I am an intermediate lifter, and like many on this site, I consider my lifting to be training rather than exercise. I’m able to lift more today than I was a month ago and hope to be able to lift even more next month. Perhaps a powerlifting meet is in my future.
I have a friend whose opinion I value. He comes from a exercise background having trained people for nearly 10 years and recently completed his doctorate in physical therapy. I’ve gotten a lot of good advice from him especially as it relates to prehab, mobility, etc.
One thing I am having some trouble with is his insistence on a neutral spine, all the time, in all lifting activities. In my mind, there are times when a neutral spine either is not possible or is not necessary. This situation culminated yesterday after I had completed a set of pull-ups and he told me that I should be keeping a neutral spine throughout the movement.
I told him I thought it was unnecessary during a low risk, body-weight activity and in fact, may even work against building strength as it imposes a (somewhat) arbitrary limit on how much weight can be moved. Of course, he’s the Dr. and I’m just a schmuck in the gym so I don’t have the knowledge to defend my (defenseless?) point.
So, imho neutral spine during DLing, squating, bent rows, et al is good and necessary. However, neutral spine during pull-ups, triceps extensions, and skulls is neither necessary nor desirable due placing the body in a mechanically disadvantaged position, albeit one that’s “safer” perhaps as measured by spinal compression…
Can anyone else weigh in on this?
TIA