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Movement · Low back rehabProgressive loading ●
Rebuild the back that carries you.
A strength-based rehab clinic at Mavericks Fitness. We build the endurance and stiffness your lumbar spine needs, then load the patterns you use all day: paddling, lifting, bending, sitting, standing, parenting.
This clinic is educational. If you have acute pain, numbness, or tingling, see a medical professional before starting any exercise program.
McGill Big 3Curl-up, side plank, bird-dog.
Hip-ledThe hinge protects the lumbar.
Low-loadEndurance first, then strength.
What the protocol addresses
Why strength-based back rehab works.
Research consistently shows exercise is the most effective long-term treatment for chronic low back pain. Bed rest is known to prolong recovery and weaken the muscles that support the spine. Dr. Stuart McGill's work shows that targeted stability exercises outperform generic strengthening. The trick is choosing the right ones.
01 · Stability
Stiffness where the spine needs it.
The McGill Big 3 build core stiffness without excessive flexion, extension, or rotation. Low load, high specificity: the pattern the back actually responds to.
Spine-sparing02 · Hinge
Bend from the hips, not the lumbar.
Weak glutes and tight hamstrings force the low back to compensate during bending and lifting. A rebuilt hinge offloads the spine in daily life.
Hip-led bending03 · Hygiene
Movement breaks that stick.
Spine hygiene means short, frequent movement. If you sit for work, stand, walk, or drill a few reps every 30 to 45 minutes. Consistency over intensity.
Small & oftenProgression
Five phases, spine-sparing throughout.
Start conservatively and increase load only when movements are pain-free. Each phase runs alongside a short hygiene routine, because the back responds to consistency before it responds to intensity.
- 01Spine hygiene and screening.Cat-cow, dead bug, and bird-dog warm-ups. We screen painful directions and set the red lines we won't cross.
- 02The McGill Big 3.Curl-up, side plank, and bird-dog. Built for endurance, not max effort. The foundation of spine-sparing core training.
- 03Hip hinge and glute drive.Glute bridge progressions and Romanian deadlifts. Teach the hips to do their job so the lumbar can stop compensating.
- 04Anti-rotation and carries.Pallof press, dead bug progressions, suitcase carries. Train the trunk to resist unwanted movement under load.
- 05Load and return.Goblet squats, controlled pulls, and the pattern you came in for. Paddle, lift, hike, parent, or sit through a workday without flare-up.
The McGill Big 3
Three drills that do most of the work.
These three exercises form the foundation of spine-sparing core training. They minimize spinal load while building the stiffness and endurance your back needs.
Curl-up (modified)
Lie on your back with one knee bent, hands under your lower back. Lift only your head and shoulders a few inches while maintaining a neutral spine. Hold briefly and lower. This targets the rectus abdominis without excessive spine flexion.
Side plank
Lie on your side with forearm on the ground, feet stacked. Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Hold 10 to 30 seconds per side. Builds oblique and quadratus lumborum stability without spine load.
Bird-dog
On hands and knees, extend one arm and the opposite leg while keeping your spine neutral. Hold briefly, return, and alternate. Develops anti-extension and anti-rotation stability through the entire core.
Additional tools
Once the Big 3 feels manageable.
Add these movements to expand capacity and address common weak points. Load is earned, not assumed.
Glute bridge
Lie supine, knees bent. Drive through heels to lift hips while squeezing glutes. Progress to single-leg or weighted. Strengthens posterior chain and hip extension.
Dead bug
On your back, extend opposite arm and leg while keeping lower back pressed to the floor. Alternate sides. Builds anti-extension core control.
Hip hinge (Romanian deadlift)
Hinge at hips while keeping spine neutral, feeling hamstring stretch. Start with bodyweight or light weight. Teaches proper bending mechanics.
Pallof press
Resist band or cable rotation while pressing arms straight. Teaches anti-rotation and builds oblique stability.
Goblet squat
Hold a kettlebell or dumbbell at chest, squat with upright torso. Promotes proper squat pattern and core bracing.
Suitcase carry
Hold a weight in one hand and walk while keeping torso upright. Builds lateral core stability and challenges uneven load.
Common causes
What the pattern is usually pointing at.
Most mechanical back pain resolves with the right inputs. Here's what we see most often and how the clinic addresses each.
- Sitting all daySpine hygiene breaks, hip flexor stretches, glute activation
- Weak glutesGlute bridges, hip thrusts, single-leg work
- Poor hip hingeRDL progressions, learning to bend from hips
- Disc degenerationLow-load core stability, avoid end-range flexion
- Post-surgical rehabProgressive loading under professional guidance
Who it's for
Built for the people who use their backs.
Santa Cruz demands a back that can handle paddling, hiking, kayaking, and sitting at a keyboard. The clinic adapts to the pattern you need to return to.
Capitola VillageDesk workers
Counteract prolonged sitting with spine hygiene and glute activation.
Surfers
Handle paddling and pop-up demands without back strain.
Kayakers
Support prolonged seated rotation and paddling.
New parents
Build capacity for lifting and bending with a baby.
Aging adults
Maintain function and reduce fall risk through strength.
Post-surgical patients
Progressive return to activity with proper mechanics.
Start here
Screen the spine. Load the pattern.
Book a movement evaluation and we'll identify which phase of the back clinic fits where you are. We work alongside your physical therapist when appropriate.