Dumbbell Spinal Jefferson Curl

How to do it

1. Stand on a box or bench with feet hip-width apart and a light dumbbell held with both hands in front.
2. Stand tall, brace lightly, and tuck your chin toward your chest before starting the curl.
3. Begin rolling your spine down one segment at a time, starting from the top of the neck.
4. Continue rolling down through the upper back, mid-back, and lower back until the dumbbell drops below the box.
5. Hold briefly at the bottom with the legs straight and the dumbbell hanging freely below your feet.
6. Roll back up the same way you came down, restacking the spine one segment at a time until standing tall.

Common mistakes

• Going too heavy too soon, which forces the lower back to bear more load than it's ready for.
• Bending the knees during the descent, which removes the hamstring stretch and changes the drill.
• Dropping straight down at the hips instead of rolling segment by segment through the spine.
• Standing back up by hinging at the hips first, which skips the segmental restack of the spine.