200 lbs./90.9 kg. Single Arm Suitcase Deadlift - age 54, November 23, 2022, 5:53 pm 🌺CAUTION: THIS VIDEO IS FOR DEMONSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY. THIS EXERCISE CAN BE DANGEROUS. If you think of your core as a cardboard box, the front and back panels are probably very strong from years of sagittal plane exercises like sit ups, leg raises, and back extensions. Sagittal plane movements run parallel to a pane of glass that would extend outward from the midline of your body and divide you equally into left and right halves. I used to have chronic lower back pain and dysfunction well into my 40s, despite the prevailing wisdom of training the core in this plane. It wasn’t until I started training the “sides of the box” that things changed. The obliques, quadratus lumborum, and the little intertransversarii muscles all contribute to prevent lateral bending of the spine when loaded asymmetrically or when standing on an uneven platform. These and many other muscles that reside in the lateral aspect of the body constitute the “sides” of the box. If the awareness and training of these muscles is low, the result is comparable to a box with front and back panels that are strong and dry, but side panels that are wet and soggy. No matter what you put in this box, it’s going to spill out the sides. In my case, the thing spilling out the sides was my lower back. Single arm, single leg exercises, as well as uneven, awkward loads and uneven platforms all contribute to strengthening the sides of the box. Besides improving balance, stability, and body awareness, they’re a welcome change from basic movements. These movements are also potent, so approach them with caution, take your time, and be kind to yourself. Much aloha🌺 NOTE: For this exercise, I use a grip assistance device made by @squatwedgiez that allows me to focus all my energy on locking down my core and driving properly with my hips and legs without having to “race” my grip endurance and compromise safety and form. You can find these in my linktree under “Training Grips”, and I thank you in advance for supporting this page in the event that you decide to purchase.