Exercises Are Only Problematic If They Are Poorly Prescribed… Why Most People Misinterpret The Jefferson Curl
Coaches, chiros and physios all seem to miss the fact this movement is not a strength exercise! It’s not designed to load spinal flexion.
It’s time to set the record straight…the for and against of using this exercise
3 Reason You Should Learn The Jefferson Curl
Are you scared of “slipping a disc in your lower back”? Keep reading
Is Your Spine Intolerant To Flexion?
Every day I see patients who have a ‘flat spot’ in their lower back as they bend forward. To me, this is an indicator of either…
a previous either a history of back pain or,
an increased risk of injuring their disc.
You need to be able to flex your spine. If you struggle to do this it’s not a matter of avoiding it. You can’t live without spinal flexion.
Instead of continually hurting your discs, would it not make sense to learn to flex each vertebra one at a time… This focus on motor control teaches the brain to understand a movement that should automatically occur, be reflexive.
A Jefferson curl starting at the neck then slowly curling your entire spine one vertebra at a time is brilliant in helping the brain understand how the spine should move into flexion.
Do You Need To Learn How To…
Simultaneously Maintain Spinal Movement And Center Of Gravity?
This control is critical every time you want to pick something off the ground.
When you flex your spin, your hamstrings need to engage to maintain centre of gravity. Basically they are the anchors stopping you from falling forward every time you lean forward.
The goal is not to build strength in the hamstring but teach them how to eccentrically load in conjunction with the spine.
Note again it’s about the movement and coordination of muscles. Not strength!
Can You Eccentrically Control Your Spinal Erectors?
For your spine to stay stable, you must be able to lengthen the spinal erectors under tension.
This will only occur if you allow your core structures to take over. As you breathe out to flex the spine your…
Lower abdominals
Lower obliques
Pelvic floor
TVA
…all have to engage to create enough spinal flexion!
At the same time…your lumbar and thoracic erectors have to eccentrically load firstly and then secondly so do your multifidus. Multifidi are usually the ones that fail.
It happens near when you bend and rotate to pick something off the floor because you haven’t taught them how to eccentrically load. This is where people end up hurting their L4, L5, S1 discs.
The Jefferson curls is a great because it…
teaches the multifidus and spinal erectors how to eccentrically load
helps you understand how to breathe for movement control
help the hamstrings understand their role as anchors
facilitates engagement of TVA
If you don’t know how to control this common movement, how are you going to pick anything up off the floor?
In saying that…
You Just Can’t Give This Exercise To Everyone
If you don’t know how to use your hips properly…
You’re never going to be able to engage your hamstrings correctly
You will always incorporate too much of a knee bend
Before You Even Contemplate a Jefferson Curl You Must Be Able To Hip Hinge
If you don’t you’re always going to rely on their quads. The problem with this, it’s not going to allow your posterior chain to eccentrically load. This puts pressure on the front of your hips first then straight through your discs.
Lifting weights without knowing how to hip hinge means it’s only a matter of time before you’ll start seeing lower back and disc problems.
The ability to hip hinge takes priority over using a Jefferson curl to learn motor control of flexion.
Even Then It’s Not Your Go To Exercise
I will never prescribe this exercise until I know you can perform a regressed non weight bearing variation. I use band assisted roll up (sit up). It’s orientation to gravity is different so the challenge isn’t exactly the same, but it does follow the same movement pattern.
If you can’t perform this exercise I’m not going to add more variables and increase the challenge by having you stand up and do a Jefferson.
The Biggest Reason To Avoid A Jefferson Curl…
PAIN!
If it’s aggravating your symptoms this exercise is way to advanced for you. Do not push through because you need to learn the movement pattern. There is a level of tolerable symptoms - up to a 4/10 intensity, and you can keep going as long as it doesn’t start to increase. If it’s higher than a 4/10 or it seems to keep getting more sensitive per rep - stop immediately, regress and then build up to a Jefferson.