New Self Test For A “Lost Core” – Do You “Shift When You Lift”?

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New Self Test Video Is Below!

Most of you have seen (and hopefully attempted) the “Deep Core Amnesia” self test you got in the free training series when you signed up for the email list here on the blog .

But here’s the deal…with the current test I’ve noticed that the vast majority of people who commented say they passed with no problem.

Yet, when I’m testing patients in my office, I see the vast majority of people FAIL this test!  

So…the “Shift When You Lift?” self test I’m giving you today will hopefully make it more obvious to you if you have a “deep core” weakness putting you at risk of debilitating musculoskeletal pain and losing your strength and power to keep doing what you love!

Listen…awareness and control of this “deep core” system is CRITICAL to prevent pain, fatigue, and unhealthy aging.

Basically, it’s the stability you created as a developing infant…and most of us had it under control by the time we were 5 months old.

And if, for some reason, you didn’t quite develop perfectly as an infant, you can still “wire in” this new pathway for deep core stability into your nervous system!

It will take some effort, but so does walking with a walker 🙂

As a matter of fact, I even give you some “training wheels” to help reawaken your core in case you fail this one miserably!

So join me in the Core Wellness Studio for this new self test 
Yes, it’s time to reclaim your youthful, vibrant, pain free posture of youth!
As always…leave me your comments and questions below!  I always read them all and reply to as many as I can.

Comments

  1. So funny how you mentioned having the confidence to do the things you were no longer able to do. Last night I was in the garage helping my husband take the wheels off my horse trailer to paint the wheels getting ready for new tires. I was able to pick up the wheels and tires and roll them the a place where I used a side grinder with a wire wheel attachment to take the old paint off the wheels. It was so fun to have the confidence to tackle a project like this knowing that I would have the strength to handle the tools for the job and not wake up the next morning unable to move because of back pain. Since beginning your program my confidence has returned. I am no longer afraid of getting older and being unable to care for myself and my exuberance for life is the greatest it has ever been. Thank you so much for your course and helping me get myself back on track!!!!

    • You're welcome, Nancy!  Fun, confidence, strength, no pain in the morning, no fear, exuberance for life…WOW…those are good things, indeed, Nancy.  Thanks for sharing!  It IS possible!

  2. Hi Dr.Steve

    I tried  new self test  instantly.
    I think that the self test by which it is investigated whether there is any problem in my body is very useful.
    I can feel easy very much by it turning out that there is no problem in a result. 

     

  3. Thank you for your useful shift-lift-test!

    What do you suggest to do if there is a great difference between the left support zone and the right one? On the left I am cronically tightened and on the right it seems to be a normal muscolar tone.

    Thank you very much

    Marta

    • There is likely a mobility or poor motor control issue somewhere else in your body that is causing the imbalance, Marta.  So obviously getting a good chiropractic and movement pattern evaluation would be important.  But you can lay on your back and put the back of your lower legs on a chair or ball like you're sitting on a chair on your back.  This may help equalize the support zone by taking away the long lever challenge from the weight of your legs.

  4. Dear Dr. Steve some time ago I tried the CPS selftests and failed the one for low CPS.

    I started to do alot of stretching, now I am close to a full side split. But still I can not pass the low CPS test ( can not bring my knee to my chest without the other leg lifting of the bench). What else can I do to fix this? 

    Thank you very much for your help

    Michael

    • I assume you've done the push away lunge from the free series you received when subcribing here on the blog.  If not, that's crucial.  Manual therapy can help you break through the barriers.  Find someone who does muscle energy work or active release technique or some other bodywork.  

      Bridges are useful as well as waking up the hip extensors.  Kettlebell swings are great for waking up these hip extensors as well.  Lots of possibilties.  Hope this helps.

  5. Awesome video dr Steve!   I could really feel your passion.  You're right, It's all about being

     able to do the things you love and live your purpose.  Thanks for being a great role model for me and Keep up the good work!

    Andrew

  6. Great video. Love the concept of getting the "reboot" to your CNS, creating a sense of PEACE. Thanks so much, as always!! I will be working more on my CORE breathing:)

    • Yep…I love the "reboot" concept.  Sometimes the CNS just needs a little coaxing to find it's way back home 🙂  Similar to "clunking"…is that what you did / do with high tone kiddos? Place joints in centration and give direct stimulation?  From Willimbarger or something like that?  I remember something about that but don't have the facts straight.

  7. I fully passed the test.  First part really easy, second part took concentration, and could raise my feet only what felt like about an inch off the ground before my muscles wore out.  My guess would be that doing this "test" every day would be a very good exercise?

  8. Great video.

    Liked the mix of the simplicity of the message in what to look for in core stability, combined with the deep essence that to stabilise the spine you need to lengthen it. So many people' feel', that as you are about to perform a 'lift' that inevitably the spine will compress but if  you can maintain the sense of lengthening it really helps as a visualisation and in practice to dissipate the intervertebral pressure.

    I use three other tests. 1) lying along the length of a foam roller start in the same position as Steve desribes, engage the core. Begin with your hands on the ground beside you and lift one foot at a time 3 inches off the ground. Note if you push into the opposite hand as you lift. If you are feeling confident take your hands and arms off the floor and check if you can still do it SMOOTHLY. If you loose balance consistently it shows you have a weakness stabilising the spine. Progress to move opposite leg and arm.

    2) Sit on a gym ball. Again use your core to draw up and lengthen the spine. Raise one foot smoothly off the floor and lengthen the leg away from you. If you cannot keep it smooth, your spine straight and lengthened, you will loose your balance. I try to keep my centre of my being, known in Martial Arts as "dantian" focussed on the point on the opposite wall.

     

    3) A progression of the above is to introduce rotation. Once you have mastered the above on a gym ball, take a small ball in both hands. Now make a rotation movement through the trunk taking the ball from the knee on the raised leg to shoulder height on the opposite side. Keep the spine vertical and movement smooth. This is a great exercise to work on the deep abdominal rotators and stabilisers whilst making it fun by making balance a challenging component. 

    Bringing in the element of Balance really works the deep interspinal muscles rather than those big global muscles that can mask what is going on below the surface.

    Hugh

    • Excellent suggestions, Hugh!  Anyone in the Wolverhampton, Telford, or Bridgnorth areas should come see you!  Always great to have knowledgable folks to refer to!  Cheers!

  9. hello dr hoffman, i just wanna start by thanking you for sharing your knowledge, i have been practicing on pushing away from my support point and making sure my energy dosent spill out the front of the chest, and tucking in my chin, since then, my upper back and neck is better, but my pelvis feels like it isnt catching up, my knees lock up and it feels like its stuck in anterior tilt, and my lower back gets really tight even when i sleep. I was wondering dr hoffman, is there an exercise i should focus more on, should i focus on my pelvis and low back before i focus on my upper body,

    thank you dr hoffman

  10. Thanks for the test. Think I passed this. What I fail at is sitting the way you do. One cheek lifts off the floor. In Pilates class they call it mermaid pose. Been doing yoga for 5 years and added in Pilates last 2 years 58 years old. Been addressing lower back and balance issues. Making progress with general flexibility and strength plus seeing Physio for lower back. However making minimal progress with this sitting pose?

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