How to FIX your Tight Quadratus Lumborum (QL) for Good!

Summary

This video script introduces three effective exercises to alleviate tension in the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle. It covers using a ball to reduce muscle tightness, segmental side bends to restore spinal motion, and side planks to reinforce stability. The routine aims to improve flexibility and strength in the lower back area.

Takeaways

• 💪 The video focuses on reducing tension in the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle, which is commonly tight due to constant tension.
• 🏋️‍♂️ Three favorite moves are introduced to help reduce tension, restore motion, and reinforce stability in the QL muscle area.
• 🔍 The exercises are designed to be performed in a sequential order for maximum effectiveness.
• 🌐 A ball (like a lacrosse ball, golf ball, or any round object) is used in the first exercise to locate and reduce muscle tension in the QL area.
• 🕒 Holding the ball against the tight spot for 30 to 60 seconds, or up to 90 seconds for more advanced individuals, is recommended to alleviate tension.
• 🤸‍♀️ The second move involves sitting on the edge of a bench or chair and performing a controlled side bend to restore spinal motion.
• 🔄 The side bend should be done segmentally, moving one vertebrae at a time, to ensure proper motion restoration.
• 🏋️‍♀️ The third move is a side plank, which is a classic exercise to reinforce stability in the QL muscle area.
• 📈 The side plank can be made more challenging by adding hip dips towards the ground and then lifting the hip towards the ceiling.
• 📚 The video suggests incorporating these exercises into a daily routine or before a workout to notice significant changes in muscle tension over a couple of weeks.
• 🎥 The presenter also promotes a new spinal mobility program with a 14-day free trial for those interested in further improving their spinal mobility.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of the video?

The primary focus of the video is to demonstrate three effective exercises to reduce tension, restore motion, and reinforce stability in the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle, which is commonly tight due to tension.

What muscle is commonly tight and the focus of the exercises in the video?

The quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle is the focus of the exercises in the video, as it is a muscle that commonly gets tight.

What is the first exercise shown in the video and what does it aim to achieve?

The first exercise involves using a ball (like a lacrosse ball) to reduce muscle tension in the QL. It is meant to alleviate tightness in the area.

What is the purpose of hugging the same side knee towards the chest while performing the first exercise?

Hugging the same side knee towards the chest helps to elongate the muscle under tension, further reducing the tightness in the QL muscle.

How long should one hold the first exercise to achieve the desired effect?

The first exercise should be held for 30 to 60 seconds for beginners, and up to 90 seconds for more advanced individuals.

What is the second exercise in the video and what does it aim to restore?

The second exercise is a seated side bend, aimed at restoring side bend motion in the spine, specifically in the area where the QL muscle is located.

How should one perform the seated side bend exercise correctly?

To perform the seated side bend, one should start by hugging themselves and then dip their shoulder, side bending from the thoracic spine to the lumbar spine, moving one vertebrae at a time.

What is the third exercise in the video and what is its purpose?

The third exercise is a side plank, which is used to reinforce stability in the area of the QL muscle.

How can the side plank exercise be made more challenging?

The side plank can be made more challenging by adding movement to it, such as dipping the hip towards the ground and then lifting it towards the ceiling.

What is the recommended approach for someone with chronic QL tension?

For someone with chronic QL tension, incorporating these exercises into a daily movement routine or performing them before a workout can help notice significant changes within a couple of weeks.

What additional resource is mentioned in the video for improving spinal mobility?

The video mentions a new spinal mobility program that has been released as part of a monthly membership, offering a 14-day free trial for those interested in improving spinal mobility.

Outlines

00:00

🏋️‍♂️ Reducing Quadratus Lumborum Tension

This paragraph introduces three exercises aimed at reducing tension in the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle, a common area of tension. The first exercise involves using a ball, such as a lacrosse ball, to apply pressure and find tight spots, holding the position for 30 to 60 seconds or up to 90 seconds for more advanced individuals. The movement is intensified by hugging the knee to the chest and rotating the body to the same side, which can be quite intense. The exercise is meant to be performed on both sides to assess and reduce baseline tension.

05:01

🧘‍♀️ Restoring Spinal Motion with Segmental Side Bends

The second exercise focuses on restoring motion to the spine, specifically side bending motion, which is essential for the QL muscle located near the spine. The movement is performed sitting on the edge of a bench or chair, hugging oneself, and attempting to side bend one vertebrae at a time from the thoracic to the lumbar spine. The exercise requires going as far as possible without lifting the opposite hip, and then uprighting the spine from the lumbar to the thoracic spine. This slow, controlled movement is repeated for five to ten reps on each side to compare and identify which side feels tighter, allowing for more focused work on that side.

💪 Reinforcing Stability with Dynamic Side Planks

The final exercise is about reinforcing stability in the area with a side plank, a well-known exercise that can be made more challenging by adding a hip dip towards the ground and then lifting it towards the ceiling. This dynamic movement can be performed for five repetitions or held for time until fatigue sets in. The exercise is intended to increase blood flow to the area and enhance stability, with one to two rounds recommended on each side. The paragraph concludes with a recap of the three exercises and a suggestion to incorporate them into a daily routine for chronic QL tension relief. Additionally, there's a promotion for a new spinal mobility program with a 14-day free trial and a call to action for likes and subscriptions.

Keywords

💡Quadratus Lumborum (QL)

The Quadratus Lumborum (QL) is a muscle located in the lower back region, which can become tight due to various reasons such as poor posture or repetitive movements. In the video, the QL is the focus of the exercises aimed at reducing muscle tension. The script mentions that the QL commonly gets tight if there is constant tension in the area, and the first move involves using a ball to alleviate this tension.

💡Tension Reduction

Tension reduction refers to the process of easing muscle tightness, which is a primary goal of the exercises demonstrated in the video. The script outlines specific moves using a ball to apply pressure and roll over the QL muscle, which helps to release the tension. The tension reduction is the first step in the sequence of exercises to improve the condition of the QL muscle.

💡Restoring Motion

Restoring motion involves regaining the natural range of movement in a particular area of the body, which is the second step in the video's exercise sequence. After reducing muscle tension, the script describes an exercise to restore side bend motion in the spine, which is closely related to the QL muscle's function and helps in maintaining its flexibility.

💡Stability Reinforcement

Stability reinforcement is the final step in the exercise routine presented in the video, which aims to solidify the changes made to the muscle and spine's condition. The script suggests using side planks, a common exercise, to strengthen the muscles around the QL and improve overall stability in the lower back area.

💡Lacrosse Ball

A lacrosse ball is a small, hard rubber ball that is used in the first exercise of the video to apply pressure on the QL muscle. The script mentions using a lacrosse ball, or any similar round object, to roll over the muscle to find tight spots and reduce tension. This tool is essential for the initial tension reduction phase.

💡Segmental Side Bends

Segmental side bends are a type of movement described in the script where the spine is bent laterally, one vertebra at a time, to restore motion. This exercise is part of the motion restoration phase and is performed sitting on the edge of a bench or chair, aiming to isolate and mobilize each part of the spine.

💡Side Plank

A side plank is an isometric exercise that is used in the stability reinforcement phase of the video's routine. The script explains how to perform a basic side plank and suggests variations to increase difficulty, such as dipping the hip towards the ground and lifting it up, which engages the muscles around the QL more intensely.

💡Muscle Elongation

Muscle elongation is the process of stretching a muscle to increase its length and flexibility. In the context of the video, the script describes hugging the knee towards the chest while pressing against the ball to elongate the QL muscle, which is part of the tension reduction technique.

💡Breathing Techniques

Breathing techniques are mentioned in the script as a way to enhance the relaxation and tension reduction process. The video suggests breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth while applying pressure with the ball, which can help in calming the mind and easing muscle tension.

💡Chronic QL Tension

Chronic QL tension refers to a persistent tightness in the QL muscle that may result from ongoing strain or improper body mechanics. The script addresses this issue by recommending the routine before a workout or as part of a daily movement routine to alleviate this tension over time.

💡Spinal Mobility Program

A spinal mobility program is a series of exercises designed to improve the flexibility and range of motion of the spine. The script mentions a new program that has been released, which could be beneficial for viewers interested in enhancing their spinal mobility, and offers a 14-day free trial for interested individuals.

Highlights

Introduction to three favorite moves to reduce tension in the quadratus lumborum muscle.

Explanation of the importance of sequential order in performing the moves for maximum effectiveness.

Use of a ball for the first move to reduce muscle tension, with a focus on finding the tight spot and applying pressure.

Modification for intensity by holding the position for 30 to 60 seconds or up to 90 seconds for advanced individuals.

Technique of hugging the same side knee to chest to elongate the muscle under tension.

Advising on how to find and work on the tight spot with the ball, including rotating towards the same side.

Suggestion to perform the exercise on both sides to assess baseline tension levels.

Transition to the second move focusing on restoring side bend motion of the spine.

Instructions for sitting on the edge of a bench or chair for the side bend motion restoration.

Description of segmenting the spine and side bending one vertebrae at a time for motion restoration.

Emphasis on the difficulty of the side bend motion and the importance of slow, controlled movement.

Introduction of the third move, a side plank, to reinforce stability in the area.

Guidance on performing a basic side plank and options for increasing difficulty with movement.

Recommendation for the duration and repetitions of the side plank for reinforcing stability.

Summary of the three moves and their purpose in reducing tension, restoring motion, and reinforcing stability.

Advice on incorporating the routine into a daily or pre-workout routine for chronic quadratus lumborum tension.

Invitation for viewers to suggest the next muscle group or body area for a similar routine.

Promotion of a new spinal mobility program with a 14-day free trial for interested viewers.

Encouragement for viewers to like and subscribe for updates on future videos.

Transcripts

do you have that tight ql on you

otherwise known as the quadratus

lumborum which is a muscle that commonly

gets tight in this area if you always

have tension there I'm going to show you

three of my favorite moves to help

reduce that tension for good if you're

not familiar with my videos I like to

show three simple moves for a particular

body area or a particular muscle group

that first helps reduce tension in that

area secondly restores Motion in that

area and thirdly reinforces stability in

that area so we can really hold on to

those changes for long periods of time

and to get the most bang for your buck

these moves have to go in sequential

order of each other so first let me show

you how to reduce that tight muscle

tension all we need for this move is a

ball I got a lacrosse ball here you can

use a golf ball soft ball anything

that's round and first thing you're

going to do is find where your spine is

and then you're going to roll that ball

just off to the side and then slowly

lean back on it now just with my body

weight pressure I can already feel I'm

hitting a tight spot so if this is

pretty intense for you you're just going

to hold this for a good 30 30 to 60

seconds if you don't feel that tension

quite yet you can slowly move around oh

until you find a tight spot and as

you're holding this if you feel that

tension start to decrease what you're

going to do is hug your same side knee

towards your chest and now we're going

to try to elongate that muscle under

tension and oh my goodness this is about

to bring a tear to my eye and to take it

up even further you can slowly start to

rotate towards that same side oh putting

more of your body weight through that

tightness if you never used a ball like

this to reduce tension aim for 30

seconds my more advanced people actually

want to aim for 90 seconds that's the

gold standard and of course you can do

the other side especially if both sides

are pretty tight doing both sides is a

really good audit to see what your

Baseline tension should be on your good

side so on my right side I'm rolling

around it's a little bit harder for me

to find that tension so I'm immediately

going to bring my knee towards my chest

oh there we go I found that tension and

then I'm just going to slowly roll my

body weight and then just think about

breathing into that ball

pressure channeling your inner Zen in

through the

nose out through the

mouth and just think of that tension

just melting away so now that we reduce

that tension on both sides we're going

to start to restore some motion in that

area since the ql is just located off

the spine we're going to restore some

side Bend motion so all you need for

this is somewhere to sit I'm on a bench

or you can sit on a chair at home and

you're going to scooch to the edge and

then you're going to give yourself a

little bit of a hug here what we're

going to do is try to segment our spine

or try to side Bend one vertebrae at a

time so I'm going to start going to my

left what I'm going to do is start to

dip my shoulder side bending from the

thoracic spine and then I'm trying to

move one vertebrae at a time until I get

to my low back or my lumbar spine and I

feel like I'm running out of real estate

right around here you just want to go as

far as you can without letting that

opposite hip come off then once I'm at

the end of my rrange now I'm going to

try to upright my spine or straighten up

from the lumbar spine up to the

thoracic so once I start to Upright here

I'm going to take that momentum

immediately start to side Bend to my

right side now again trying to work one

vertebrae at a

time and turtle wins the race with this

one it looks simple but it's actually

very difficult especially if you're

trying to move one vertebrae at a time

and then we're going to Upright slow

control

movement until we get back to the top

I'll show you the same movement from the

back now hug yourself I'm going to start

to my left so I'm going to dip that left

shoulder start to side Bend from my

upper thoracic down to my lower down to

my lumbar again without that hip coming

off of wherever you're

sitting and then once you get to the end

of that range you might feel like you're

about to cramp that's totally normal and

then now we're going to try to Upright

from the bot botom back up to the top

and then use that momentum to then start

to side Bend from the other

side doing both sides at a time you can

really kind of compare what side feels

tighter than the other because you could

focus some more isolated reps on

whatever side is more

sticky so there's move number two you're

going to do a good five to 10 slow

controlled reps on each side and again

that's going to help restore that nice

spinal motion right around where that ql

muscle lives but we still got some work

to do so to recap we reduce some of that

tension in the muscle we restored some

of that motion specifically in the spine

now we want to reinforce those changes

with some stability work so for this

we're going to do an Old Reliable that

most of you have probably done in your

life and that's just a side plank so if

I'm lying on my side here what you're

going to do is bring that top leg out in

front so you have a wider base of

support then you're going to drive that

forearm into the ground to bring

yourself up now this is level one we're

just going to hold this side plank for

about 30 seconds but if this is too easy

for you we can start to build some more

movement into it so I can slowly dip my

hip towards the ground just hovering

above it and then I'm going to slowly

bring my hip up towards the ceiling

seems super simple but I'm shaking like

the Dickens right now so you can either

hold it for time or you can think about

doing a good five repetitions going up

and

down or until you're smoked and then

take a break and go to the other side so

again driving arm nice straight line

level one would just be holding this for

as long as you can until you start to

fatigue but if it's too easy we're going

to slowly dip hip towards the ground

just hovering above and then now try to

bring that hip up towards the ceiling

just trying to move from the

pelvis again nice slow controlled

movement think about how you were doing

those segmental side bends before trying

to do that similar thing but now I have

to stabilize while doing

it after a good one to two rounds on

each side you're going to get some nice

blood flow to that area and you should

feel more stable so to recap we did

three simple movements number one was

just getting a lacrosse ball or any type

of ball to help reduce some of that

muscle tension level two was restoring

that motion specifically that side

bending and number three is reinforcing

stability with a static side plank or

you can get a little bit more d Dynamic

by moving the hips up and down and if

you have chronic ql tension if you did

this routine before a workout or built

it into your daily movement routine

you're going to start to notice some

serious changes especially within a

couple week period now if these Concepts

made sense to you where I take a

specific muscle group or a body area and

first reduce the tension and then

restore motion and then reinforce it

with stability then let me know what

group of muscles you want to see next

and if you want to restore some spinal

Mobility check out my new spinal

Mobility Program that just released in

my monthly membership and as a bonus

right now I'm offering a 14-day free

trial so you have nothing to lose and

only spinal Mobility to gain and of

course don't forget to like subscribe so

you know when the next video

[Music]

drops