Monday Mobility – [Victoria BC CrossFit]

Importance of NEUTRAL SPINE, BREATHING and ABDOMINAL BRACING.

Join us in our first Monday Mobility feature with the amazing Kirby Bohan BHSc and one of our very own coaches, massage therapist and Personal Trainers here at LoLo! For more information, or if you would like to work on your mobility, please contact Kirby directly.

How many times have you heard us tell you to “switch on” your core and brace? Or to tuck your ribs in?  There is a very important reason we are doing this!

It is because having a strong base through our midline is going to support our spines when we are going through our lifts, especially the heavy ones. Tucking your ribs will prevent them from flaring out and throwing off our neutral posture in our spines. Neutral spine is super important to understand to avoid the risks of injury. Things we often see going wrong with neutral spine is an exaggerated curvature of the spine.

To establish neutral spine position:

• Take a PVC pipe and place it behind your back
• Place one hand on the PVC at the base of your spine and the other hand at the base of your head
• The PVC should have contact with your bottom, thoracic spine and back of head
• For example, when performing squats and deadlift movement this position should stay the same 

Breathing is important as it helps us establish and keep a strong base, as well as supplying us with oxygen when we are moving (obviously).

Understanding breathing:

• Find a comfortable space on the ground to lay down
• Have your legs bent up at 90° to support your lumbar spine in a neutral position (heels flat on the ground)
• Place your hands on the side of your stomach or ribcage
• Inhale slowly, feeling the ribcage expand as far as it can
• Slowly exhale, gently draw your belly button into your spine
• Repeat 15 times

Squatting:

This can be related into a standing position when back squatting for example:

• Place barbell on your back
• Step back and set up your stance
• Take a deep breath and gently draw your belly button in and hold as you squat down
• Slowly control the breath on the way out of the bottom of your squat 
• Take another breath at the top of your squat and repeat.