The Zen of Neutral Spine.

Squatting and deadlifting supposedly involves maintaining a neutral spine, but how do you know if your spine is actually neutral? What does a neutral spine really even mean in an asymmetric body? Most people are not actually squatting and deadlifting with neutral spines. They are actually in spinal extension. Postural Restoration has tests that show whether someone is actually in a neutral state of rest, or whether they are in an extended state of rest, which isn't really a state that you want to live in.

[naukafit]

Wow, Neal! Your extended explanation of the neutral spine was incredibly insightful and thorough. You broke down the concept so clearly and made it easy to understand . Your attention to detail and practical tips are invaluable. Thank you for sharing your expertise and helping us all take better care of our bodies! 🌟🙌

[jangrajewski]

12:41 Hi Neal, can you make a video with example exercises you are doing in the gym?

[aidanjasinkiewicz]

Great video, I've been thinking about this ever since I found PRI, and I really wish more people understood this.

[smoothmovenyc]

Neal, I know you read a lot so I wanted to ask if you've ever read the book "Healing Back Pain: The Mind-Body Connection" by Dr John Sarno...It's all about TMS (Tension Myositis Syndrome) and how repressed emotions, mostly anger, or some kind of childhood trauma that we don't even know is there, cause our body to react through chronic pain, and when we realize those emotions are deep within us and work on overcoming them the pain disappears....I've heard many people having success with his methods... I think this correlates a lot with PRI and the things you always talk about...

[trenthm]

Super valuable info! You’re the best, Neal. “Tensegrity” is such a good word to use!

[jesschace]

Amazing explanation as usual! Love your videos...so informative!

[ZeroHp-]

Tensegrity! Love it. This word has been on my mind so much over the last couple of weeks. Thanks for the videos Neal, you've changed my life so positively by making your content.

[ladskius]

I do nothing but unilateral work with dumbbells these days. You can get pretty strong without sacrificing your mobility. Honestly, barbells are pretty overrated for the average gym goer, especially if your goals are to build muscle and maintain your health, fitness and mobility into an old age (my specific goals).

Great video as always.

[MagikarpPower]

As a former powerlifter this video, for me, was essential to understanding PRI. i always thought straight back meant neutral, and i was really averse to rounding my back with the techniques. my issues are probably partly a result of lifting and explains why squats made it worse for so long. Other powerlifters are starting to pick up on rounding the upper spine while training.

[flowmovementtherapy]

It's so curious that you said 'flow movement' which is what I called my business over 6 years ago when I completed the Anatomy in Motion training (and their Flow Motion Model). It's also interesting that you said salsa dancers are more symmetrical. I started all of my training to help all the incredibly locked up adult salsa dancers in the classes I was teaching. But also to help myself not have all the niggling aches and pains that none of the practitioners I could find were able to resolve. I loved your video showing how frontal plane can be restored by doing the bachata basic. (Also it's a 'buckminsterfullerene'. Buckminster Fuller was the scientist who named the structure, or whom the structure was named after.)

[tommihaapanen]

I've been doing the squat technique you teached in the video couple of days ago and the difference that I feel in my body is kinda astonishing. I've been dabling with PRI for couple of years now after I stumbled on your stuff and the squat exercise is kinda mind boglingly simple and effective. You mentioned that after getting neutral, you need to teach stability. How should I go about doing that? I'dd love to work with a PRI coach, but I'm in a kinda tight spot money wise and additionally I live in Finland, and there doesn't seem to be any certified PRI coaches around.

[TheBoboSamurai]

Great video 👌 i wasn't expecting you to go so deep but I appreciate it.

[masonmalaguti]

Hey neal how are u doing. Are u still out of pain?

Are u able to run and play sports and lift heavy things etc?

How u doing overall?

[tahoeguy]

Would love to see the chair you sit in and how you sit. Maybe you have shown this in another video? If so please direct me to that video, if not please make a video showing your sitting chair and posture please and thanks... You look very "hunched" but hard to tell... What does postural restoration say about sitting and "sitting posture"? Because we live in a sitting society. Thank you for all that you do and share Neal!

[AsbjoernLeth]

Interesting video Neal! I'm curious to hear if you know about David Weck and his philosophy of functional training and what you think of this. He is mostly known for inventing the 'bosu ball' in the early 2000s and later 'rope flow', but he is also trying to popularize bilateral movement patterns in strength training, powered by 'the spinal engine' among other stuff. The things you talk about in this video reminded me of the things he preaches. I believe you guys could’ve had an interesting conversation about the body.

[strussy_baka]

Hello Neal, I need your advice. I absolutely love your channel - it made me realize that I have severe issues with my body and it affects my daily well-being. I feel I need a tailored medical advice - I am from Europe therefore impossible to see you 😅 How is your speciality called so I can find someone with that kind of knowledge? I have been to an osteopath, but nothing of such "diaphragm unlocks" or "posture checks" were done the way you show them on your patients. Thank you for your constant contribution, you are literally changing people's lives.

[playermartin]

What about the studies suggesting flexion as a common cause of disc herniations due the nucleus moving backwards?

[blinkv]

Could, or have you done a video on the ALF appliance in regard to neuromuscular re-ducation and tongue posture, not expansion

[DanielDeycaza]

I have been doing PRI (not much lately), for over 2 years and something really interesting happened. I developed so much hyperawareness that I started noticing the energies that moved through and around my body. Am talking really really strong energy like it could not be unnoticed when I was still. To the point where it felt like my whole body was having sex with itself and was about to have an orgasm (but it wasnt like a normal orgasm, this was something else). Basically I realized that I awoke the kundalini energy just by the hyperawareness that PRI helped me develop, cause I have always been a sensitive individual, but now even more 😂. Even with all that, my jaw and cranium are still stuck. Ears and jaw mainly is where I feel all that energy got stuck and didnt travel up. I wanted to thank you for the content you put in here, and to comment on my experience cause its honestly so interesting

[infamous]

I have a question: I have heard that different kinds of bites/teeth posture can have a domino effect on the posture throughout the whole body, but could wisdom teeth have the same effect? I currently have 1 wisdom tooth that's fully grown in the bottom right row, and I just now started to realize that my jaw is uneven, so I'm wondering if that can also cause other asymmetries throughout the body