SL/PE4 Arch Ups Proper Form

Hi all, 

After years of GB training I've realized that my form in the Arch Up is wrong. 

Lately I was getting low back pain (joints) from it and started to thinker and experiment with the hip position. 

As I lift up I used to arch my back doing Anterior Pelvic Tilt and Not engage the abs.  Today I tried PPTing instead and keeping my belly button in.  "Shocker" The exercise was completely different. 

I could engage my butt muscles way more and didn't feel joint pain. 

I'm pretty sure this is the correct way to do it. My question is: should I keep a strong PPT or just stay neutral with the hip? How strongly I should focus on belly button in? 

Thanks 

Hi Alssandro,

I would suggest you to send a form check so the coaches could look at you.  

But, for your question, you want full extension of the spine.  So, I don't think keeping PPT will help you on extending.  When I do it, I'm neutral to APT.

2 hours ago, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

Hi Alssandro,

I would suggest you to send a form check so the coaches could look at you.  

But, for your question, you want full extension of the spine.  So, I don't think keeping PPT will help you on extending.  When I do it, I'm neutral to APT.

Hi Étienne,

I've previously posted a form check here but I think it's hard to check hip position and abs engagement from the video.

What made me try to PPT was:

a) My physiotherapist suggested me to keep my hip neutral and not to arch

b) The following post from @Cole Dano that suggests to PPT during the arch up.

Maybe neutral is a better position then PPT here, I'll experiment more but I'd wanted to get other people's experience about it.

Thanks for chipping in.

@Alessandro Pantanella,

You reminded me, I think a good spine mobility is required for this one.  Do you have the Thoracic Bridge series? This one will help you to achieve this element.

Unless you have lumbar injuries, by improving spine mobility, you'll feel less and less compressions.

I've got a really good spine mobility, so I can really get high with full APT.  But I don't want to create confusion with the hips positions.  So, take the words of coaches for this.

And, as I saw on the first post, weak glutes could be a cause yeah.  So, keep the position you feel more in control for now!

Yes, I do have that stretching and I'm working on it but I feel joint pain even if I don't arch above parallel (my body completely straight).

3-4 years ago I mastered this element and was close to mastery for PE5 and don't remember having this issue. It's possible that something is off with my back but I still think that my form is wrong.

1 minute ago, Alessandro Pantanella said:

Yes, I do have that stretching and I'm working on it but I feel joint pain even if I don't arch above parallel (my body completely straight).

3-4 years ago I mastered this element and was close to mastery for PE5 and don't remember having this issue. It's possible that something is off with my back but I still think that my form is wrong.

And you weren't diagnosed with anything? 

That specific joint pain happens only during this exercise. So no clue why. That's why I think my form was wrong. 

Maybe, but you said you felt the same in some of the thoracic bridge exercises too.  

Well, you know best what to do here.  Maybe look further with your physio? 

Keep us posted!