Neutral spine does not exist in athletics
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Alexander Karelin, perhaps the best Greco-Roman wrestler, executing a gut wrench. Essentially he is forced to deadlift a man his size who is fully resisting him. Why is his back bent so much?
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Neutral spine has a place but in the world of athletics you will not find a perfect position. While this is only one example he had probably performed this move thousands of times in training and competition.
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Most stable position for the spine:
Neutral spine with braced abdominals.
Least stable position for the spine: fully flexed spine without bracing.
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The spine is a flexible rod that was designed to move. When attempting to overcome a load (ie lifting) for training purposes having the spine in an optimal position is ideal. I would also recommend preparing your spine for non-optimal positioning so when you are forced to go there your spine will be resilient.
. “You will regret not training in the position that you were injured” – Andreo Spina.