Why “Bracing your core” may be a waste of time….

Protect your spine and strengthen your core are phrases I hear all the time in the fitness space.

And sure, there is a time and place for both.

But when someone is dealing with low back pain, those exact words can either build confidence or quietly take it away.

Pain already creates uncertainty. When we overemphasize protection without context, the message becomes this: your back is fragile. Be careful. Don’t push. Don’t load.

That is rarely helpful.

So here is the real question. Why do we treat the spine differently than every other joint in the body, especially when there are no red flags present?

If someone has elbow pain, we do not shut down loading forever. We manage it. We scale it. We reintroduce stress intelligently. We do not tell them to avoid using their arm because it might get worse.

The spine deserves the same respect.

Pain does not automatically mean damage. More often, it reflects sensitivity, tolerance, or a mismatch between what the body is being asked to do and what it is prepared for.

This is where load management matters.

Not avoiding movement. Not bracing forever. Not chasing perfect form or perfect breathing. But gradually exposing the spine to the demands of real life and training in a way that builds confidence and capacity.

My job is not to tell you to protect everything or push through everything.

My job is to help you understand when to protect and when to push so fear does not dictate your movement.

Because strength is not just physical. It is knowing your body is capable again.

If you are navigating low back pain, the goal is not to eliminate load. The goal is to reintroduce it the right way.

Stay moving.
Stay Vertical.