Back Pain

[Jonathan]

wondering about the experience of any other students who have had or are experiencing back pain. I am getting over some severe back pain…about 90% healed. Doing the movement routine A some discomfort. Has anyone gotten worse doing the movements?? Thanks JC

[BRIAN]

A rotary motion of the spine can exacerbate prior symptoms, depending upon if there was an injury. If you have questions, talk to your doctor.

[Tathata Staff]

This reply has been reported for inappropriate content.

Jonathan

Sorry to hear about any back pain you might be experiencing. One of the advantages of Tathata Golf movement training is how safe it is for your body when the movements are executed properly. This being said, let’s see if we can help. Are there any movements in particular that seem to bother you more than other movements?

There are a couple of movements we usually find having the most trouble with as it relates to safe execution of rotary motion as Brian alluded to above. One is movement 5. This is where the club rests on your shoulders as you move to the top of your backswing. To ensure that your back is protected in this movement as you attempt a full turn of your trunk and rib cage, we would suggest making sure that you are both pushing down into the legs and pushing back in the glutes. Your range of motion will freely increase if you are also doing these parts of the motion. Also, make sure you are staying centered and using your rib cage to turn. Notice, the more you push back in the glutes as you do this, the more range of motion you should have in the turn of your rib cage and ultimately your shoulders.

As you thrust through impact and up to your finish, it is very easy to forget about the chest, rib cage and belt buckle ALL being pushed as far forward (toward the target) and as up as possible. This will relieve any unnecessary strain on your back and other parts of the body. As you perform the final movement of the stretching movements, the superman pose, notice that your feet are pushing to the back of the room as your hands reach to the front of the room. This is the same feeling that should be felt at the finish of your golf swing. You should be reaching and stretched tall to the sky with your chest, rib cage and belt buckle as these parts of the body are also pushed forward to the target. Tucking the glutes “up and under” the pelvis and rib cage while squeezing them to the finish will also help to protect the lower back and others parts of the body.

Let us know if these remedies help or if you are still experiencing any pain and discomfort throughout other parts of the motion. Happy training!

[Jerry]

Only in program for the first 3 days. Had to stop due to extreme pain in lower right side of back. Must be doing something wrong.

[Tathata Staff]

Hey Jerry,

I’m sorry to hear about your pain. Is there a specific movement that is causing the pain and when during the movement do you feel it the most? Without knowing specifically what movement is causing the pain, make sure you are squeezing your glutes together on body movements 10-12 and your chest is finishing as up and as forward as you can get it. If your chest and ribs aren’t up, this can cause pain in the lower back.

Thanks Jerry, I look forward to hearing back from you.

[James]

Just to add my input. With my previous non-tathata swing, I would often have lower back pain after golfing.

Since I’ve started trying the Tathata movements and working through this program, I’ve had soreness, not pain, everywhere except in my back.. Mostly sore in my glutes, quads, chest..

[Tathata Staff]

Thank you James for the input and feedback. It’s great to hear that you no longer experience back pain in your swing. We have had many 60-Day students that can say the same and finally play the game pain free.

Thank you for sharing.

[Randy]

I’ve been through 5 sessions. I have a personal training I know and one of the things he taught me about lifting objects, opening doors, golf and many other things is he would say “do your ques” What that means to him and me is that I protect my back buy cinching up in the mid section area. Not crazy tight but a firming up of my mid section, gluten and back area. Does wonders for me. That being said I never took it to heart as much as I should with golf. IF I’m correct in listening to Bryan that was what I started doing. Prior to the course I would go to a place and hit shots on trackman and get 230 to 245 yards. I’m 61 and in good shape so I guess that is ok. Then I started the course, realized the importance of the proper turn and do my ques when I swing and last night I went to the same trackman machine and was shocked. My numbers were lowest 245 and some were as high as 275-280. While doing this I cinched up my back and feel find this morning. I hope Bryan doesn’t mind me saying this as I am a newbie and NOT 100 % sure I’m correct. I did feel a sort of explosion when I would swing. Many compliments from the guys. Shot 72. 5 birdies. A first for me. Can’t imagine what’s coming in my future. Happy so far.

Randy
Chicago area

[Randy]

Clarification of the last post. When I said “course” I was referring to Tathata. I reread my post and felt it wasn’t clear.

Randy

[Tathata Staff]

Randy,

Thank you for the incredible comments and feedback, sounds like you are quite the player. Great to hear you have added 30-35 yards! That’s not a little improvement, great job. Love that you have instinctively learned (with being through just 5 days of the program) how to protect your back and feel extra speed or explosion by pressurizing the body or in your words cinching up certain body parts. I believe you will really enjoy Chapter 3, the pressure section, which you have already applied on your own and seen improvement with your game. It has got to feel pretty great!?

Thank you again for sharing. We are smiling with you and look forward to hearing more from you as you train further. Enjoy.

[Lynn]

I just finished lesson 4 and the finish position which is a reverse C type finish is just nothing I want to be part of. This is why I’m injured in the first place. David Leadbetter had me finishing high and straight. In lesson 4 we are warned NOT to finish in a standing position but on an angle with our spine still in the setup angle. Unless I’m missing something, I can’t go on with this teaching. I just spent 3 hours icing my sacrum and doing intensive chiropractor treatments.

Please clarify this finish for me because maybe I’m missing the point?

Lynn

[Randy]

The body swing while yes goes into a cresant pose is not the true reverse C. The flippers and more arm swingers are more reverse C.
Further we all must train our core to tighten as we do almost any movement.
Opening a door into a mall, car door and lifting even light objects cal require a tightening of the core as a golf swing does.
I know a lot about this as I have changed my life with instituting this into my daily routine.
Feel free to call me and I can explain in more detail.

Randy Rodiek
Tathata class 2016:)
Very happy with results.
I’m 62 and have had back issues but not with the Tathata swing
847-514-2424 Cell

Randy Rodiek
LAHC Inc.

On Mar 28, 2016, at 10:14 AM, Tathata Golf <[email protected]> wrote:

Lynn wrote: I just finished lesson 4 and the finish position which is a reverse C type finish is just nothing I want to be part of. This is why I’m injured in the first place. David Leadbetter had me finishing high and straight. In lesson 4 we are warned NOT to finish in a standing position but on an angle with our spine still in the setup angle. Unless I’m missing something, I can’t go on with this teaching. I just spent 3 hours icing my sacrum and doing intensive chiropractor treatments. Please clarify this finish for me because maybe I’m missing the point? Lynn Post Link: http://legacy.tathatagolf.com/forums/topic/back-pain/#post-104549 ———– You are receiving this email because you subscribed to a forum topic. Login and visit the topic to unsubscribe from these emails.

The body swing while yes goes into a cresant pose is not the true reverse C. The flippers and more arm swingers are more reverse C.
Further we all must train our core to tighten as we do almost any movement.
Opening a door into a mall, car door and lifting even light objects cal require a tightening of the core as a golf swing does.
I know a lot about this as I have changed my life with instituting this into my daily routine.
Feel free to call me and I can explain in more detail.

Randy Rodiek
Tathata class 2016:)
Very happy with results.
I’m 62 and have had back issues but not with the Tathata swing
847-514-2424 Cell

Randy Rodiek
LAHC Inc.

On Mar 28, 2016, at 10:14 AM, Tathata Golf <[email protected]> wrote:

Lynn wrote: I just finished lesson 4 and the finish position which is a reverse C type finish is just nothing I want to be part of. This is why I’m injured in the first place. David Leadbetter had me finishing high and straight. In lesson 4 we are warned NOT to finish in a standing position but on an angle with our spine still in the setup angle. Unless I’m missing something, I can’t go on with this teaching. I just spent 3 hours icing my sacrum and doing intensive chiropractor treatments. Please clarify this finish for me because maybe I’m missing the point? Lynn Post Link: http://legacy.tathatagolf.com/forums/topic/back-pain/#post-104549 ———– You are receiving this email because you subscribed to a forum topic. Login and visit the topic to unsubscribe from these emails.

[Tathata Staff]

Lynn

Thank you for reaching out and your concern. This unfortunately has been one of the most misinterpreted movements in the golf swing in modern day instruction. You will come to find on Day 8, the number of greatest players and athletes of all-time that move into this “front-side crescent position.” You will also come to find that this is actually the safest way your body can move. When the back shoulder (right shoulder for RH players) gets too high at the finish position and the shoulders finish too level to the ground, this puts a lot of stress on the lower right part of the back coming through impact. This violently elongates that right side of the back causing all sorts of issues. We want the shoulders to stay “level” to the angle of the pelvis to provide maximum protection for the back.

Be sure as you move into this slight crescent shape on the front and left-side (for a RH player) at the finish that you are mimicking the superman pose from the stretching routine. You will notice your head and hands reaching to the front of the room while your legs and feet reach to the back of the room. This is the same feeling you want at your finish with your chest and head reaching as up and forward as you can. The feeling should be similar as the glutes and upper thighs are squeezing together and pushed forward toward the target to further protect your back. This will ensure that you are moving as safely as possible to the finish of your swing, protecting your back as much as you can.

Come to understand this truth for yourself. Play around with moving with speed to a finish position where there is a bit of angle to your shoulders (back shoulder and hip closer to the ground than your front shoulder and hip). I’d then make some movements finishing with your shoulders level to the ground. As you add speed, start to notice where this starts to put strain on the back through impact and into the follow-through. You will notice that right side of your back dramatically lengthening at this moment in the swing rather than the back getting to stay safe and passive as it does when moving into a slight crescent position.

Again, be sure to finish with the chest and head reaching up to the sky as much as possible, while your glutes and upper thighs are pushed forward toward the target and are squeezing together. This should alleviate any back pain and be sure you are as protected as you possibly can be as you move through your swing to your finish.

Let us know if this helps or if we can support you any further on this. This move is vitality important as it relates to a most effective and safe way for the body to move throughout the swing.

[Lynn]

Thank you for the prompt replies. This is a great community. I feel progress on this issue because now that I’m understanding more about this, it brings up another question. Prior to my back issues I stayed “on my spinal plane” so to speak and had other issues, most notably with my sacro-iliac joint.

My question is.. Will I be reintroducing any of those issues?

Thanks again. Knowledge is power.

[Tathata Staff]

Lynn

Good question, that is one of the common areas golfers will end up experiencing back pain. You are correct to say that our motion would more mimic the motion of you staying “in your spine plane” as you described it. One thing to check at your finish, if you are still somewhat in your spine plane and still bent over toward the ball to achieve the proper angle in your shoulders, would be to make sure your chest and ribs are as up to the sky as you can get them. Move into this position and then relax your chest and head then let them release back down. Do you notice the stress this puts on your back if your head and ribs aren’t fully lifted to the sky at this point.

Be sure too that you are squeezing your glutes together and that they are pressed forward. Remember the closest thing to the target at your finish should be the upper part of your thighs and belt buckle. With the pelvis underneath your back supporting it like this should also go a long way to helping and alleviating any back issues as you move to your finish.

Feel free to reach out to us at anytime and let us know if there is anything else we can help you with on this.

Happy training.

[Scott]

Have to add my two cents here…was cruising through the program and got through week 2 and hit a BIG wall. I’ve never had back pain in my life and am in good shape…in my 30’s. I woke up 2 weeks ago with the most intense lower back pain I’ve ever experienced…like had to crawl to the bathroom kind of pain. Went to the doctor, got some x-rays taken, sent me to a physical therapist and I’ve been to PT 6 times in the last two weeks. While the back pain is subsiding a bit, I’m really nervous to get back into Tathata even though I am LOVING it.

Now let me be clear, I think that this is a “me” issue and not a Tathata issue. I am really wondering though, if the stretching portion of the program should start from Day 1 as a lot of the movements are new to most.

Moving forward, I’ll be a stretching machine. Hoping I can jump back into this soon…but for now, the body tells me to recover.

Scott

[Tathata Staff]

Hi Scott,

Thank you for taking the time to share and provide some feedback. Great to hear you are loving the training. We are sorry to hear about your back pain and we look forward to a healthy recovery for you. Please feel free to reach out to us directly at [email protected] if you have any further questions of how to continue to support and protect your back as you return to your training.

Thanks Scott for being a part of Tathata Golf.

[Cliff]

I herniated two discs last month due to toxic stress with my business. I was a collegiate tennis player, among other adventures. In 2006 I had surgery on L4/5 and built my body back up much leaner and more fit. But I hit a wall of late, herniated the discs and lost ability to walk or sit for 8 days.

Imagine the fear of losing the ability to walk, sit, work, live a normal life, again. Then, I found a book by Dr. John D. Sarno. I bought it, read it on my Kindle app that day, and upon finishing got off the barko lounger I used to be horizontal, I resumed normal activity and worked through excruciating right hip, leg and lower back pain – think sciatica from hell. 🙂

Within an hour of rolling, breathing, walking, and most importantly, facing my fear of the unknown, going backwards, was 80% better. I kid you not! It took me a week to get back to full strength due to atrophy on the right glute, calf, etc.

The secret? The pain was created by the toxic energy of stress, my brain tricking my body to distract me from who I really AM … healthy, lean, of service and learning to live the Tathata Life.

I’m telling you I just lived a powerful mind body spirit transformation and faced one of the worst fears I know … losing my ability to play sports, walk, sit, eat, etc.

I love this book and have since read another of his.

Start with this one … https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Back-Pain-Mind-Body-Connection/dp/0446557684