Spondylolisthesis nearly 100% reduced with elimination of back pain & no surgery - Part 2 of 2

(NOTE: THIS IS PART 2 OF 2 VIDEOS - PLEASE SEE PART 1 FIRST)
Chris Frederick, PT, co-director of the Stretch to Win Institute has been hearing more & more about clients of trainers & therapists having low back pain from spondylolisthesis. Getting many questions from his students about how to manage them, Chris decided to interview Coach André Benoit, owner of the Canadian Center for Strength and Conditioning in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The reason -- Coach André was able to eliminate his back pain and perform as an Olympic Luge athlete. Even more incredible, x-rays proved that his spondylolisthesis was almost completely reduced. André shares in this video what he does today to maintain full function without pain including the system of Stretch to Win Frederick Stretch Therapy. Enjoy his remarkable story and benefit from his advice on how to train clients not only with this medical condition but others with back pain too.
Background story:
When André Benoit was a member of the 1987 Canadian National Team, he seriously injured his lower back while squatting, adding to the damage to his back that he first incurred at age 12 while falling down steps in his home. At the examination, the doctor who examined him found that the childhood injury had literally broken his back, cracking two of the lower vertebrae. This first back injury had resulted in a 25 degree (forward translation) spondylolisthesis, a condition characterized by the vertebrae not being aligned with each other; in 1987, the added stress of heavy squats proved too much for his body to handle. On top of that, André was also suffering from chronic injury to his shoulder that affected his performance. The doctor recommended that André quit the sport and not risk further damage.
That's when André met Charles Poliquin.It took Charles one month of structural balance training to fix André's shoulder, and another month to fix his lower back -- and when André was 37 an x-ray showed, remarkably, that the spondylolisthesis had been reduced to less than 5 degrees. Charles also helped him achieve tremendous strength and power.At a bodyweight of just 167 pounds (76 kilos), André power cleaned 238 pounds (108 kilos) and during team testing completed a wide-grip pull-up with 123 pounds attached to his waist. His performance in this exercise, a national team record, and his tremendous "wingspan" from his massively developed lat muscles earned him the nickname "André the Flying Squirrel."
André Benoit made the 1988 and 1992 Canadian Olympic team in the doubles luge (with Bob Gasper), earning a top ten finish in Calgary. In the 1992 Olympics his luge team broke the Olympic record for the fastest start in his event. André's been the strength coach for many Canadian national teams, including luge, bobsleigh, alpine skiing and skeleton. He also has trained many professional athletes in the NFL, NHL and CFL. Today André and his wife Susan private clients and groups at their facility, the Canadian Center for Strength and Conditioning in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
(For Chris Frederick go to www.stretchtowin.com)
(For Coach André Benoit go to www.ccsccalgary...)

[@morocco34]

This video promises a lot with its title but, sadly, offers little in the the way of a concrete plan of action, i.e. a list of specific exercises to do and a demonstration of how to do them with proper form.

[@anthonypeet6182]

He did say that bro, Bulgarian Splitt squats, rack deadlifts within your painless range of motion, crunches with weight for abs and isometric back extension in the romanian chair with a 45 degree hold (googled this one to make sure you should too). For me 1 legged RDL helped a lot as well strengthen the core. Plan of action load slowly as you progress and improve your range of motion

[@bhopirl4552]

@@anthonypeet6182 hey how are you doing now? I recently found out I have this, it’s not nearly as bad as his but it causes a good amount of pain i think.. just wondering if you are okay I need some hope lol

[@anthonypeet6182]

@@bhopirl4552 Last time i got it checked I had reduced my slippage. Idk what grade is yours but mine was grade 1. What worked for me was swimming backstroke 1-2x week for around 30mins , kept doing 1 legged RDL, bulgarian split squats and core exercises while lying flat on my back (V-sit hold and single leg raises are great) also introduced hip thrusts since strong glutes are key to protect the back. When it hurt it usually was tight hip flexors (i sit a lot so stretched those often) also check out lower back mobility excercises, pelvic tilts is a good one, crucial to keep your back mobile throughout recovery to reduce pain. Theres definitely hope! just gotta stay disciplined with exercising at least 3x week to get stronger and increase your protein to at least 1g/pound.

[@bhopirl4552]

@@anthonypeet6182 awesome thanks for the advice! Mine is grade one as well.. just wondering how old are you if you don’t mind me asking?

[@greg_1378]

@@anthonypeet6182 hy anthony do you have any nerve pain?is it zero grade now?

[@MrChristopherLaird]

These 2 videos are very encouraging, but they leave us on our appetite! I would like to know more about the exercises : why don't you make a video of the training that André is talking about? With precision on the "Perfect" position and technique. It would for sure help many people like me who are just afraid to get worse! (Excuse my english, I'm french cad) Thx!

[@kmdsakmdsa197]

Hi , plz if u can come dm I appreciate that .

[@cochachoca552]

Bonjour, cette conversation date mais avez-vous trouvé des solutions pour réduire les douleurs du spondylolisthésis depuis ? Avez-vous aussi des douleurs dans le cou, les bras et les épaules ? Quand on nous pose le diagnostic on ne nous explique rien sinon la partie technique, à savoir qu'une vertèbre glisse sur une autre mais rien sur les effets "collatéraux". On croit avoir plein de problèmes et en fait tout est dû au spondylolisthésis. J'espère que vous vous portez bien. Bonne continuation.

[@jt31713]

This was a great and informative video, wish I could find more like it! I have a l5 s1 spodylolisthesis since high school(now 33) . I have squatted 500 and deadlifted 625 with no pain but have become paranoid that I should avoid these lifts because of my condition . After watching this I will start to incorporate these lifts again. Thank you for the info

[@danielvictorio8063]

Hey..i would like to hear if you did came back doing squats and deadlifts,,i want to get back in training after a year of hiatus, i have l5 s1 grade 1 spondy..tnx

[@jt31713]

Still doing deadlifts , now 42. No issues, just keep my form perfect and know when to back off going to heavy . Sorry for late reply.

[@greg_1378]

​@@jt31713 did the slippage get worse or it stayed the same

[@jt31713]

@@greg_1378 I have not had X-rays in a while so I can’t comment .

[@greg_1378]

@@jt31713 thanks . Is it l5 s1?

[@abutaha80]

I am having a very difficult time with spondylolysthis and trying hard to find he right exercises to relief my lower back. I couldn't figure out from this session how to proceed exactly. A supporting list of illustrations would be very helpful.

[@XtineJohnes]

Yeah from what I gathered, we just need to do quats and deadlifts? There was another video I think from the same guy a while back telling people to do gorehammers. I did those and also went to a place called Physiofitness on Broadway in NYC and was pain free and didnt have to think of the spondy for years. At physiofitness they had me doing deadlifts and turkish getups. I'm pretty sure if you stregnthen all the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the spondy, it holds it together. Should not be rocket science but you can't be too careful.

[@balkrishanchaudhary5476]

Are you pain free now ?? .. are you ok?

[@FreddySheinfeld]

Great info. Would love to see examples of these exercises and explanation of the correct technique.

[@tonyfletcher1718]

Wish you could show some examples. Seems so different from all other info. Not sure what to do.

[@snapascrew]

Would you consider having him on as a guest again? I’m also curious if he was ever able to lay on his stomach before he “fixed” it. For me that’s a major no no.

[@cmb52]

I'd like to see what you suggest instead of just hearing. I'm an older (70) year old woman who has had back pain since 1970. I have had many injuries due to my sports and horse, ice skating and other hobbies. I'm afraid to do anything now!

[@danquilty6580]

i love that rowing excercise will help they is exciting. Good point about hip flexors too. on my way to extensions woooo hoooo

[@danquilty6580]

wow thank you for sharing your story of success. I now know who to deal with my Spondylolisthesis

[@mahalpatialavi8382]

I have grade 1 spondylolithesis what should I do?

[@alexanderstowell3499]

DO you do reverse hyperextensions?

[@johnpaulspeedsktr]

Did he use lumbar traction?

[@danquilty6580]

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!

[@setsuro.splice]

Ok, Im a noob when it comes to exercises let alone exercises that can help me as im suffering from degenerative spondylolisthesis. Can someone please tell me what are they talking about and what are the names of specific exercises that can help me strengthen my back and eventually not feeling anymore pain whenever I'm moving about. I'm very worried that my condition will worsen till surgery is required so I'm doing research now but I can't seem to search on these specific exercises cause they look like it might hurt me instead. Any links to said exercises would be really really useful. So for now I guess I'll continue to do the pelvic tilt thing while lying on my back as instructed from my physiotherapist years ago...

[@danquilty6580]

Joel Lum how ya doin bud

[@monikavarshney585]

Plzz tell exercise name

[@Tac8192]

Monika i reduce my spondy l4l5 from 11mm to 9mm.I am doing chrunches with weight,dead bug with weight,plank,side plank,hollow exercise hold,pallof press.In 6 months I managed to reduce it by 2mm.I am an athlete, a mountain runner.

[@vickybrabeck]

@@Tac8192 Denis congratulations to your progress and thanks for sharing your exercise. Are you still doing this exercise for spondylosthesis?