Jefferson Curl | Should You TRAIN or AVOID Spinal Flexion?

[@duanesnow424]

I hurt my back and had chronic pain and was very flexion intolerant, but it wasnt until I did jefferson curls, that I found improvements. If You Dont Use It You LoseIT

[@zerrodefex]

Yep, I wish I had learned of these back when I started lifting. Tried to keep my spine perfectly straight all the time and still ended up with injuries during deadlifting.

[@IntentionalMomentum]

This was a great explanation and I love that you demonstrate that generalizations often aren’t so black and white as we want them to be.

[@divyansh6574]

If there is a joint it's supposed to move.

[@gmelliot19]

Another thing is training goals: If you specifically want to develop strength and size of core muscles (erectors, abdominals, obliques, etc) dynamic trunk flexion/extension/rotation exercises are going to be superior to isometric exercises. If you specifically want to develop core stability isometric exercises are going to be better.

[@davidsolomon6425]

How does one get huge obliques? Is there a heavy enough exercise for that? Or is it necessary to do more reps vs more weight?

[@nomnomyourmom]

This isn't isotonic vs isometric. The difference between Jefferson Curl, DB Side Bend and other core exercises is the direction of resistance When you do Jefferson Curl, DB Side Bend; the load pulling into flexed position while compressing your spine. What you want are shearing force (resistance perpendicular to the body like 5:05), decompression force (resistance from the top like Cable Crunch) instead of compression force (resistance from the bottom like Jefferson Curl, DB Side Bend)

[@AbbersSmileFace]

Future trainer chiming in here. I love this take on the Jefferson Curl. I have delt with overuse of the neutral spine and had to go to physical therapy for spinal flexion, extension, and rotation to fix my tight lats, traps, and shoulders. It was a long arduous process and one of the big reasons I want to be a trainer for young adult women and dancers. Teaching people to maintain a nuetral spine and brace when doing heavy compound lifts (what I was doing) is great! except when you neglect other areas where the spine needs to be bending, extending, and twisting to get into shapes and that's what dancers NEED TO DO and be strong in it. So incorporating strength movements of the back with spinal flexion, extension, and rotation is important to maintain stability in abnormal to real life positions (like dance) AS well as spinal stability. Instead of people being like, "don't do this at all or you'll hurt yourself." I feel like we need more quality trained people to look at how people move and then through conversation decide what is an immediate priority, secondary, third, etc. And have them know that all of these areas should be pretty balanced as BALANCE is what prevents injury. You don't normally see an injury somewhere that is the strongest unless it is a sudden and abnormal impact, but normally the weakest or most imbalanced area. So now it's just about being honest with yourself and your clients on what needs to take priority and what can be addressed/measured periodically.

[@balintlosonci3578]

Super intelligent approach again!

[@Ethereum1789]

Well explained. Appreciate the balanced take.

[@zetareticulan321]

It's called the Jefferson curl because one day Thomas Jefferson went hiking with one of his friends. His friend slipped and fell off the side of a cliff, and was holding on for his life. Luckily, Thomas Jefferson rushed to his rescue, and used this exact movement to pull his friend back up to safety.

[@loveisreal4296]

Yeah, that’s what I heard!

[@chrishansen9379]

Jefferson curls help with my back pain but that's because it works a hip muscle that tends to be chronically underactive on me. Other exercises that get that muscle to work also help but the Jefferson Curl was the first one I found.

[@andneomatmj23]

Man, Stu Mcgill tested it for 45 years. Not only on pigs, also on humans, he said it in many podcasts. Also he healed from spine problems many champions, from powerlifting Brian Carroll to golf Tiger Woods, in MMA George St Pierre and many more. Flexion maybe but not often and not in routine. Of course you should rotate thoracic spine because is only part of spine that can rotate. But nothing more. Go and have Stu on podcast and ask all your questions and let see actual results of debate.

[@glago93]

1:46 ... Do i wanna know? 😂😂😂

[@sebastiancordovez273]

Awesome video

[@joshthomas_1696]

1:44😂😂😂😂

[@LeonYuL]

If it's well controlled, it's a safe exercise, no matter how ridiculous it looks

[@Kyle111]

Enter the Jefferson Snatch

[@TheMovementSystem]

I agree, but it still may not be the best exercise choice for everyone even when done slow and controlled. Just important to remember that different individuals especially with back pain present differently and respond to exercises differently.

[@LeonYuL]

@@TheMovementSystem yeah, that's why people need to follow programs specifically designed for their needs, not just randomly try different methods. It's almost Unavoidable to make zero mistakes especially training by oneself, that's why channels like yours are well appreciated

[@zoobi27]

Hi, I'"m maybe arriving a bit late... I'm suffering from lower back pain, mostly only on the right side. I've seen doctors and i was told that I needed to have a stronger core. I'm with an extension preference regarding spine position. Jefferson curls seem to have only slight benefit for me, but it can quickly turn into enhancing my pain especially when i lost control of my posture when reaching failure, no matter the weight. I'm considering switching to more extension-oriented concentric exercices. How can be the benefit from improving my core stability ? For some weird reason, 20-25kg plate loaded planks for 1' are a HUGE RELIEF from all the tension (I tend to stick the butt out, like i wanted to avoid a needle piercing through my stomach). Long story short, makes me thing going spinal flexion is not for me... I'm sorry I know this is not a place to get a diagnostic but i must say some doctors and therapists seem to really lack knowledge and will to help me... and it's been a year & half since i've had this small pain (which turns very annoying if I dare having even a very slight flexion on my spine on deadlift for instance) Thank you nonetheless for all those explanations, I will try to find a new workout strategy

[@satchycollins3985]

Thanks

[@joeldoxtator9804]

The real solution is to strengthen both and focus the weaker one.

[@alejandrogn4]

Good video!

[@WiecznieNieNasycony]

it is very good especially for people who are already very stretched

[@ADAPTATION7]

I get sore from doing Jefferson Curls with a mere 70 lbs. Not painful, put definetly sore.

[@zerrodefex]

I've worked up to 140lbs for 12 reps and my back feels the best it has in decades. Also haven't had a deadlift or rack pull injury ever since I incorporated these.

[@monnoo8221]

instead of replay gossyping it would have been considerably better to dive into the mechanistic view. so many people out there mentioning that 20y of deadlifting heavy - with respect to their frame - ruined their lumbal spine... Big caveat: are you long? Did you ever have stenosis? prolonged back pain? How well trained is the lower part of your erectus spinae? ever had SI issues? Fact is, that load under flexion increases the pressure on the disk. And note: the disk do NOT send out a warning that you approach their capacity!!!! Other than muscles, or tendons... What bothers me, you likely would have the knowledge...

[@TheMovementSystem]

There are people on both sides though which is what you’re not realizing. There are people who are truly overloading into spinal flexion and having associated problems but there are also tons of individuals afraid of ever loading any movement into spinal flexion and their capacity for it becomes so poor and their fragile approach to training leads to a number of other psychosocial problems. It’s a complex topic and I think my video does one of the best jobs of any that I’ve seen of painting a fair picture of both sides.

[@nomnomyourmom]

This comment is just babbling into many topics Can't even tell if you're against jefferson curl or not

[@monnoo8221]

@@nomnomyourmom so i conclude your attention span does not last longer than to read 4 words. Which is a bit below the average

[@nomnomyourmom]

@@monnoo8221 And I conclude that you're a whining kid tryna sound smarter than you are but failed miserably, which is at the bottom of society

[@nomnomyourmom]

@@monnoo8221 And I conclude that you're a whining kid trying to sound smarter than it is but failed miserably

[@gmnboss]

Field hockey players?

[@SpodyOdy]

Good old Thomas Jefferson.

[@christianhughey1942]

😂