When we are in a neutral position, our spine has a certain degree of curvature. When people talk about keeping their backs straight, they usually mean their lower back and lumbar vertebrae. In a neutral posture, our lumbar spine is called lordosis, which bends slightly inward and faces the stomach.

When people are setting up hard lifts, this slight curve is actually considered as a "neutral position", which needs to be maintained throughout the lifting process.

Similarly, its back doesn't look as straight as a ruler, but if you draw a line from the back of the head to the back of the waist, it is straight. In fact, in some cases, it is ok to slightly bend the upper back when lifting hard.

2. Why do you keep your back straight when lifting barbells?

Shear force is a kind of non-directional force that pushes one part of an object in one direction and the other part in the opposite direction. When we can't keep a neutral back, the shear force will increase at the joint level.

It is said that low back injuries, such as disc herniation, are caused by backward loading when the spine bends. So try to keep the lower back stretched naturally, which can protect the spine from shearing force and potential injury.

If you want to know the best angle of back lift, you can read our latest article and discuss how your body proportion affects your back lift angle.

Breathe and support correctly and keep your back straight.

3. First of all, there must be a suitable bracket.

Support begins with breathing. We can read more articles about how to breathe correctly in hard lifting, but in essence, we want to increase the stiffness of lumbar spine through 360-degree deep breathing in the abdomen.

If handled correctly, this support will generate intra-abdominal pressure, which we hope to maintain by holding our breath and contracting our core muscle tissue during the whole ascension process. This "breathing and supporting" technique is how to keep the spine neutral and the back flat when lifting hard.

To practice this technique, first wrap your hands around your abdomen. Take a deep breath and feel your stomach swell. When you breathe, your chest should not rise. The key is to inhale into the stomach. Then, once you have air, hold it in and push it out to contract your abdominal muscles. You should feel the whole core muscle tissue from your lower back to the front of your abdomen supporting your hand tightly. You should push your abdominal muscles like when you defecate.

You can also practice the "breathing and supporting" of neutral spine by doing core exercises, such as bird-dog or side support. You can also practice the same technique, just moving things around the house. Know your position and keep practicing.