Less Flexible

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My Favorite Back Stabilization Exercises

I haven’t been posting much for the past year. Been busy. Isn’t that the best news.

While having EDS for me is still a very expensive part-time job that I get to pay for, at least it isn’t a full-time total drain that ruins everything.

Amen.

So, yeah, I’ve been busy with real life.

I wanted to share two fantastic collections of back stabilization exercises that I think you should be doing a few times a week, especially if you are like me, with a super-flexible spine that tries to torture you to death.

Both are from Self Magazine.

Click through on pics.

Oh, and got neck pain?

Of course you do, you have EDS. That EDS neck pain is unspeakable hell.

Well, the head is a giant bowling balanced on top of the spine. Want to make it hurt even more? Go ahead and slump forward. That will make your delicate tendons and ligaments bear the weight of your head and will stretch them out and weaken them further. Ouch!

Reducing and even please god! eliminating neck pain requires:

  • Getting yo’self to stand! up! straight!

  • Strengthening all those muscles that wrap the spine

  • Strengthening all those muscles that support the sides, front and back of the torso

These exercises will do this.

Oh, and, forget the Pilates bulls*t of flexing and extending the delicate L5/S1 area with the endless pelvis tucking. That is not just an unhelpful waste of time, it is damaging. I’ll bet if you have EDS you for sure do not need more stretching of that area.

And, contrary to popular ideas, you do not need to do a pelvis tuck to engage anything. Pelvis tucking does not support the low back. Who made that up? It’s utter nonsense.

But don’t tell those people selling those super expensive ridiculous Pilates contraptions.

You can get your spine stronger and more stable with no equipment. See below.