The DVRT Plank That Saves Your Low Back!

DVRT Master, Cory Cripe (Creator of DVRT Movement Strength)

Being burdened with low back pain has been my achilles heel not only as a fitness enthusiast & trainer, but most importantly – a father.

Can you imagine the embarrassment of having to tell your children, ‘Daddy can’t do that because it might hurt my back.’ These are the same kids who place me high on their role model list right next to Lego Batman, Thor, and Moana (I’m just relieved it’s not Olaf)!

But I found myself having to say that to my 3 kids numerous times because I was afraid of that same feeling I felt multiple times before. For those that are familiar there is a certain “YANK” you feel in your low back and then a pain that won’t allow you to stand upright for days – it’s one of the worst physical pains I have ever felt.

What I was frustrated about the most was the disconnect. The disconnect of my “functional training” in the gym and how I was still experiencing low back pain outside the gym. And even more insulting was the feeling of letting my kids down because I wasn’t the active daddy they deserved. At the time I was squatting X pounds, bench pressing Y pounds, and deadlifting Z pounds – plus all the auxiliary lifts to make my training more “functional” and (come to think of it) time consuming.

I was intrigued by DVRT Ultimate Sandbag Training when first introduced to it at a Perform Better Summit in Chicago circa 2008. To be able to experience strength gains without a barbell was something altogether unfamiliar to me, but at the same time, intriguing. All my training with barbells, dumbbells, and machine-based training left me unsatisfied, bored, and still with an aching low back. So, I thought I would give it a try…

Fast forward so many years later now with a DVRT certification and a Master Instructor “promotion” – I have a better insight of what the DVRT system has to offer. What continues to blow me away is the education provided regarding the various sling systems in the human body and how to more effectively train those slings. When I looked at the images of these slings, I realized the strength I was training for didn’t include these important pieces in my movement puzzle! 

What I discovered through DVRT was that my low back’s woes weren’t because of not doing enough exercises, the problem was not doing the right ones! The exercises I was using aimed at building more muscle strength and not enough movement/sling strength. And if I could point to one DVRT exercise that has been a game changer for me and the health of my low back the winner is the Side Plank using the Ultimate Sandbag!

It may seem funny that such a simple little exercise could be the result of my confidence being restored when performing daily activities that I would avoid in the past for fear of hurting my back again, but it’s true! I was training my body to move basically in one plane of motion and incorporating something as simple as the side plank offers me the training necessary to work in a whole new plane of motion (frontal plane) while resisting yet another plane of motion that was foreign to me in my conventional way of training (transverse plane) – and that’s what life is all about: being able to move and create force while resisting forces at all times. 

So, basically, DVRT has made me a better father to my children because the limits I once put on myself are no longer there and I can enjoy ALL activities with confidence!

Find out more how DVRT Revolutionizes the way we train. Check out DVRT workout programs for 30% off with coupon code “holiday” HERE