Jefferson curl question

Hi

After my de load next week I am going to move on with a couple of elements

This means doing the Jefferson curls for the first time

What weight should I start with and should I add more as I go along?

Does it need to be a bar so hands are shoulder apart or could I use a kettle bell

Many Thanks

Ben

start with light weight, 8 or 10 kg is fine only to understand the movement and refine technique. then the day after you should feel some soreness in the middle/lower back, the weight is ok. if you have pain during normal movement the weight it is too much.

For me 4-5kg have been too much to start with, and I had to wait 3 weeks to retry the exercise. I would use a more prudential approach starting with bodyweight only and increasing the load of 1-2kg only if the next day you have not problems. This considering also that you use your lower back in a lot of other exercises.

I

I started with 20 kg and have never had any problems with my back ever since. Recently I have been progressing the weight in 5 kg increments and the limiting factor always seems to be the intensity of the pike stretch at the bottom. If the weight is too much (or the reps too many rather) I feel an overstretch and back off. The legs adapt quite quickly though so I usually only do a couple of sessions at a given weight before adding 5 kg. I do them once a week after Front Split series.

I agree with others re starting low and progressing in small increments until you learn your limitations.

Thanks - very useful

What's the purpose here? Is it meant to work the hamstrings?

I hope so as mine are painfully tight

work all the muscles that promote the spine extension from the lower back up to the cervical section  :

-deep extensor : multifidous, semispinalis, rotators

-superficial extensor (erector spinae): ileocostalis, spinalis and logissimus), from the lower back up to the cervical section like 

and for tight people is a very good stretch for hamstring, calves and butt.

3 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

work all the muscles that promote the spine extension from the lower back up to the cervical section  :

-deep extensor : multifidous, semispinalis, rotators

-superficial extensor (erector spinae): ileocostalis, spinalis and logissimus), from the lower back up to the cervical section like 

and for tight people is a very good stretch for hamstring, calves and butt.

I like Alessandro's answered here.

I want to add another potent benefit of training Jefferson Curl I am realizing:

It teaches the controlled lowering of a load down to the ground with both MOBILE and STRONG spinal articulations. This is a skill absent in nearly ALL of my older patients I see (except my strong 80 year old farmers who were never taught to cast their spine and pussy-foot around).  Ironically, this movement freaks out most of my physical therapist colleagues and healthcare practitioners.

JCs really takes advantage of the plasticity of the fascial system and teaches the entire back lines to build and remain strong while under tension. It's a great insurance policy for day-to-day or unexpected moves for farmers to city dwellers.

How many (and how often) people "throw their backs out"? Most likely not happening if you do your JC's.

Well, just for your curiosity guys...the last elements of manna in foundations 4 are simply fantastic especially the mobility. by the way to obtain the most of the benefits from those variations you should use a good weight. Personally I've seen the major improvements after starting to use the 20 kg bar and now i'm moving to the 25. but there is no safe execution without a strong jefferson curl.

Once, i told that i have poor hamstring mobility like i can do 1/4 of the range of motion of MN PE1 iM, coach told me that i could add more mobility work in order to gain some hamstring mobility.

Can people with terrible mobility do anything like JC or it's like advanced for me? or do other variation with flat back holding a weight etc?

I'm doing band work for now and i'll buy front split to help also, my biggest concern in therms of mobility is the hamstring, actually all the posterior chain

 

14 hours ago, César DA CRUZ P. TAVARES said:

Once, i told that i have poor hamstring mobility like i can do 1/4 of the range of motion of MN PE1 iM, coach told me that i could add more mobility work in order to gain some hamstring mobility.

Can people with terrible mobility do anything like JC or it's like advanced for me? or do other variation with flat back holding a weight etc?

I'm doing band work for now and i'll buy front split to help also, my biggest concern in therms of mobility is the hamstring, actually all the posterior chain

 

You will get more benefit from doing the Front and Middle split series. 

When I first started Jefferson curls, my back would go out almost every time.  I needed to go back to zero weight, then gradually build up.  I'm still only doing 4kg.  Got some good advice on the thread attached.  Most people don't seem to have the issue that I had.

https://www.gymnasticbodies.com/forum/topic/21260-jefferson-curl-back-goes-out/

I'm starting JCs next week too. Anyone able to answer the second part of the OP's question -- can you do them with a kettelbell or should the arms be shoulders width apart?

I prefer a bar but sometimes do use kettlebells or dumbells. It shouldn't make a difference, Lee. I find the bar is simply easier to manage when the weight gets heavier. 

Thanks so much, Everett. Have a bunch of kettlebells so good to know I can at least get started with those before having to buy more gear. Thanks!

A kb is fine as long as you can grip it evenly - not one side higher than the other. Some handles and hand sizes can make this a little tricky

Awesome, thanks Jon

Hi Lee,

The only problem I have with using Barbells or kettlebells is that they can hang lower and physically get in the way at the bottom of the stretch (obviously depends on what you're standing on).  But it's just a matter of holding it in a way that doesn't impede the movement or the stretch.