Plow

The plow is a supine mobility position. Lie on your back, then bring your legs overhead and behind your head until your toes touch the floor.

It’s an advanced spinal flexion + posterior chain stretch. Not for beginners.

Why it matters:

• Opens the entire posterior chain at once
• Decompresses the spine
• Stretches the lower back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves
• Improves spinal flexion mobility
• Trains the shoulder and thoracic spine to support the body inverted

The reality: most athletes cannot do a full plow on day one. The scaled versions — lying on your back with legs vertical, or knees-to-chest, or a supported plow with a bolster — train the same pattern at lower demand.

Not for everyone. If you have lower back pain, disc issues, or neck problems, skip the plow entirely and work on gentler posterior chain mobility.

Setup:

• Lie on your back, arms at your sides or supporting your lower back
• Legs together
• Start with a slow approach — never force the position

Execution (supported plow):

1. From lying on your back, roll your hips up and bring your knees toward your chest
2. Continue rolling until your hips are off the ground
3. Bring your legs overhead and behind you
4. If your toes don’t reach the floor, place your hands on your lower back for support
5. Hold for 20-30 seconds
6. Roll down slowly — one vertebra at a time

Execution (full plow):

1. Same as above, but the toes touch the floor behind your head
2. Legs stay straight
3. Hold 20-40 seconds
4. Roll down slowly

Primary Points of Performance:

• Slow, controlled approach and exit
• Weight on the upper back/shoulders, NEVER on the neck
• Hands support the lower back if needed
• Breathe into the position
• Roll down one vertebra at a time
• Never force the position

Common Faults & Fixes:

Progressions:

• Lying on back, knees to chest
• Lying on back, legs vertical (hips still down)
• Supported plow (hips up, hands on back)
• Full plow (toes to floor)
• Plow with legs straight and slow hold

Reps: 2-3 holds of 20-40 seconds.

Training role:

• Posterior chain mobility
• Spinal decompression
• Post-training cool-down
• Counterbalance to back extension patterns

Programming:

• 2-3 holds of 20-40 seconds
• After training or as a cool-down
• NOT as a warm-up (spine is not prepared)
• 3-4x per week max

What it trains:

• Lower back (spinal flexion mobility)
• Glutes
• Hamstrings
• Calves
• Thoracic spine (extension support)
• Shoulder girdle

Why it matters for athletes:

• Counterbalances the extension patterns of heavy lifting
• Relieves lower back tightness after deadlifts and squats
• Improves forward fold depth
• Decompresses the spine

Benchmarks:

• Knees to chest on back: baseline
• Supported plow hold 30 seconds: intermediate
• Full plow, toes to floor, 40 seconds: strong
• Full plow with straight legs and slow breathing: advanced

Scaling:

• If back pain: skip entirely
• If neck pain: hands support the lower back and reduce range
• If hamstrings limit: bend the knees slightly

Contraindications:

• Lower back pain or injury
• Neck pain or injury
• Disc herniation
• High blood pressure
• Glaucoma or eye issues
• Pregnancy (avoid after first trimester)

Mobility demands addressed:

• Spinal flexion: the entire spine flexes forward
• Hip flexion: hips flex to bring the legs overhead
• Hamstrings: stretched in the flexed position
• Glutes: stretched in flexion
• Calves: stretched with toes on the floor behind
• Shoulders: support the body in flexion

Why the plow is advanced:

• It inverts the spine, which loads the cervical and thoracic spine differently than standing positions.
• It requires significant posterior chain flexibility.
• It demands thoracic mobility and shoulder flexibility.
• It’s contraindicated for many athletes.

Programming notes:

• NEVER use the plow as a warm-up.
• Perform at the END of a session or as a standalone mobility drill.
• Always come out of the position slowly.
• If toes can’t reach the floor, supported version is the correct scale.

Research context:

• Posterior chain mobility is inversely correlated with lower back pain.
• Spinal decompression positions can reduce disc pressure after heavy loading.
• Inverted positions can improve parasympathetic tone.

Variations:

• Knees to chest: entry-level
• Legs vertical: intermediate
• Supported plow (hands on back): scaled full version
• Full plow (toes to floor): full version
• Plow with straight legs: advanced
• Shoulder stand: related inversion

When NOT to do it:

• Lower back or neck injury
• Disc issues
• High blood pressure
• Glaucoma
• Pregnancy
• Post-meal (wait 2 hours)

Pairs well with:

• Downward facing dog
• Child’s pose
• Cat-cow
• Bridge mobility

Safer alternatives if contraindicated:

• Seated forward fold
• Standing forward fold
• Lying hamstring stretch with a strap
• Downward facing dog