I joke with my clients that I run a “do as I say, not as I do” operation, meaning that I’m not always the best example for them to follow. I’ve made a lot of mistakes and coming back from them sometimes teaches me the best lessons to share with my clients, which includes what NOT to do.

For example, over 10 years ago I decided I wanted to deadlift 400 pounds. I’m Mr. “Deadlifts For Mountain Biking” and the stronger I got, the better it seemed like my riding was progressing. I had hit a double bodyweight deadlift and wanted to push it past the next level.

And so I pushed it with my training, focusing on improving my deadlift at all costs. I ended up hurting my myself trying to lift too much weight and ended up on the couch with a low back injury.

If you’ve had a low back injury before then you know that it ruins your day from the minute you wake up. You want to find anything that can help relieve the pain, and while rest is a big part of it, making sure that you are not stressing the low back when you move becomes super important as well.

Which is where hip mobility and the Frog Stretch comes in. When you’re hips are tight you tend to move more through the lower back to compensate, which places extra stress where it isn’t really intended to go.

The Frog Stretch is something I originally learned through kettlebell training and I immediately found it helpful in keeping my hips mobile and moving more efficiently, which of course meant less stress on my low back. Over the years I’ve learned new variations of it and, along with some other mobility drills, it has morphed into the Frog Stretch Flow that I use today.

Below is a follow-along video of the Frog Stretch Flow where I lead you through it – just hit play and I’ll coach you through it. If you need something to help loosen up your hips on and off the bike then should help.

If you want some other strategies for dealing with low back pain from riding you should check out my 30 Day Low Back Pain Program. Either way, make sure that you are taking care of your hips so they can take care of your lower back.

Until next time…

Ride Strong,

James Wilson