CROSSFIT WILL SAVE YOUR BACK

CrossFit involves functional movements performed at high intensity.  Part of this, a large part in fact, involves the core and core strength.  The New York Times published an article last week (click HERE to read) on back injuries and the importance of strengthening your core to protect the back.  We use our core every time we workout.  It isn't about doing the most situps, but constant tightening of all the core muscles and core stabilization that count.  Try doing 50 overhead walking lunges with a 45 pound bar and you'll get the idea of what core stabilization means!

According to the Times, the most back-injury-prone sport is golf.  Yup, golf, which is one reason I don't play it.  (There are other reasons, but I don't want to make anyone mad.)  Tennis is a close second.  I don't play that either.  Too much twisting and not enough core strength are the primary culprits.  (I'd love to see a tennis or golf pro do "Murph", "Helen", or "Fran"!)

Flexibility, as the article correctly points out, is also a key ingredient in protecting your back from injury.  Ever watch someone go into spinal flexion while doing a squat or deadlift?  Ouch!  Tight hamstrings are usually the culprit there.  That's why we always stretch at the end of our workouts.

Overall, the article is pretty good; however, I disagree with one point.  The author states that one should never do situps, but instead do crunches.  This is ridiculous for a couple of reasons.  First, how many real-life situations call for only 5% range of motion?  Not many.  So a full range-of-motion situp is crucial.  Second, we always promote the use of the Abmat so that the lumbar is supported and you truly work the abdominal walls to strengthen that core.  Doing situps without lumbar support can cause an injury because it puts too much stress on the lower back - especially when the person doing the situps without an Abmat has no abdominal strength to begin with!

Here's a link to a different NYT article on back pain - click HERE.  The article lists several causes and treatment options for back pain.  My prescription for it?  CrossFit.  Why?  Because I used to suffer chronic back pain until I started doing CrossFit.  Squat, squat, and do more squats.  Work on flexibility.  Do deadlifts along with other powerlifting and Olympic lifting.  Do as many bodyweight exercises as you can.  Run, swim, row, or bike often.  Then, combine all of this into as many different combinations as you can four to six times per week.  Do this and you'll never have to worry about chronic back pain again!

(BTW - if anyone wants to buy an Abmat to use on their own, I can get them for you cheaper than you can buy them on the web!  Just let me know.)