobody qualified to seek advice from.

Hi,

I'm a 14 year old pitcher/catcher. I am familiar with Ron wolforth's stuff, and have access to a gym with virtually everything. What do you think would be the best workout for me?

I really don't know much about training, but I know you need a recovery day in your week? What would be those things you should do on that day besides the foamrolling? Any specific stretches?

Also- I know you suggest 3xweek for med ball throws? Do youadd any plyos into your workout too, like twice a week?

I want to thank you too for answering this many questions, you're really helping people, and now I'm going to read them all, ha.

Thanks

Eric,

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been getting pain in my right shoulder/down the right humerus on external rotation. I first noticed this about two weeks ago; I did some band external rotations and got some mild discomfort, and then experienced the same thing on the bench press ("pull the bar apart"), after which it stayed for a day or so and then went away. I cautiously tested "pull the bar apart" a week later and still got the discomfort, but it went away if I didn't concentrate on the cue.

Yesterday was light Box Squat followed by PRs on Press and Deadlift. Now it hurts any time I externally rotate the shoulder (unless I tighten up my back - "squat position") and acts up a bit even when I don't. The pain starts at the back of the shoulder (on the humerus, from what I can tell) and runs down the back/side of the humerus (anatomical position) between the tricep and bicep. It's most severe if the elbow's at about 135 degrees.

Do you have any idea of what this could be or recommendations for who to see to determine what it is?
---
On a similar note, if I do GHR without taking a relatively wide stance (or if I use any appreciable) weight, my left hamstring tendon (medial, at the knee) starts to hurt. Is this a common issue?

Hi, Eric.

I have two questions that I'd like to ask you.

1) A lot of times coaches will debate how to use things like thick grip training or "less stable" versions of big bang movements (i.e. a 1-arm 2-point row or 1 DB bench press versus a chest supported row or barbell bench press or in bodyweight exercise terms, a push-up with 1-leg elevated versus a regular push-up with added load). Some say not to get caught up in thinking that the thick grip or less stable versions because there is no decrease in the overall training effect, while others say that they might detract from the overall effect and should be used after a main movement has already been performed. What are your thoughts on how to "properly" program these.

2) I hate to "throw in" such a broad topic for question number two, but when it comes to maintaining normal ROM of the spine, is it necessary to (at least periodically) flex and extend the spine (including the lumbar spine) in order to maintain necessary ROM at each segment? This wouldn't be under loaded conditions, of course, and it would avoid pushing the envelope at end range. For example, I think I recall saying that you and Mike would not include the Cat/Camel move now as you did when MM2 originally came out. I am just curious if training mostly for stability and rarely, if ever flexing the spine (e.g. limiting T-spine flexion work or cutting it out, and avoiding lumbar flexion) could lead to excessive stiffness over time.................I suppose what I am getting at is if many positive thoughts with regard to maintaining spinal health can be taken too far and actually end up becoming a detriment in their own right?

I've noticed that in things like Gray Cooks FMS and SFMA, there are portions that assess the ability to flex the spine in standing (something that is not recommended to be performed regularly or long term, but which is said to be a necessary capacity of the spine and hence why it is assessed).

Are there actually times in specific cases where flexing the spine and in the process stretching the entire back including the lower back might actually be needed?

And on a somewhat related note (at least in terms of things most coaches automatically contraindicate), can windshield wipers/rainbows (upper body fixed and rotating legs from side to side) or even a hanging leg raise version ever be performed, or should these just e permanently tossed out? I see most discard them and say they are terrible for the spine and of little value, anyway, but is this a case of those movements always being bad for anyone, or just for enough people that the coaches don't mind making a blanket pronouncement against them?

Hey Eric,

I have a super interesting problem to solve and would like your assistance!!! Well maybe not super interesting but I certainly do have a strange problem. its sufficiently strange that I could find nothing on Google on the topic, so if you can solve the problem, you get mad props for being the first to do so!!! Exited yet? In Suspense yet? Well it gets better!!! I am going to phrase my problem in such a way as to increase the suspense by waiting until the end to reveal the detail that turns an ordinary problem into a strange one!!! And so the problem begins:

I can only deadlift 355 pounds once but I can squat 365 for five. Sounds like a clear case of squat more than deadlift right? The standard answer to this is: you either are squatting too high or your grip sucks. Seeing as I squat high bar atg, a illegitimate squat isn't the cause for the disparity. Grip however, is the issue, when I try to deadlift weight past my current max, I can get to the weight within an inch or two of lockout when bar decides to roll out of my hand. The grip failing prior to lockout and my higher squat tells me that my posterior chain is strong enough to lift the weight but my grip is holding me back. Just train my grip then right? Therein lies the problem.

My grip isn't amazing but it should be enough to hold weight past a measly 355. I can close a heavy grip 200 lb gripper(I assume it is similar in resistance to a Captains of Crush #2) for 4 reps with my right hand and 3 reps with my left hand. For pinch grip, I can pinch four ten pound plates with each hand.

Here is the kicker everyone has been waiting for, when my grip fails, the bar always rolls out of my right hand, the stronger hand. At first I was confused, but then I realised the cause. When I was 7, I broke my left arm at the elbow. When the arm healed, it healed so that the forearm and upper arm were at different angles than the right arm, nothing extreme mind you, but noticeable. The effect this has is that fully extended, my left arm is 3/4 of an inch longer than my right, when holding a bar, the right end of the bar is almost 2 inches higher than the left. So even though my right hand is stronger, the undue stress the twisting of the bar causes makes the grip fail way sooner than it should.

So Eric, What do you recommend to fix my problem?

Thanks in advance for any help. Sorry for the sales pitch tone of the writing, the humour I derive from writing that way helps me cope with the frustration of the issue.

Eric,

I went through and read some of your articles on deadlifting and I have an issue with lumber rounding at the bottom of my deadlift. I have been working on hamstring and calf flexibility with Myofacial release and static stretching. I do lower back strengthening (I could probably stand to do more). My feet generaly turn out in a postural exam as well. Any ideas on mobility work or technique work to fix this?

Coach C -

I was wondering what amount of reps you prefer for pitcher when DB bench pressing?

Hey Eric,

Ever since one of my squatting sessions three weeks ago, a muscle somewhere around my hip flexor above my right leg has been bugging me. I've stopped squatting temporarily because of this, but have continued to deadlift because it doesn't cause any discomfort.

The muscle hurts when I do a bodyweight squat when I hit about parallel and also when I lift my leg up in front of me and to the right. The pain is not too bad, but I don't want to risk a more serious issue. It has not been getting much better the last couple weeks. Is there anything I can do to speed up the healing process?

hey

Got a quick question for you, i hurt my shoulder about 3 weeks ago, i went to the sports doctor at my school and he said i had a biceps tendon strain. I rested it for a while and start getting back to working it out, including some corrective exercises like external rotations, but it still doesn't feel right. Not sure if that means i need to give it more time or it's just weak from the injury. any thoughts or recommendations.

also, if a vid of me doing certain hand motions or moving the shoulder in a certain way. or some pictures would help i can get some on easily, just let me know

thanks

Hi EC,

An osteopath has informed me thoracic spine is lacking a kyphotic curve from about t3 to t5/6 and that these segments are lacking mobility, which leads to compensation in the segments above and below. I've also been told to go easy on pull-ups and rowing.

Are there any mobility drills or corrective exercises that you think would help to solve the problem? It's a very frustrating situation as I can't load my spine and without the pull-ups and rowing it's become hard to find exercises to fill my workouts, so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Eric,

For an athlete who has the luxury to train twice a day, what do you think of having him do heavy more neurally taxing training in the AM then doing explosiveness/speed training in the PM? For example:

AM: heavy deads, squats, presses, along with some accessory work for those muscle groups
PM: speed pulls, speed squats, jump squats, box jumps, speed bench, med ball throws, sled/prowler work for speed/conditioning work

Do you have any other good ways to split up the training for an athlete who can train twice a day?

Thanks

Mr Cressey:

I saw your contribution in the article "From the trenches", about the guy with the hip problem. I cannot see why his squatting form was that bad. I squat mostly like this, semi wide stance, knees out, etc.

I've tried to follow the "Starting Strenght" book, and I am very confused, because I have a right hip pain on and off and I'm scarred because I thought my squat form was okay.

I'd like to know why this guy form was so bad in the video, because for me... it was not that bad.

Thank you for your time.

Mr Cressey:

I need some help on a matter. I have been working out for about a year now and I have made great strides in my physical fitness. This coming summer I will be "beach ready".

Keeping that in mind, my wife is... well, out of shape. She has been supporting me and I am grateful but I've noticed that she has been drinking beer and sitting on the couch alot.

I need to get her motivated but there is a problem with that. She doesn't eat right, she refuses to give up drinking (she's tried to give it up in the past but to no avail), she doesn't like protien powders and she doesn't like pushing herself. I offered to train her but she declined.

I don't know what else to do or who else to ask. It just seems like the more in shape I get, the more upset I get at her for not doing something about herself. She complains quite alot about her body having problems due to her weight but she continues to do nothing about it. Can I get some advice, please

Eric,

My lumbar portion of my erector spinae are hypertonic (with great form my lower back starts hurting from just light warmups 100~lbs for dead lifts and 70~lbs rows). I have been doing lumbar stretches before workouts but they haven't seemed to help. I was wondering if you have written about a protocol to rehab this or if you could give me one.

Thanks EC!
Dave

Hey Eric, I have 2 quick questions for you, if they were already asked sorry I must of missed them in this thread. First would be that I cant seem to get into some of the Neanderthol No more articles, the 4th and 5th ones to be exact. Do you know why this is, or have somewhere else that I can read them. Also I wanted to let you know that I am a HUGE fan of the foam roller and use it everyday. My question is that I like to do some core foam roller work(leg lifts, arm extensions) just to get back to zero after abusing my back all day.First would you think Id benefit more doing these exercises at the end of the day or in the morning, second Would you suggest doing stretching before or after I do these exercises. When I was in college I had to do an entire semester of rehab for my back becasue of football and they made me do the strengthining/lifting before the stretching, but I didnt know if you had a different opinion on the matter. Thanks

I guess basically I'm just asking what sequence you would do strengthining, stretching, mobility, and core in...