10 Apr Rebuilding Layne Norton: The Real Story Behind His Back Rehab
Article Rundown
- How Layne and I connected
- The full assessment with Dr. McGill
- The rebuild of Layne Norton
- The disconnect at the end of it all
Epilogue
I had some fun with this video, to be clear. I had to make some corrections, as I didn’t realize I had worked with him for 7 months. I have no ill-will toward either person, however, I do not like dishonesty and stealing/however you want to put it, via Andres. If I can tell this story from a slightly different perspective, give some background, and with all of the views and the 10’s of thousands of people who have benefited from that series, while having some fun, then it’s a win, win. Just like we planned it. Congrats to Layne for winning last year in his IPF meet. Also, congrats to Andres for fixing Layne, mission accomplished.
The First Connection: A Holiday Outreach
In December 2017, a pivotal collaboration began that would mark the start of Layne Norton’s path to recovery from chronic back pain. Moved by the holiday spirit, I reached out to Layne—who was battling persistent back issues—and offered a free Skype session. During that session in early January, I introduced him to Back Mechanic and Gift of Injury, co-authored with Dr. Stuart McGill, which had only recently been released at the time. Layne dove into both books and immediately resonated with our philosophy and methodology.
Starting the Rehab: Breaking the Cycle
Our initial conversation led to a comprehensive plan to desensitize Layne’s back pain. He had been stuck in a cycle of re-injury due to excessive stretching, mobility work, and misguided programming from his powerlifting coach—none of which addressed the root cause of his issues. I got him started on the McGill Big 3 and helped scale back his training to allow his spine to calm down.
In-Person Assessment: The Turning Point
A month later, in Jan 2018, Dr. McGill was in Jupiter, Florida, teaching his McGill Two course. I invited Layne to Jacksonville, where Stu and I could formally assess him. Layne arrived virtually pain-free—a huge milestone in itself—but we were determined to dig deeper. We reviewed his MRI, pinpointed his specific disc bulge, and identified a clear pain generator and movement pattern causing his flare-ups.
A Unique and Targeted Evaluation
What made this assessment so unique—and effective—was that it wasn’t based on guesswork. While others had offered Layne everything from massage and trigger point therapy to “just lift lighter,” no one had ever taken the time to assess his mechanics or address the root causes. We taught Layne how to sit with proper posture, brace his core effectively, and adjust his deadlift and squat mechanics—especially addressing his tendency to lean too far forward in the squat.
Capturing the Process: Video Series Breakdown
The results of our assessment were documented in a multi-part video series. In Part 1, viewers see the full intake and evaluation process. In Part 2, filmed at the old Team Samson gym in 2018, we dive into the early stages of Layne’s rebuild. You can see McGill and I working directly with Layne on movement corrections, spine hygiene, and technique refinement. Even as he worked with light loads, we could see moments of irritation—signs he wasn’t ready to load just yet.
The Rebuild: Step by Step Progression
Over the next several months, I continued working with Layne. We introduced progressive variations like loaded carries, single-arm RDLs, and block pulls. Eventually, he was back to goblet squats and deadlifting. By June 2018, his back was rebuilt and he was lifting again. At that point, I transitioned him back to his powerlifting coach.
A Misleading Narrative
Unfortunately, shortly after, I noticed public posts from that same coach claiming credit for Layne’s rehab—despite having no real involvement. This coach had sat in on only one Skype call and had no hand in Layne’s desensitization process, assessment, or movement correction. Layne and I discussed the situation, agreed it was best to move on, and that marked the end of our working relationship. I worked and rebuilt Layne from December 2017 June 2018.
Conclusion
This video series exists as documentation of the actual work that was done—the assessment, the corrections, and the rebuild process that got Layne back under the bar. It’s a testament to the power of precise diagnosis, smart programming, and collaboration rooted in experience and evidence-based practice.
Whether you’re an athlete struggling with back pain or a coach looking to better understand what true rehab looks like, this video is a must-watch.
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