Jefferson Curl: The Best Mobility Exercise to Loosen and Protect Your Back? But isn't it dangerous to curl your back so much?

The debate that has raged for years is this:

Should we or shouldn't we bend our backs when lifting weights? Is it dangerous? Should we maintain a neutral spine position at all costs? Does this really reduce the risk of injury (lower back pain, herniated discs, muscle or ligament injuries, etc.)? Should we therefore completely ban spinal flexion from our workouts?

If you've done gymnastics or weightlifting, or are interested in physical preparation, there's one exercise you've probably seen a lot and which is often the exercise at the heart of these questions: the Jefferson Curl.

Criticized by some, adored by others, this exercise which adds load on the spine in flexion (sometimes considerably), is the one we are going to analyze today to try to see more clearly the interest of flexions of the spinal column and to provide elements of answers on how to make your back more flexible and avoid injuries as much as possible.

Flexion vs. Neutral Spine Position: Which is Safer?

Empirically

So far, scientific consensus remains divided as to whether flexion movements of the spine, and particularly the lumbar spine, are the cause of back pain and injuries.

Yes, I know, it may come as a shock and some people will repeat the words of their favorite coach: “You should never bend your back and always keep your spine in a neutral position” .

I support this approach from a biomechanical perspective, for most exercises (weightlifting, kettlebell, powerlifting, etc.) and for most people.

But, as we can see in high-level athletes and even in some recreational practitioners who achieve good performances in deadlifts for example, a slightly curved back (slight flexion of the lumbar region and thorax) also allows the movement to be performed without damage or injury.

So, is it because these people perhaps have greater hip flexion and therefore distribute the workload across them, freeing up the spine a little?

Or is it that their bodies simply tolerate the stress (compressive force) exerted on their spine better ?

Or that they are young and have not matured enough for the damage to appear?

Or that they eat super clean, sleep well, hydrate well, have excellent body awareness ?

Or even that…

In short, you understand that there are already too many parameters to take into account and that we cannot determine the influence of this or that factor on performance, injury prevention and longevity of the back from an empirical point of view.

Hmmm, first contradiction with the holy law of the neutral position of the spine.

The scientific and biomechanical opinion

Then there is the argument of scientific (in vitro) studies. I am familiar with them, and it is true that they are useful. However, they do not provide definitive answers to the question.

Indeed, we once again have results that go in both directions.

For example, you have this study, which shows that vertebral plate fracture occurs at comparable loads in neutral and flexion positions.

But also this other study which shows that a flexed spine is associated with greater force production when it comes to lifting loads.

Or this one which shows that lumbar flexion is one of the elements which increases the risk of lower back pain.

Or finally, some biomechanists who show this time that the neutral position would pose more of a problem for anterior shear, when lifting loads than with the back flexed.

If you want more details on these studies, I refer you to the Kinefact article on The great debate on lumbar flexion.

Furthermore, it is impossible to avoid spinal flexion in everyday movements and even if you are a master of form and biomechanics during your training, it only takes one false movement, a quick or sudden flexion, or the repetition of back tension (microflexion) for years to be able to injure yourself.

The biomechanical approach and natural movement (and common sense) push me to promote good body posture in all circumstances.

This involves developing greater body awareness , greater mobility and strengthening your back to make it resistant to all challenges.

So for my part, it's about trying, as much as possible, to maintain a neutral position of my spine during my strength sessions, paying attention to my posture when I walk or when I sit, without obsessing too much about it when I do activities that require repeated bending or sudden twisting (martial arts, dance, volleyball, golf, rugby, etc.).

For my part, I focus on working upstream and preparing my body as best I can to evolve and adapt to the chaos of life without too much risk of breakdown.

How to read pain signals

The last sensitive point is that of the pain we feel.

Unfortunately, there is no consensus on the link between injuries, spinal damage and pain.

The damage you can inflict on your spine has little correlation with the pain you feel.

The subject of pain is much more complex than it seems. Most people mistakenly associate the sensation of pain in their body with damage to the body.

This is false! Pain is an alarm signal from the body and does not necessarily indicate physical damage.

You can have chronic back pain and not see anything on your MRI. Similarly, you can feel perfectly fine with no back pain and yet have multiple lesions on an MRI.

The pain you feel can be due to many other factors (emotional, psychological, etc.) that do not reflect your physical state of health.

Dr. Stuart Mcgill , who has 30 years of research and experience in the study and treatment of lower back pain, advises against weight-bearing lumbar flexion as it is a known and well-documented cause of lumbar disc bulging and degeneration.

Then there is the new school of physical therapists who believe that with slow and graduated implementation of the spine into flexion, the body would be able to rebuild the damaged material in the disc and ultimately build a safer spine.

Your movement coach approves of this vision too 🙂

As always, personal experimentation also has its role to play in treating back pain.

What we know about human physiology is that the body is designed for movement and that movement has an exceptional healing capacity if it is nourished by movement.

So lumbar flexion and neutral position have their place in the expression of our physicality.

What I seek from my physical practice is training that is adapted and covers the technical and expressive possibilities of the body as much as possible and maintains its longevity.

For this purpose, Jefferson Curls are one of the most relevant exercises, and we will spend the rest of the article looking together at why.

What is the Jefferson Curl? What are the original intentions behind this exercise?

The Jefferson Curl is a weighted mobility exercise (with external loads) that emphasizes multisegmental flexion of the spine.

The spine is flexed vertebra by vertebra.

Originally designed to be a fantastic stretching exercise for the entire posterior chain and lower back muscles, the Jefferson Curl was intended to be used with very light weights only.

The idea behind the movement is to increase the spine's resilience to flexion. Developing a more flexible and stronger spine. It's also a great tool for relaxing the back from any hyperextension.

It's also a fantastic joint mobility exercise to develop greater range of motion if you have a very stiff back.

Typically, this is one of those simple and effective exercises to be able to touch your feet with your hands or even place your hands flat on the floor, without bending your legs.

Once this range of motion is unlocked, and you are comfortable with segmented flexions, you will perform this movement by putting more and more loads and thus strengthen all the muscles surrounding your spine.

So you get better core strength and more body control.

Again, it's important to proceed with caution when trying mobility exercises with weights.

To progress without getting injured, it is important to start at your own level (perhaps simply with body weight at first) and then gradually increase the workload, incrementally without wanting to rush things.

As always, beware of ego and comparisons to super athletes or stupid social media influencers haha ​​(just kidding).

Remember, this is a very targeted exercise for your spine, and it is the key to your longevity.

There is nothing worse and more disabling than a back injury, so be careful not to dive headfirst into this exercise.

To never have back pain, you must treat it gently and consciously.

I give you my recommendations further down in this article.

How to do Jefferson Curls correctly? Mistakes to absolutely avoid.

Before we begin, I'll give you my recommendations again if this is your first time doing this move:

It is imperative that at first this exercise be performed with very light weights or perhaps no weights at all and absolutely pain-free.

If you feel the slightest back pain, blockage, limitation, restriction… take the time, beforehand, to evaluate your level of mobility, to develop a greater range of movement, to reduce or completely remove the back pain and blockages that you may have.

Don't treat your mobility training as strength or conditioning training.

Progression may vary from one individual to another depending on your level of mobility, strength, physical practice, your injury history, your age, your weight, your gender, etc.

As always, patience is the mother of safety.

There's no need to strive for maximum performance or lift as much as possible. That's NOT THE GOAL!

The technique

• You need a stable, elevated surface like a box or bench. Holding a barbell, kettlebell, or other weight, stand up straight with your legs straight and extended, and your feet perfectly together.
• Begin the movement by tucking your chin into your chest , then slowly rounding your back one vertebra at a time. Imagine rolling one vertebra at a time like a string of pearls.
• Continue down, making sure not to lean backward .
  Leaning back with your hips will reduce the stretch, as it counterbalances the weight.
• Bend each vertebra slowly and in control.
  Slow tempo is essential for developing body awareness, feeling each segment (cervical, thoracic, lumbar) and improving your range of motion. Moving quickly makes you avoid the work altogether.
• Once at the bottom of the movement, your entire spine should form a uniform curve .
  Try to go as low as possible while keeping your legs locked and perfectly straight.
• Do not jerk at the bottom of the movement or you risk injuring yourself.
  If you're still not able to touch the floor at the end of the movement, that's okay. The goal isn't to touch the floor or go past it on the first day, but to gradually increase your range of motion and stretch your spine.
• Remember to maintain calm, nasal breathing throughout the movement.
• Keep your arms relaxed , elbows locked in full extension, and let your shoulders drop under the pull of gravity. This will also help you feel a stretch in your upper and middle back (shoulder girdle and thorax).
• From the very bottom position, simply reverse the movement , articulating the spine one vertebra at a time. So in reverse order starting with the lower back (lumbar), the middle back (thorax), then the upper back (cervical).
• Finish by lifting your chin off your chest and returning to the starting position with your gaze on the horizon. No need to extend; simply stop once you're standing straight.

How do you know if you're doing Jefferson Curls correctly?

Here are the biggest mistakes I see regularly.

1. You start by bending your hips first.
   By doing this, you are performing one of the fundamental movements: the Hip Hinge , you bend at the hip hinge, which will cause the lumbar region to flex first, and generally no thoracic or lumbar flexion. This is what you see most people doing when they are trying to pick something up off the ground, they bend at the hip.
   
   
2. You hold the low position too long.
   There's no need to stay down for 10 minutes hoping to accelerate your range of motion. The opposite happens when you hold positions for a long time. You're navigating the limit of your range of motion too abruptly, and your body will send a message to your brain telling it that this area is dangerous, and your brain will try to protect you even more and therefore prevent you from going any lower. So, keep moving.
3. You're putting on too much weight, too quickly.
   Once again, the eternal return of the ego. Remember the goal here is not to gain strength. Strengthening your back muscles is a byproduct of perfectly performing the movement with the right weight for your current level and abilities. A slight discomfort is acceptable, but pain and tremors are not.
4. You bend your legs.
   Don't forget that Jefferson Curls are also a stretching exercise for your entire posterior chain. If, as you descend, your legs start to shake and you have pain that forces you to bend your knees, connect point (3) and remove the weight. This only works if your legs are perfectly straight from start to finish. This is non-negotiable.

Should you add Jefferson Curls to your workout routine?

I'm giving you my personal opinion on the matter, having experimented with this movement for the past 5 years on myself and my students. It's also one of the exercises I use in my FREE MOBILITY training and my NEVER BACK PAIN REMOVAL training.

If you want a healthy spine, bending is inevitable.

As we saw earlier, you won't be able to avoid bending your spine. Whether in your sport or in everyday activities, it's important to prepare your body for the demands of reality.

This means that for everyone , I recommend bodyweight Jefferson Curls.

Indeed, if you're a healthy athlete, you shouldn't be afraid of weighted Jefferson Curls. They can be a great way to prevent injury and improve athletic performance by increasing range of motion and strengthening back muscles.

Do I recommend everyone to do these movements with weights?

No.

Indeed, there are too many parameters on the level of mobility, strength, body control, body awareness... for me to dare to give this kind of recommendation to the general public.

I have experienced my share of particular cases and particular pelvic shapes, history of surgical operations, major lack of flexibility or hip mobility, legs that are too short... In short, you can imagine all the possible cases that could make it difficult to access the Jefferson Curl with weights.

The idea of ​​this article is to present a simple movement accessible to all, to rehabilitate the importance of spinal flexions and to try to remove as many doubts and fears as possible when it comes to moving your back more freely.

Again, I want to help as many people as possible achieve greater physical independence . I'm not trying to turn you into contortionist, gymnast, and weightlifter athletes...

Take what is useful at your level , try to use the natural functions of your body without fear, gradually regain confidence in your body and its capacities.

We are not as fragile as we think.

Let’s move better and consciously!

Nomad Slim
Founder of MOUVERS