08/01/2026
Lift like a baby!
If you’ve ever watched a baby pick something up off the floor, you’ve seen near-perfect lifting mechanics—without coaching, cues, or gym experience.
Meanwhile, most adults bend, round their backs, strain their spines, and rely on their lower backs instead of their legs.
The Irony
We’re born knowing how to lift safely.
Then somewhere between childhood and adulthood, we unlearn it.
Why? A combination of lack of mobility/strength and laziness (call it conserving energy if you prefer). Most of us have some calories to spare and your back will thank you.
Bending from the back takes less energy since you move only half the body but places high strain on the back with a hard hinge/angle. Full, deep squatting uses many joints and muscle groups, requiring more energy (calories), but disperses the stress through the entire body, thus sparing the spine.
Poor posture, sitting habits, stiffness, and rushed movement replace the natural patterns we started with.
So what do babies do differently?
1) Natural Hip Hinge Instead of Spinal Flexion
When an infant reaches for an object, they don’t collapse their spine.
They hinge at the hips (fold their legs).
What you’ll see in the video:
The baby pushes the hips back.
The torso inclines forward as a unit.
The spine stays relatively neutral rather than rounded.
This is the same fundamental pattern taught in deadlifts, kettlebell swings, and safe lifting techniques.
2) Legs Do the Work, Not the Lower Back
Babies instinctively use their legs to generate force.
In the video:
Knees bend naturally.
The baby lowers their center of mass.
They drive upward using the legs, not by yanking with the back.
Adults often skip this step and “hinge from the waist,” which overloads the lumbar spine. Disc herniation anyone? This is part of the reason why we often see young healthy adults in severe pain after tying their shoes, making the bed or even sneezing.
3) Whole-Body Mobility and Coordination
Infants move as integrated systems, not isolated parts.
Notice how the baby:
Keeps balance through the feet.
Uses hips, knees, ankles, and core together.
Moves smoothly rather than stiffly.
This full-body coordination distributes load across joints instead of dumping stress into the spine.
4) Spine-Sparing Mechanics
Because babies hinge at the hips and use their legs, their spines are protected.
Biomechanically, this means:
Less shear force on the lumbar discs.
Better load sharing between hips and legs.
Reduced risk of strain or injury.
In contrast, adults who round their backs while lifting create high compressive and shear forces on the spine—exactly what leads to back pain.
The Takeaway
If you want to lift better and protect your back, don’t just think like an athlete.
Think like a baby:
*Hinge at the hips.
*Use your legs.
*Move as a whole body.
*Keep the spine neutral.
*Don’t sit too much!
Your back will thank you.
Remember, the contest is still underway!!
Do some squats and walk a mile to enter.
See original post for details:
https://www.facebook.com/share/19UoqFP9Uq/
