Best Form Fixes to Help Eliminate Back Overarch

Understanding Back Overarch

Back overarch, also known as back hyperextension, is a common issue that trainers often overlook. It occurs when the lifter’s lower back arches excessively, which can lead to major problems down the road. In this article, we’ll explore the common mistakes that cause back overarch and provide simple fixes to eliminate it.

Common Mistakes That Cause Back Overarch

Back overarch can occur in various lifts, including the standing press, bench press, and deadlift. The main common thread among these movements is that they are compressive to the lower spine. In each case, different factors contribute to the problem.

Standing Press

Back overarch at the top position of a standing press is often seen, but rarely viewed as bad. We have to remember that a vertical pushing movement like a press is a compressor of the spine. When we put the lumbar region into hyperextension, those discs get put into a really vulnerable situation.

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One reason why this happens is insufficient shoulder mobility. When you want to force your arms into the ideal overhead position, and you don’t have the range of motion available to do so, something’s gotta give. The back will compensate by overarching (hyperextending), in order to let the entire ribcage shift backwards to assist the arms into the added degrees of motion.

Fix: Shoulder ‘Dislocates’

A good dynamic way to increase ROM at the shoulder and work on circumduction is by performing shoulder dislocates. Grab a broomstick or dowel and hold it with straight elbows, with one hand at each end. Keeping the arms straight, perform a full revolution from the front of the body all the way to the back of the body, so the dowel is against your back or butt in the finish position. With straight arms, return to the start position. Repeat and slowly inch your hands inwards on the dowel.

Fix: Wall Slides

Wall slides are another effective way to encourage proper shoulder mobility. Stand with your back against the wall, hands up. Try to maintain points of contact at the heel, butt, upper back, elbows, wrists, and fingers. If this is already difficult to do, you’ve likely got some tightness issues on the chest and shoulders that need your attention. Slowly slide your hands up to a full arm extension while maintaining those points of contact. Take note of how much your lower back arches off the wall to achieve the start and finish positions.

Bench Press

The difference between the bench press and a standing press is simple – the bench press is a horizontal pushing exercise, while the standing press is a vertical pushing exercise. That means the load on the spine is very direct for the standing press, and very indirect for the bench. In the case of the bench press, the number one structure that is responsible for supporting the press is actually the shoulder girdle, with the scapulae as most important.

Since the load is over the shoulder and a strong bench is contingent upon a good pair of tight scaps, it is much more explainable and understandable to reason that a rather pronounced back-arch can actually be welcome in a horizontal press like the bench press.

Deadlift

A deadlift is a slightly more complex movement pattern. The position of the pelvis is definitely sensitive to what muscles will be used, and when. Having a good setup means encouraging a solid arch in the low back, so the posterior chain is kept tight, and ready to peel the heavy bar off the floor.

However, the tricky part comes when the bar starts to move, and this is where the “overarch” back dominance comes into play. In a good deadlift, although it starts with control of the pelvis, the lower back has to give up that control partway through the lift, so that the posterior pelvic tilters (namely the glutes and hamstrings) can chime in to fully extend the hips.

Fix: Psoas Glute Bridges

This exercise will help the glutes overcome the anterior tilt caused by the leg that’s off the ground, in order to promote proper hip extension. Place a tennis ball in the hip fold of the leg that’s off the ground. Simply extend the hips by pressing through the heel of the planted leg (see video). Look for the most complete range of motion possible. Be sure to continue squeezing the ball with your hip! Sets of 10 to 15 focused reps per leg will suffice.

Fix: Do Dead Bugs

Dead bugs can address several things, including an area not yet touched on which affects both the OHP and the deadlift: weak or inactive lower abdominals. Their involvement can definitely counter overarch and severe forward pelvic tilts. Dead bugs can increase their activation, along with promoting proper diaphragmatic breathing patterns and improve force transfer from lower to upper body.

To do them, lay on your back with the arms held up against a wall, just shy of lockout. Bend the knees and keep the feet and lower legs parallel to the floor. Press hard into the wall, and while maintaining this pressure, remove all the space from underneath the lower back. Slowly perform “footsteps” by lowering the heels to the floor in an alternating fashion. Paying attention to all these cues at the same time isn’t an easy task, and 30 “steps” should feel like hard work.

Conclusion

Having a good arch in the back may look good on a foxy woman’s body, but doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Often times it can indicate issues that run deeper than skin level, and it’s a good idea to nip these problems in the bud before they turn into issues that are harder to correct. It’s important we can control our lower back and what it does, and we have to remember: the site of the problem isn’t always the source of the issue.

FAQs

Q: What causes back overarch?
A: Back overarch can occur due to insufficient shoulder mobility, poor form, and weak or inactive lower abdominals.

Q: How can I fix back overarch in the standing press?
A: Perform shoulder dislocates and wall slides to improve shoulder mobility and reduce back overarch.

Q: Is back overarch a problem in the bench press?
A: While back overarch can occur in the bench press, it’s less common due to the horizontal pushing motion.

Q: How can I fix back overarch in the deadlift?
A: Perform psoas glute bridges and dead bugs to improve hip extension and reduce back overarch.