stretching Spinal Ligaments

[REG]

Mr. Kurz says in the book, Stretching Scientifically, that rounding your back puts you at risk for stretching spinal ligaments. However, I have a few questions relating to that. My first is that, since rounding your back actually does put you at risk for stretching spinal ligaments then why are their dynamic and relaxed stretches in his book which both explain and show that you need to round your back in order to stretch your lower back muscles? My second question is, can you stretch spinal ligaments when you practice rolling and flip break falls (like in martial arts such as Judo and Hapkido)? Finally, couldn't bends to the back stretches, for the abdomen, put one at risk for hyperextending spinal ligaments?

[cailifo]

Mr. Kurz says in the book, Stretching Scientifically, that rounding your back puts you at risk for stretching spinal ligaments. However, I have a few questions relating to that. My first is that, since rounding your back actually does put you at risk for stretching spinal ligaments then why are their dynamic and relaxed stretches in his book which both explain and show that you need to round your back in order to stretch your lower back muscles?

Because it's not "rounding your back" that puts you at risk, it's what you are doing when you round your back. In certain stretches, rounding your back will pull on the ligaments. The book explains which stretches those are, and also as you read, in which stretches it is safe to round the back. In certain stretches or strengthening exercises, keeping the back straight may be the wrong thing to do. It's all explained in detail in the book and on the video (Secrets of Stretching).

My second question is, can you stretch spinal ligaments when you practice rolling and flip break falls (like in martial arts such as Judo and Hapkido)? Finally, couldn't bends to the back stretches, for the abdomen, put one at risk for hyperextending spinal ligaments?

I would say usually not, unless you are doing something improper in your form. Otherwise such old practices would have been discarded long ago.

[REG]

Because it's not "rounding your back" that puts you at risk, it's what you are doing when you round your back. In certain stretches, rounding your back will pull on the ligaments. The book explains which stretches those are, and also as you read, in which stretches it is safe to round the back. In certain stretches or strengthening exercises, keeping the back straight may be the wrong thing to do. It's all explained in detail in the book and on the video (Secrets of Stretching).

Okay, so I looked through the book again, and now from what I understand according to Mr. Kurz's explanations on back stretches, is that you don't want to use the weight of your upper body to stretch your lower back. Otherwise you could puts too much pressure on not only the spinal muscles but also on the spinal ligaments. However, if that's the reason, then why should I do dynamic forward bends like in the book, I mean wouldn't that put a lot of pressure on the lower back by using the weight of your upper body in a dynamic motion?