There has been many times I have proven wrong or changed my mind about certain exercises over the last 18 years as a trainer, and recently I discussed a perfect example of this in great length in an article about the hip-thrust exercise for the glutes. I mentioned in that article how I was really struggling with various movements I would normally use in my workouts due to an auto-immune disease causing severe problems with my right hip and my sacroiliac joint. While I found the hip thrust helped me a lot to continue strengthening my hip without aggravating things I still needed something more to help me with the instability I could feel in my back. This is where you would often see the use of targeted core stability exercises but, once again my preferred choices of movement to do this were very difficult to do as I was so limited in my use of my hands and wrists. This led me to explore the use of the Pallof press which is quite a unique exercise for strengthening the core. And much to my pleasant surprise it really helped me to overcome some of the instability I was suffering with. In this article I will explain what this exercise is designed to do and the variations you can use to progress or regress the movement.
The core refers to the central part of the body including the torso and the hips. The core is the powerhouse of the body as it is the foundation of power and strength. Almost every movement in life requires the transfer of energy from the extremities (upper to lower, lower to upper, right to left, etc.) with the energy being transmitted through the core. Having a strong core is the foundation of all efficient movement.
I have covered the topic of core stability so many times as it is one of the most misunderstood areas of the body that is typically abused with exercises and methods that try to flatten the abdominal area to achieve the desired six-pack look. In all of these articles I explain how most of the common used core exercises ineffectively train the core by using repetitive movements of flexion and extension of the abdominal muscles, which ultimately creates repeated flexion and extension of the spine.
While training this way does to some extent train the strength of the abdominal muscles, unfortunately, it also trains the spine in a way that causes instability and excessive stress on the intervertebral discs and other structures of the spine. This defeats the purpose of using the exercise in the first place which was to create stability, not ruin it!
The lumbar spine (low back) in particular, is not designed for excessive movement, but rather it is designed for stability and load bearing. I have discussed this in great detail previously in the article about bracing the core and explain how the spine wants to remain in neutral.
You can easily see this by looking at the difference in structure of the vertebrae of the lumbar spine versus the vertebrae of the thoracic and cervical spine. The vertebrae of the lumbar spine are much bulkier and less suited for flexion, extension, and definitely not rotation and mobility which is primarily what the thoracic spine is designed for. Ironically, it is common to find stiffness in the thoracic spine and excessive movement in the lumbar spine when someone has back pain. The exact opposite of their anatomical design!
The way we train the core muscles, should line up with the structure of the lumbar spine, and avoid excessive lumbar flexion, extension, and especially rotation. Any repetitive exercise that encourages too much movement at the lumbar spine, will create instability at a part of the body that is especially designed for stability. This includes stretching and even some of the Yoga poses that people use every day.
We must try to remember that the true role of the core in real life is primarily to stiffen and transfer force efficiently between the upper and lower body. This means that to effectively train the core, we should be looking for exercises that promote stiffening and stabilization around the trunk of the body, while simultaneously creating movement at the extremities.
Many would argue that you can achieve this stiffness by using planks. While there is some merit to this argument the main disadvantage to the plank is that there is no movement with the limbs either. To train stabilizers correctly you need to train them in the way they are used which means you need to move your arms and legs while learning how to maintain joint integrity and body alignment.
To enhance their function they need quick reflex movements and reactions to force them to adjust quickly to restore posture and balance to the body in order to move efficiently. They do not need you to hold a pose for minutes at a time, for that is not their role. Remember, they work as feed forward muscles to maintain alignment. There are many exercises that are superior to the plank for they require the use of the legs and arms, and the Pallof press is one of them.
Mobilizing the hips and the thoracic spine should be encouraged as any stiffness in these areas will force the body to compensate at the lumbar spine. You can read more about this in the articles provided in the links below.
Now that we have covered some of the information about the core and you are clear on using exercises to create stability at the lumbar spine we can look at how the Pallof press achieves this objective.
What Is The Pallof Press?
The Pallof press is often referred to as an “anti-rotation” or “anti-flexion” exercise in that it trains the muscles of the core to resist rotation or flexion instead of providing it. This is very similar to the suitcase carry exercise that I have discussed numerous times in articles for the hip and the core. While it is known mainly for targeting the obliques it does require activation of many other muscles of the core, and even the glutes and pecs to assist in the movement. This is what makes this exercise and others like the suitcase carry much more effective in training the oblique muscles. You can read this article to see more on this – To train the oblique muscles you must understand their purpose
This exercise is usually used with a cable machine or with resistance bands that you hold out in front of your torso while pressing it out and back. This tension pulls you toward the anchor point and your core resists to keep your torso front on. People who experience shearing of the spine will find this type of exercise invaluable as it teaches you how to effectively brace the core while completing movements with your upper body.
I have found this to be quite useful with people who excessively extend their lower back with overhead movements and leg exercises like squats, lunges, and step-ups. This is a common problem seen with people with sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction and it is a reaction of the spine to the weakness in the glutes. While strengthening the glutes is a big part of correcting the underlying problem having exercises like this to assist the process can be invaluable.
This is where I found great success using this exercise in combination with Romanian deadlifts and even the hip thrust exercises to enhance my core stability and prevent any excessive extension.
There are always forces happening on your spine whenever you move and the better you can resist these forces, the more efficiently you will move and the stronger you can become.
Other benefits of this exercise is that it is a very versatile exercise that can be performed in a variety of positions to train your core strength and mobility from all angles. Due to its simplicity you can specifically target certain angles and positions to strengthen the movement you find most difficult.
It is also requires little skill and can be very easily regressed if you experience pain or limitation with movement making it a perfect exercise during the rehab process.
How to Do the Pallof Press
You can use a cable machine if you have access to one or a resistance band to complete this exercise. Watch the video above by clicking the image to see a quick demonstration of some variations of this movement.
Instructions:
- Adjust the cable or attach the band so that it is level with your chest
- Hold the handle or band with both hands and pull the cable or band out and stand with your side toward the weight stack or band attachment point.
- Stand in an “athletic stance” with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, a slight bend in the knees and chest out.
- Press the cable or band straight out in front of the chest.
- Tighten your core and hold the cable or band steady in front of you.
- Hold for 5 seconds and slowly bring back towards your chest
I like to mix between the basic version and the more complex split stance. I prefer the split stance for most people once they get the feel of the exercise as it will have more relevance to other more functional movements like walking, lunges, and single leg stability. This also begins to include the use of the slings which are vital for creating core stability during movement. If you are not sure what the slings are you can read more about these in this article – How to train the myofascial slings to improve core strength
However, sometimes the standing exercises are too difficult, especially if you have back pain, so may need some regressions to use at first to build up some strength. Here are some variations you can try so you can find what works best for you.
Regression - Half-kneeling Split-stance Pallof press
The kneeling exercises are quite useful when the standing versions are too hard. The kneeling position provides your body with added stability and control allowing you to more easily recruit the glutes and core muscles that are responsible for spinal stability.
This can be a great way for someone to work their way through the various postural positions with little risk of aggravating an existing problem and creating more pain. As the strength requirements are greatly diminished it can be very useful to still learn the exercise in the very early stages of rehabilitation when weakness is present.
Progression - Overhead Pallof Press
While it is good to have a regression when things go wrong it is also important to have some progressions in your toolkit to continue making some positive changes to the body. The overhead version of the Pallof press is exactly that. This is not something you want to go to straight away as the risk of hurting your back is high if your body is not ready for it.
The mistakes that usually happen when stability is lost during this exercise are the lower back arches heavily and the lower rib cage starts protruding. You need to ensure that you keep your lower ribs down while bracing your core and actively engage your glutes the entire time.
You can do this as a standing variation or a kneeling version depending on how your body feels.
Do You Need More Help?
If you have back pain and have seen a health professional for a diagnosis and are now looking at implementing a series of exercises and stretches this article will provide you with many great ideas on how to do this. As many people struggle to implement this into a gradual progression I created a detailed step by step program called Back Pain Secrets that includes a 85 page Ebook and 90 minute video with exercises, stretches, mobilizations and in an easy to follow format. This can be done at home or in the gym and we cover everything about your condition in great detail from eliminating the cause to best strength exercises, even nutrition to speed up the healing process! For more information you can watch a quick trailer video of what is included.
Click here or on the image below to get a copy.
Summary
There is no doubting that a lack of core stability and strength contributes to inefficient movement and injuries to the lower back or the hips. As opposed to the traditional core exercises like crunches or sit-ups that encourage the spine to flex and extend we should spend more time with exercises like the Pallof press that teach the core how to hold the spine and pelvis in a neutral position during movement. This exercise can be of great use to the person who struggles to maintain a neutral spinal position with movements that require extension. However, it is not limited to these people as almost anyone will benefit from including this in their training at some point.
For more ideas and information on specific topics I may not have covered in detail be sure to check out our INDEX PAGE on the website that has over 300 of our best articles. These are all sorted into categories for quick reference so you can find what you are after more easily. You can also subscribe to our FREE fortnightly newsletter by clicking here.
If you do need specific help with your exercise program please feel free to reach out to me for help and we can set you up with your individualised program.
References:
- Built From Broken - Scott Hogan CPT, COES
- Movement - By Gray Cook
- Corrective Exercise Solutions - by Evan Osar
- Back Pain Mechanic - by Dr Stuart McGill
- Diagnosis & Treatment Of Movement Impairment Syndromes - By Shirley Sahrman
- Low Back Disorders - by Dr Stuart McGill
- Ultimate Back Fitness & Performance - by Dr Stuart McGill
- Core Stability - by Peak Performance
- Athletic Body in Balance - by Gray Cook
- Anatomy Trains - by Thomas Meyers
- Motor Learning and Performance - By Richard A Schmidt and Timothy D Lee
- Assessment & Treatment Of Muscle Imbalance - By Vladimir Janda
- How To Eat, Move & Be Healthy by Paul Chek
- Scientific Core Conditioning Correspondence Course - By Paul Chek
- Advanced Program Design - By Paul Chek