There are countless reasons why adults 55 and over experience low back pain, including disc degeneration, arthritis, injury, muscle weakness and more. In fact, low back pain is one of the most common and poorly understood chronic conditions in older adults. One researcher making major contributions to the field is Dr. Stuart McGill. Q&A with […]
Read MoreFIX IT WITH THE BACK MECHANIC Exerpt: “My exam began the moment I climbed out of my rented Chevy Cruze and walked up the driveway-I just didn’t know it yet. Nor did I suspect that by the end ofthe day, I would learn that I’d been exercising wrong, that I had a semi-serious back injury, […]
Read MoreBy Professor Stuart McGill The kettlebell is special to me! The journey to the KB as a training tool has linked me to several important events in my life. And it was part of the beginning of my friendship with Pavel (Pavel Tsatsouline – the man who introduced Kettlebells from behind the iron curtain to the […]
Read MoreMost patients rarely receive the most important part of the prescription to get rid of back pain from their doctor – the knowledge and understanding of their condition required to become their own best advocate. They remain clueless and frustrated, left in the dark about what behaviors must be stopped in order to alleviate the […]
Read MoreThe Fat Tongue by Stuart McGill (Download PDF, 29Kb) Observe many top weightlifters approaching the bar, and taking their stance. Fixing their gaze above the horizontal they lift their chest extending the spine and neck. Arms waver at their sides in a slow rhythm exemplifying the old Russian technique for relaxation. The objective is to […]
Read MoreStuart McGill I have been working with back pained people and high performance athletes for over 30 years. If I were asked to choose the single most influential variable that links pain and performance enhancement, it would be an underperforming core. Why is this? What is the core? Core stiffness is essential for injury prevention. […]
Read MoreThe Bottom Up Kettlebell Carry by Stuart McGill (Download PDF, 33Kb) Every time I work with top international athletes I learn more about athleticism. We have all heard that having a strong core increases strength elsewhere in the body. Experience tells us this is true but I was incomplete in my explanation of the mechanism. […]
Read MoreStuart McGill PhD (www.backfitpro.com) Strength is context specific – to remain immovable, to be resilient to blows and forces, and to lift and handle large loads with low risk of injury require a specific type of strength. The body is stiffened to become unbreakable. The martial arts of the island of Okinawa, Japan have embodied […]
Read MoreSuper Stiffness by Stuart McGill, Professor of Spine Biomechanics Invited for Dragondoor.com (Download PDF, 25Kb) At a gymnastics or martial arts meet, or at a weightlifting competition, listen to the coaches advice to the athlete – Stay tight! This means to maintain stiffness. Being stiff ensures that there will be minimal energy losses as forces […]
Read MoreCore stability: “Fascial raking” to stimulate abdominal wall activation for ultimate performance Stuart McGill, Professor of Spine Biomechanics (Download PDF, 57Kb) Core stability depends on activity in the many muscles that act around the torso, and in particular those that form the abdominal wall. This article describes how to improve the contraction quality of these […]
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