Lower Back – Alexander Method of SMR

Serratus Posterior Inferior

spi -- 2016 — Serratus Posterior Inferior

Pictured above is the serratus posterior inferior (SPI). It is an important muscle to address because it tends to be tight and limit your ability to draw in a deep breath.

It is commonly overstretched and lacking proper mobility in persons with poor posture due to excessive rounding of the middle and lower back. 80% of all adults over 18 years of age have some form of back pain. If you aren't checking the SPI for excessive stiffness you are missing one of the most significant links to proper back function.

The muscles on the left are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Individual hip, lower back & thigh muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

The following muscle attaches across the middle & lower back to the bottom four ribs and the last two thoracic vertebrae and the top two lumbar vertebrae:

Serratus Posterior Inferior

The following muscles attach across the hip & lower back, or to the hip from above (the spine and/or ribs) or below (the thigh).
Click the appropriate link for your interest.

Click here to see the hip flexors as a muscle group.

Click here to see the adductors as a group.

Muscle that crosses the hip/lower back joint and crosses the hip/thigh joint. (attaches to the spine and the femur)

Psoas

Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

Iliacus
Adductor Magnus
Adductor Longus
Adductor Brevis
Pectineus
Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus Medius
Gluteus Minimus
Piriformis
Superior Gemellus
Obturator Internus
Inferior Gemellus
Obturator Externus
Quadratus Femoris

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Iliopsoas Roll

Use this SMR exercise AFTER the Quads Roll.

This SMR exercise is a variation of the Psoas Press and Iliacus Press techniques to address the Psoas muscle and Iliacus in the Hip Flexors in the front of your hips & core. You may find this exercise easier.

If the Psoas Press or Iliacus Press are too intense to work with then practice the Iliopsoas Roll to more gently work out the "junk" in the front of your hips. It may take a month or two to help your muscles along to become healthy enough to handle the other two techniques (which are the preferred deep tissue SMR techniques for the iliopsoas group).

If you have tightness or discomfort of the hip, knee, or lower back, then this exercise is likely to help.

For written instructions, click here to download a printable PDF of the Iliopsoas Roll

Be sure to post your questions and comments below. We want to provide the best instruction to help you recover from your workouts.

Click here to return to all of the Fundamental SMR Techniques

**All information is provided for educational purposes only. You should consult your doctor before attempting any exercises you read on this page or any page on this website.**

Fixing Lower Back Pain

Many of us suffer from occasional lower back pain. Matter of fact 80% of all adults will at some time experience it and many of us have chronic low back pain which affects our choices of activities every day.

One of the likely muscular causes of lower back stress is a shortened and tight Psoas Muscle.

psoas-press-1a — Location for the Psoas Press

If your psoas is shortened it is constantly pulling on your lumbar vertebrae, hip, and thigh. As it tightens more each day, the lower back muscles compensate to stabilize the amount of tension on either side of your spine. This leads to excessive stress placed on the vertebrae and discs between the vertebrae.

One effective way to safely lengthen the psoas to reduce the stress on your spine is to practice the "Supported Corpse Stretch" every single day until you no longer feel any stretch or tension in either your lower back or the front of your hips & thighs.

Sppt-Corpse-1 — Supported Corpse Stretch

Symmetrically stretching the 5 hip flexor muscles located on or in the front of your hips (psoas, iliacus, rectus femoris, sartorius, tensor fasciae latae) to their full-range natural length can reduce excessive tension in your hip & back and neutralize the stress in your spine.

Tune in to your body and practice these and the other techniques found in the Alexander Method of SMR to find lasting relief from back pains that have muscular origins.

Fixing Ryan Moody’s Tight Hip

In addition to being a talented and engaging presenter of the Explosive WOD Seminars, Ryan Moody is a heck of a jumper:

A good friend of his heard him speaking of a nagging hip issue and brought him to come visit us at the Rumble Roller booth at the CrossFit Games. After spending about 20 minutes with him and giving him some SMR "homework" to do each day, he got some rather dramatic results in only 2 days!

Ryan-Moody-comparison — Ryan's "lagging leg" before our help and after only 20-30 minutes of SMR homework

T-Spine Roll

Use this SMR exercise AFTER the Lats Roll.

This SMR exercise is to address the multiple layers of knots & adhesions in your upper and mid-back.

If you have tightness or discomfort in your shoulders, deep dull aches in your upper or mid back, or general shoulder & neck issues, then this exercise is likely to help.

For written instructions, click here to download a printable PDF of the T-Spine Roll

For our downloadable video instruction, click here (video from 2010--updated video is in the works!)

Be sure to post your questions and comments below. We want to provide the best instruction to help you recover from your workouts.

Click here to return to all of the Fundamental SMR Techniques

**All information is provided for educational purposes only. You should consult your doctor before attempting any exercises you read on this page or any page on this website.**

QL Roll

Use this SMR exercise AFTER the Quads Roll, and the Iliopsoas Roll.

This SMR exercise is to address the deeper knots in your lower back primarily along your spine below your ribs.

If you have tightness or discomfort in your lower back, deep dull aches in hip, or general hip & back issues, then this exercise is likely to help.

For written instructions, click here to download a printable PDF of the QL Roll

For our downloadable video instruction, click here (video from 2010--updated video is in the works!)

Be sure to post your questions and comments below. We want to provide the best instruction to help you recover from your workouts.

Click here to return to all of the Fundamental SMR Techniques

**All information is provided for educational purposes only. You should consult your doctor before attempting any exercises you read on this page or any page on this website.**

Gluteus Medius

Pictured above is the gluteus medius muscle. It primarily works to extend (open) the hip, and is especially involved in stabilizing the hip when standing on one leg. It is very likely that this muscle will need stretching and SMR attention, so address it often.

The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others.

Individual hip, lower back & thigh muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Muscle that crosses the hip/lower back joint and crosses the hip/thigh joint (attaches to the spine and the femur)

Psoas

Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Gluteus Maximus

Pictured above is the gluteus maximus muscle. It primarily works to extend (open) the hip. It is rare that this muscle will need SMR attention, but regular stretching is strongly suggested for the glutes and the hamstrings.

The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others. You can access individual muscle detail for all the other muscles in the body with our Coach membership.

Individual hip, lower back & thigh muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Muscle that crosses the hip/lower back joint and crosses the hip/thigh joint (attaches to the spine and the femur)

Psoas

Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Iliacus

Pictured above is the iliacus. It is one of the hip flexor muscles, and pulls your leg up toward your hip (like when you lift your leg). It is one of the most influential muscle in the body. You can't move your hip in any direction without using this muscle. This muscle is VERY LIKELY to need some SMR attention along with the psoas muscle. 80% of all adults over 18 years of age have some form of back pain. If you aren't checking the psoas for excessive tension you are missing one of the most significant links to proper back function.

The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others.

Individual hip, lower back & thigh muscles you might be interested in: (any inactive links will be live soon)

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Click here to see the hip flexor muscles as a group.

Muscle that crosses the hip/lower back joint and crosses the hip/thigh joint (attaches to the spine and the femur)

Psoas

Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

Muscles that attach to the hip and the thigh bone (femur)

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!

Transverse Abdominus

Pictured above is the transverse abdominus muscle. It tightens the space between your ribs and hips and flattens your belly. It works with the other core muscles primarily to stabilize the abdominal region and hold your spine steady while you move your body or lift something. You are not as likely to need to stretch and practice SMR on the transverse abdominus as the oblique muscles. However, be sure to check the PSOAS in particular, as it is EXTREMELY LIKELY to have knots that need attention.

The muscles are layered, showing how some of the muscles are covered by the others. All of the muscles are see-through so that you can appreciate the location and size of each muscle relative to the others. You can access detail for all the muscles in the body with our Coach membership.

Click here for a list of all the muscles.

Click your area of interest below. (any inactive links will be active soon)

Muscles that attach to the hip and the spine and/or ribs

Muscles that attach to the thigh bone from either the spine or hip bone above (attached anywhere on the femur)

Psoas
Iliacus
Rectus Femoris
Tensor Fasciae Latae
Sartorius
Gracilis
Adductor Magnus
Adductor Longus
Adductor Brevis
Pectineus
Gluteus Maximus
Gluteus Medius
Gluteus Minimus
Piriformis
Superior Gemellus
Obturator Internus
Inferior Gemellus
Quadratus Femoris
Biceps Femoris - Long Head
Semitendonosis
Semimembranosis

Good luck working out those tight knots.

If you have any questions, please post a comment. We try to respond within 24 hours.

We're here to help you get more out of your training!