Exercise Selection: Choosing the Best Options for Your Goals and Health

Article Rundown

  • Exercise selection
  • The benefit of standing vs. seated exercises
  • Practical uses of standing exercises
  • The risks of seated exercises
  • Real world examples

Choosing the Best Options for Your Goals and Health

In this video, I cover the topic of exercise selection, sharing insights and wisdom I’ve gained from Dr. McGill, and other proven authorities and elite athletes over the years. The suggestions presented here are broad guidelines and may not apply specifically to every individual. If you’re seeking personalized advice, especially regarding back pain, a consultation is necessary. You can learn more about scheduling a consultation with me [HERE].

The Value of Standing Exercises Over Seated Variations

One of the most impactful lessons I learned from Dr. McGill—and continue to apply—is that if you have the ability to perform an exercise standing instead of seated, IN SOME CASES—you should choose the standing variation. This principle is especially relevant for athletes or individuals rebuilding their back and spine. Standing exercises allow your core to engage naturally, providing better stabilization and support throughout the movement. Some standing exercise variants also tend to decompress the spine, unlike seated exercises, which often lead to spinal compression with some flexion. This is especially true for some who have pain when sitting. Additionally, standing exercises better mimic the demands of real-life and athletic activities, promoting overall functional fitness.

For example, consider the difference between a lat pulldown and a pull-up. Many people experience discomfort or back pain when performing seated lat pulldowns due to the spinal compression, flexion/flexion moment, and unnatural movement patterns involved as the legs are anchored into a fixed position. In contrast, pull-ups allow for a more natural range of motion, enabling proper core engagement and providing relief to the spine, in some cases. For these reasons, I recommend prioritizing pull-ups or assisted pull-ups with bands or machines over lat pulldowns for those rebuilding in many cases. Keep in mind, that this is not a hard rule for everyone.

Practical Applications of Standing Exercises

Standing exercises generally can be more spine-friendly and contribute to greater athleticism than their seated counterparts. For instance, standing military presses are preferable to seated shoulder presses because they engage the stabilizer muscles while allowing the body to move more naturally through the hips and pelvis. Similarly, in my opinion, standing curls are a better choice than seated curls, as they encourage proper posture and core engagement throughout the movement.

That said, exercise selection should always take into account individual goals, injury history, and physical limitations. While standing exercises offer many benefits, they may not always be the best choice. For example, someone recovering from back pain or training as an athlete could stand to benefit more from the core engagement and full-body stability offered by standing exercises. However someone with stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal) might not be able to stand and exercise—On the other hand, a healthy bodybuilder focused on isolating specific muscle groups for maximum growth may achieve better results with seated variations. Bodybuilding prioritizes muscle development over athletic function, so seated exercises align better with their specific goals.

It’s important to understand that bodybuilding is not rehabilitation. Athletes and individuals recovering from back pain require exercises that prioritize core engagement and functional movement. For these populations, standing exercises are far more appropriate than seated variations. See my article and video on this from last week [HERE].

The Risks of Seated Exercises

Seated exercises can often do more harm than good, particularly for individuals with discogenic back pain, specifically for those with pain that travels below the waist (radiculopathy). The flexion and compression involved in seated movements can aggravate symptoms and increase the risk of injury/flare-ups. Many people mistakenly assume that seated variations are safer for the spine, but the opposite is often true. When seated, the core and stabilizer muscles must work hard and become engaged, sometimes creating compressive crushing forces, and or pulling on the nerves/peripheral nerves which descend into the hip and legs which form the sciatic and or femoral nerve leaving the person more in pain. Each exercise is a tool, which has to be identified by the clinician. Standing exercises, on the other hand, can activate the core and promote natural movement patterns, reducing the likelihood of pain and injury.

Real-World Examples

I’ve seen numerous clients experience setbacks from choosing seated exercises over standing ones. One client who was recovering from back pain made great progress with kettlebell floor presses, which kept him pain-free. However, he decided to switch back to machine presses and flys, believing they would be safer. Unfortunately, this decision caused his back pain to return, undoing the progress he had worked so hard to achieve. People underestimate the slight flexion position of the hips while having to stiffen the core to move through the machine’s ROM. 

In another case, a client who had been performing sled drags and goblet squats with excellent results decided to go back to leg presses and leg extensions. This choice led to a recurrence of the back pain he had successfully managed with standing exercises. These examples highlight how standing exercises can support recovery and prevent regression, while seated variations often lead to complications.

Another example could be a client who is healing and rebuilding from back pain, and doing well with their walking program but wants more cardio work, so they want to add in the elliptical, or the stationary bike. This could be good or bad, depending on the injury and their capacity. 

Another vital thing to note is that some of my clients can add in machine work or things I suggest against, and it accomplishes their goal, but it’s dependent upon their unique injury and where they are in the healing process. I also see this start to bleed (see recent blog) some of their capacity or stagnate their progress and they stay at a baseline of “slightly pained” but are OK with this. Some people are OK with a little bit of pain, and it is manageable. This is not my ideal recommendation, but I am a coach and consultation, not an authoritarian; that does not mean I do not give my best advice, it’s up to the client to follow.

The Importance of Standing in Everyday Life

In today’s sedentary world, most people spend far too much time sitting—whether at desks, in cars, or on couches. Incorporating more standing exercises into your fitness routine is a simple way to counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting. Even if you are not currently dealing with back pain, standing exercises can help prevent injuries and improve overall health and mobility.

One trend I’ve noticed recently is the seated deadlift. This exercise places significant compression on the spine and is rarely a good idea for most individuals. While creativity in exercise selection can be valuable, safety and functionality should always come first. Exercises like the seated deadlift do not align with these principles and are better left out of your program.

Final Thoughts

If you can perform an exercise standing, do it. Standing exercises engage your core, promote natural movement patterns, and are generally better for athleticism in many cases. Considering how much time we spend sitting in modern life, incorporating standing exercises into your routine is a proactive step toward better overall health and fitness. Whether you are recovering from back pain, building more resilience, or looking to prevent injuries, standing exercises are an excellent option for many of you out there.

The following two tabs change content below.
Avatar photo

Brian Carroll

Owner and Founder at PowerRackStrength.com
Brian Carroll is committed to helping people overcome back pain and optimizing lifts and movement. After years of suffering, he met back specialist Prof. McGill in 2013, which led to a life-changing transformation. In 2017, they co-authored the best-selling book "Gift of Injury." On October 3, 2020, Carroll made history in powerlifting by squatting 1306 lbs, becoming the first person to break this record. He retired with a secure legacy and a life free from back pain.
No Comments

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.

Contact Brian Carroll

Schedule A Consult Below


Take 25% OFF
Your first purchase
Subscribe Now!