Relieve Low Back Pain | Reduce Low Back Pain | Canada's Leading Authority in Human Movement | Dev Chengkalath

Thanks to Shauna for showing me how those Liverpudlians do it.

Now go out and move.

And be happy.

Dev Chengkalath

Whatever you may say, the body depends on the soul.

Nikolai Gogol

I ended my last post with the underlying and unifying passion that drives me in this industry.

Empowerment.

Most trainers and physical therapists in the fitness industry believe there is no greater sense of satisfaction than to see tangible and dramatic changes in their clients. Their clients themselves will seek the same nirvana, the same raison d’être.

Everyone wants to see results.

Think about that for a moment.

Is it the weight-loss, or the muscle gain, or the 5″ of extra vertical jump that will allow you to lead the life you not only want, but deserve? Is it those “results” that let you take control of your destiny and allow you to follow your dreams? Is that what will get you out of bed in the morning, looking forward to the day? Is that what truly breaks your own personal “quiet desperation”?

“How much do you bench?”

Gym Dude

Sound familiar? When asked about their amazing transformations, my clients are more likely to talk about their numbers and their hard data:

“I lost 23 lbs”

“I dropped 7% body fat”

“I put on 8 lbs of muscle”

Or, they may talk about what everyone else is saying about their changes.

“At work yesterday, my co-workers asked me if I’ve lost weight.”

“I was out for lunch with my friends and they noticed the change in my arms”

But when taking the time to actually listen to what they’re saying, the message is quite different. It’s not just the numbers, it’s not just the physical changes.

It’s much, much more.

As a trainer and physical therapist, I’ve gotten caught up in the fitness game, aiming for those specific measures, aiming for that ideal percentage and following along in an industry dominated by numbers, facts, figures and a whole lot of fiction.

I lost sight of why I got involved in the first place, what my purpose was, what my reason was.

For my clients, those numbers offer instant gratification, at times worn like a badge of honour and pride. And deservedly so.

However, more importantly, and lost to me until just recently reminded, those numbers are actually an external display of a more important internal transformation.

From kitten to lion

It’s that fundamental soul-shift, that subtle change, that allows my clients to not only experience the life they want, but create the life they deserve.

The changes start gradually. Posture improves. Confidence and self-esteem slowly increase. Energy begins to appear in abundance.

They are empowered through exercise. And motivated by movement.

They can face our challenging world and all the daily stresses, battles, and commitments: deadlines, time lines, bills, family and friends. They can keep smiling. They can be true to themselves.

They can live guilt-free.

And because of this, they impact those around them and spread that positive energy.

They can live powerfully.

Dev Chengkalath

“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.”

Henry David Thoreau

This was a quote from the keynote address given by Brian Grasso, founder and CEO of the International Youth Conditioning Association (IYCA), at a fitness conference I attended a few months back.

What a powerful statement. And what a powerful keynote speech.

Although the quote and the speech were not directly related to health, fitness, physical therapy, or human movement, they did stir something deep inside of me.

An awakening.

I had to really figure out what I’m doing and what I’d like to accomplish in this field.

I had to stop and think about what gets me up in the morning and excited to start my day and what keeps me going and wanting to learn more, do more and be more.

I spent much of the conference doing what I should have done years ago.

I had to find myself.

Have you ever stopped, paused and taken stock of your life?

It’s not easy at all.

There are definitely ghosts to confront and skeletons to battle. You become vulnerable to those around you. And even more vulnerable to yourself.

That’s a scary position to be in.

In any industry. In any situation. Let alone in the “macho” and “testosterone-fueled” field of fitness and high performance where confidence and bravado reign supreme.

I had to take a deep, hard look at who I was, and what I wanted to achieve. I had to find my inner motivation. I had to find what drives me.

I had to find my passion.

I remember going to bed that night after having mulled my “quiet desperation” all day.

I remember waking up the next morning with a new clarity, a new sense of awareness, a sharper sense of self.

I had teased out the source of the passion in all that I do for my clients; for those looking for body transformations or looking to lose weight; for those looking to gain muscle mass; for those looking to become stronger; for those looking to improve performance and even for those looking to live their lives pain free.

There was one underlying and unifying motivation that has compelled me to serve my clients better.

That compels me to serve my clients better.

Empowerment.

Dev Chengkalath

In this final installment of your low back pain fix-it plan, I was originally going to talk about deconditioning and its nefarious effects on your movement system.

I’m still going to write about deconditioning, however, I’ll also be writing about the miraculous GOYA therapy that can be used to fix it and your low back pain. GOYA therapy is so amazing it can even fix a whole host of other ailments, diseases and disorder as well.

That’s how good it is.

But first, let’s start with defining deconditioning.

You are out of shape. You are unfit. It’s that simple. You huff and puff after every set of stairs. The walk down your driveway is considered your daily marathon. Your body can therefore be considere deconditioned.

Severely Deconditioned

You may be carrying a few extra pounds. You may be carrying a few dozen extra pounds. This won’t help the cause either. To make things worse, if you spend 8-12 hours a day sitting, you aren’t going to be working your muscular, skeletal or cardiovascular system a whole lot. At least not according to those all important principles that I discussed here.

That’s deconditioning.

If you’re not in the kind of shape you should be in, chances are, you’re using poor posture, your muscular system is not working on all cylinders, you’re not as mobile as you should be where it counts, and most certainly your deconditioning combined with the above, will lead you to use faulty movement patterns as compensation.

In order to help you fix your deconditioning and all the other causes of low back pain, I’m going to introduce you to GOYA therapy.

The Ancient Art of GOYA

This ancient therapy has been around for centuries. Its history cannot be traced back to one culture or people as it has trancended the bounds of human migration. It has been practiced by the ancient Greeks and Romans, just as it was practiced by Aboriginals throughout the world. It was truly a ubiquitus and fundamental component of everyday life.

Alas, over the last hundred years or so, GOYA therapy has fallen to the wayside. Given up and forgotten. Lost to most. Replaced by pills and potions capable of masking symptoms but unable to alleviate the cause. Replaced by electrodes and mechanical devices.

The easy “solutions”.

This is where GOYA therapy really differs. It’s not easy. It takes time. Effort. Consistency. It’s hard work.

Many people don’t want to hear about it. These people want solutions to their back pain but will stop listening when GOYA therapy is mentioned.

“How can I try to explain, when I do he turns away again, it’s always been the same, same old story.”

Cat Stevens

But there’s also a strong undercurrent, a strong movement of people who want to bring GOYA back.

I am proud to say that I’m one of those people.

Are you?

If you are, stand up and join the ranks.

GOYA: Get Off Your Ass. Now that’s powerful therapy.

Dev Chengkalath

Yesterday I wrote about abdominal bracing. 

Today,  we’ll continue with fixing your aberrant movement patterns.

If you haven’t checked out my post on mobility issues, you’ll definitely want to check it out here before reading further.

That’s because the two, mobility and movement, are so intertwined. Along with posture. And Muscles.

Each of these areas has to be addressed independently and collectively.  

The big issue related to low back pain is still altered biomechanics at the hips and lumbar spine. 

Here’s how to fix it: The Bridge

When executed properly, the bridge (and its variations) will teach you how to mobilize your hips, stabilize your spine, activate your glutes and brace your core. 

All at once.

Now that’s efficient.

To your bridging.

Dev Chengkalath