03 Apr Revisiting Layne Norton’s Back Rehab Journey – Part 2: The Rebuild
Article Rundown
- From assessment to action
- Inside the gym: Correcting faulty movement patterns
- Building back to being able to lift heavy again
- The bigger picture
From Assessment to Action
After completing Layne Norton’s in-person assessment with Dr. Stuart McGill and myself in early 2018, it was time to move into the next critical phase: rebuilding. Layne had already experienced significant pain relief by dialing down the irritation and starting basic core work, but being pain-free is just the beginning. The real challenge is restoring strength, movement quality, and lifting capacity—without triggering the same old injuries.
That’s exactly what we set out to do in Part 2 of this series.
Inside the Gym: Correcting Faulty Patterns
We took Layne over to the old Team Samson gym to begin coaching him through the foundational movement corrections. Right away, one of the biggest issues became clear: Layne’s squat mechanics had him leaning too far forward. He was basically turning every squat into a good morning.
If you watch the footage closely, you’ll see the shift. I cued him into a more upright position and emphasized proper bracing and form correction. At the same time, McGill coached him on dialing in the Big 3—those key stability exercises that allow athletes to build resilience in the spine. We also addressed his deadlift form with technical corrections aimed at reducing stress on his low back.
Not Ready to Lift Heavy—Yet
Despite the progress, Layne still wasn’t quite ready to return to full lifting. In fact, as we moved toward loading him with just 135 lbs, he began to feel some discomfort creeping in. That was our signal—we had more work to do before loading became safe and productive.
So, while the video series fades at that point, the work behind the scenes continued. I stayed in close contact with Layne for the next few months to make sure he progressed properly and didn’t fall back into the same habits that led to injury.
Progressions and Return to Lifting
Over those next several months, we rebuilt Layne’s strength and movement from the ground up. We used loaded carries, single-arm RDLs, stir-the-pot, block pulls, and eventually goblet squats. Everything was selected based on tolerance, control, and what his back could handle without regression.
By summer 2018, Layne was back under the bar and training again. At that point, it was time for us to part ways. I handed him off to his powerlifting coach, thinking things would continue moving forward with the groundwork we had laid.
The Disconnect That Followed
Shortly after, I came across a post on Instagram from Layne’s coach, outlining a back rehab strategy that—oddly enough—had nothing in common with what Layne had actually done during our time together. Not a single technique, cue, or progression was mentioned. Worse, the post framed it like the coach had led the entire rehab process.
Naturally, I confronted Layne about it. He understood where I was coming from, and we both agreed it was time to move on. I had done my job: helped Layne get out of pain, corrected his patterns, rebuilt his strength, and got him lifting again. That was the mission.
Giving Credit Where It’s Due
Here’s the thing—I’m not mad at Layne. But I do take issue when people take credit for work they didn’t do. The reality is, this series captured the exact process that helped Layne recover: the assessment, the movement correction, the coaching, the programming. None of that came from the people claiming credit after the fact.
Layne read Back Mechanic and Gift of Injury, embraced the process, and followed through on what Dr. McGill and I laid out for him. We showed him how to move, how to brace, and how to train in a way that protected his spine.
The Bigger Picture
At the end of the day, this video series isn’t about drama. It’s about results. It’s about taking an elite-level lifter who was stuck in a cycle of pain, grounding him in science, and giving him a way forward.
Layne’s popular, and a lot of people saw this series. That’s why I wanted to revisit it—not just to set the record straight, but to show what’s possible when you do things the right way. And maybe, just maybe, to help the next person who’s lying on the floor wondering if they’ll ever get back up again.
Final Thoughts
To summarize: we started with a virtual consult, progressed to an in-person assessment with McGill and myself, implemented a full program, and saw Layne return to lifting pain-free within about six months. After that, I stepped away and wished him the best.
The series is still one of the cooler projects I’ve been part of. Layne’s a sharp guy, and it was a pleasure working with him—even if things didn’t end perfectly. What matters most is the process, the results, and the lessons it can teach others.
Let me know what you think of the series—and if it helped you or someone you know, I’d love to hear about it.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.