This is a great post…But….The McGill big 3 should be a DAILY practice for everyone before training. Yes I said DAILY!
I'm once again reminding you that the low back extension is one of the best exercises for a strong and resilient body.
I used to deal with chronic low back pain in my 20s and 30s.
Part of my protocol was the McGill Big 3 (bird dog, McGill Crunch, side planks) to strengthen the muscles supporting my low back.
Then I used the back extension to strengthen the hips, glutes, and low back.
Just a word of warning: Overextending your low back on this machine will make things worse. Activate from the hips and glutes and don't go past activation.
2-3 sets of 6-10 reps are enough to keep my low back strong, healthy, and pain free for life.