Photo of a woman in athletic attire, lying belly-down on a padded exercise table at ActiveLab gym in Vancouver, WA, using a foam roller under her hands and wrists to roll out and stretch her spine
Photo of a woman in athletic attire, lying belly-down on a padded exercise table at ActiveLab gym in Vancouver, WA, using a foam roller under her hands and wrists to roll out and stretch her spine

Foam Roller Extensions

The two basic movements of the spine (in the sagittal plane) are flexion and extension. When you are doing crunches, you are doing spine flexion. The opposite of flexion is extension. A body of research by M. Sinaki going back to 1984 (Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 1984) has shown that back extension exercises are protective against vertebrae fractures in post menopausal ladies. This research has been woefully overlooked.

It is difficult to find good back (or spine) extension exercises. Foam Roller Extensions are one option.

Photo of a human figure, lying belly-down on a padded exercise table using a foam roller under their hands and wrists to roll out and stretch their spine

Spring Bar Roll Downs

Table Hangs

Hundreds

Box Jumps

Foam Roller Extensions