The Do It At Home Series: Multifidus Lift

This month Sonny, one of the awesome trainers at TruFit Personal Training Studios, is demonstrating an exercise you can do pretty much anywhere as long as you have something as simple as a book! 

The Multifidus Lift is an exercise that helps strengthen these deep core muscles to help us move more functionally through life with a lot less lower back pain! So pay attention if you sit a lot during the day or spend a lot of time in the car becasue this one's for you.

First some quick anatomy in case you don't know what the multifidus is. 

The multifidi muscles run up and down the spine, laying superficially on top of it. This deep core muscle helps stabilize the vertabrae so they can work in a more healthy and efficient way. In other words, strong and functional multifidi = happy back!

What you'll need: A yoga block or a book.

The set up:

• Place your yoga block or book against a wall
• Get into tabletop position (hands under shoulders, knees under hips) with the inside knee on top of the block/book

Some great cues:

• ​Imagine the fall is on fire so that you don't lean against it
• Imagine there is a dry martini glass on your low back; don't let it fall
• Lift up your outside hip up by bringing the outside knee up 
• Exhale as you lift up, inhale on the way down

Sonny says to try holding the up position for 10 seconds (don't forget to breath) and build up to 10 reps on each side. 

Give it a try for a few weeks and start paying attention to how your body and your daily movements -- bending, twisting, reaching for things -- feel!

To get in touch with Sonny for a consultation, you can reach him by phone at 630-640-0013 or at [email protected]!