Since releasing Off The Floor, one of the questions that keeps coming up is “does biofeedback really work?” This is certainly not a new question me, as someone who has been advocating the Gym Movement Protocol and this style of training for four years. At first glance, people think it’s ridiculous that simply doing a movement can affect your range of motion – and even further that this actually means something.
Until someone decides to do a proper study on this (and it’s going to awfully difficult to do an RCT) we’ll have to rely on what we know so far, and what evidence we have. Here are a few things to consider:
Every single client at The Movement Minneapolis is taught how to test. I’d estimate I’ve taught somewhere around 400 people. The vast majority diligently test everything. Every day I observe changes in people’s ROM based on the movements they test. Sometimes people are surprised that the exercise they hate the most tests the best. Other times people predict that a certain exercise won’t be good based on how their body is feeling and they are affirmed by the test. Day after day I observe people testing, and there is a clear and repeating correlation between their testing and their bodies.
I’ve had several instances where people actively ignored a bad test, continued with doing the exercise and ended up tweaking something. This doesn’t seem to happen with exercises that tested well.
I have several clients who are members of another type of gym that involves doing an arbitrary series of exercises for a completely arbitrary number of repetitions – regardless of if they’re good or bad for them. For these people, the same exercise or type of exercise they just did the day before doesn’t test well. We usually test the opposite, and that does test well which is consistent with our training model of testing the opposites of movements when the target doesn’t test well.
Critics have said “You’re obviously just doing what you wanted to do anyway.” Well, just about anyone who has done this for a week or two can tell you that very often the exercise you least want to do is the one that tests the best.
Using biofeedback is not a new idea, even if this context is new to you. If you’ve ever used a heart rate monitor at all, you’ve probably used biofeedback. If you’ve ever taken your own temperature, and then taken action to lower your temp, you’ve used a rudimentary form of biofeedback. The question isn’t really “does biofeedback work” because that part is indisputable, the question may be “does biofeedback tell us something useful specific to exercise.” To that end:
Have you ever had a day where each set of the exercise you’re doing seems to feel better and go better than the previous set? In terms of biofeedback testing, this is an indication that the exercise “tests well.” Why is it so hard to believe that you can quantify this effect and compare disparate movements?
The other day, someone asked this same question, “does this biofeedback stuff have any validity” of my friend Jon Fass. Now, the thing you should understand about Jon is that he doesn’t pull any punches. He and Bret Contreras run a podcast called the Strength of Evidence where they expertly dismantle myths and unsupported beliefs using facts and evidence. He often gleefully takes apart outdated beliefs in a well-crafted argument laced with the evidence that works against them. Asked about biofeedback testing this is what he said:
The Sultry Dr. Jonathan Fass
I think that there’s enough evidence from other areas to suggest that it may be plausible; in other words, no, I don’t know if it’s actually working as promised (because, to my knowledge, this kind of training has never been studied), but I don’t think that this is likely to be untrue, at least on first inspection. David and I have discussed writing a thing or two on the subject to be published, basically a “plausibility paper” to encourage further investigation, maybe a case study or two. I definitely find it intriguing, and I have tried it as well. I’ve noticed what appears to be changes in my ROM between different exercises, before and after, etc. What that means, I can’t tell you, but I don’t think that it’s implausible at all when we consider certain hypotheses concerning tissue extensibility, pain research and protective posturing, etc, etc. I think that at worst, it doesn’t work and you instead benefit from the potential of exercise/movement variation, which is still beneficial; at best, there’s something to this and we are benefiting from superior methods of assessment
Intriguing, right?
-Dr. Jonathan Fass
So, there’s that.
Ultimately, I don’t want you to take my word for it. I just want you to try it. You don’t have to buy any equipment, and it adds only a few seconds to your workout. At worst it tells you nothing useful and you’re no better or worse off than before. At best, you are empowered with a tool that completely changes how you train and helps you get exponentially better results. Just test it.
P.S. Have an interesting anecdote of your own? Share it below.
Comments
Cameron Daysays
Yea, it really does work. But even though I knew it works, I used to be be half-assed in my testing, because I had stuff “I” wanted to do and didn’t ask my body what “IT” wanted to do. The end result was aches, pains, and eventually, low back injury.
Even with the info that I had from Adam in Grip-n-Rip, I “devolved” to only test movements and then do my “preferred” loading pattern. Or even just test “do you want to work out?” and if I got a yes, just do what I thought would be good.
Testing all weights tends to lead me to using less weight, which I often resist because I “prefer” 3-5 reps per set. Doing 8-10 reps isn’t my thing, but my body seems to appreciate it.
It really, REALLY is worth the time to test movements and loads, and the results are often surprising. Thanks to skimming Of The Floor (I’ll really read it soon!), I started testing for the Jefferson deadlift and tested as best two times this week. Right foot forward only, though. Clearly my body is guiding me to correct an imbalance.
Before OTF, I never seriously considered the Jefferson. I didn’t like the idea of being in such a “bad” position, and having the bar cozying up to my nuts. Well, I’m past both of those hang-ups now, and the cozying part is kind of nice, in its own way… 😉
After both Jefferson DL workouts, at weights lighter than “I” wanted to do, my lower back felt fantastic. The second workout, my most favorite “core” movement also tested strong: Front Squat Holds. I didn’t see that one in OTF, but it would be a worthy addition, IMO. Between that and the Jefferson, my lower back feels fantastic.
Bottom line is this: Test everything. You will get surprising results.
Biofeedback is the process of gaining awareness of physiological functions with the goal of manipulating them.
What you’re describing is one application of biofeedback, but most certainly not the only form.
This is a common misconception, and definitely is a source of confusion.
You are right that biofeedback doesn’t tell you what action to take – whether or not the positive change in ROM is associated to a specific movement and whether or not that movement is good to continue doing is not the answer, it’s the hypothesis. My hypothesis is that it IS good over the long term, and my results and the results of my clients bear it out to be true.
Your concluding statements may indeed be accurate – using minimal effort in training does seem to be associated to better results, but that doesn’t negate (nor validate) the efficacy of biofeedback testing to select movements.
Lou, which is why we advocate “testing the test” whereby you compare two separate tests to make sure the test is giving you accurate feedback. Sounds like spinal flexion tests well for you.
Using some sort of biofeedback testing, like the one Dave mentions, is probably one of the smartest thing you can do with respect to lifting and movements generally. I’ve been practicing as a chiropractor for 15 years and use biofeedback with my patients every day. I use it to confirm my findings and recommend the best exercises for that specific person. It doesn’t always give me the answer I expect, but it always gives me the best answer. Use it to test everything and it will transform your health. Also, I just added the Jefferson deadlift to my routine, after watching one of Dave’s videos. Could not believe how good my back felt afterwards – thanks Dave!
LOL – the observer effect occurs in many areas of science any time the measurement instrument changes the system. Even a thermometer absorbs some energy from its environment to record the measurement.
In any case, continue to do your own experiments and draw your own conclusions. That is, after all, what the entire point of this post was.
You sexy bald man (no homo). I should probably explain the excessive bro love. I ran a Tough Mudder here in the UK about 6 weeks ago. The next day I couldn’t walk without left lower back pain which then developed into left-sided sciatica over the next week. As a neurosurgery trainee I knew this was seriously bad news and laid off any heavy spinal loading and focussed on seated upper body and bodyweight work for the next few weeks.
My pain had subsided after 4 weeks so I decided to gingerly try some pulling from the floor again with some trap bar deadlifts. 135lbs went fine but 225lbs caused some spasm of my lumbar musculature and I left the gym to fight another day understandably deflated.
Today I returned hoping to do some squats and deadlifts as I felt completely back to normal. This time however, I was armed with your bioefeedback testing system. 135lbs x 5 straight bar deadlift, left foot slightly forward felt strong but tested poorly. I swapped over to right foot forward, didn’t feel as solid but tested positively and so I stuck with it. 225lbs x 5 – tested well, no pain anywhere. The same with 315lbs x 5. 405lbs x 3 was solid as well, however I called it a day after that as my testing told me to do so. I then went on to do some squat work feeling strong and fresh.
Oh yeah, I haven’t pulled 405lbs for about 3 months having been focussing on my squat. Could it be the time off did me some good? Could focussing on increasing my squat have carried over to my deadlift? Maybe. What I do know is that a 225lbs trap bar deadlift caused me pain 2 weeks ago and today I pulled 405lbs x 3 and felt strong. The only difference being your biofeedback testing.
Many thanks for your work and excellent free content. You’ve won a supporter for life.
Lou. I hypothesize you are a tool. If I could somehow apply biofeedback testing to this hypothesis, I’m 100% sure I would get positive and repeatable responses. The shame of it is that there may be a few people who are swayed by your ego infested babble, and not benefit from this application of biofeedback.
[…] the question that Mr. Dellanave gets the most is “Does BioFeedback really work?” Mr. Dellanave will answer to that question but in light of the fact that there has been no Randomized Control Trails on BioFeedback strength […]
Yea, it really does work. But even though I knew it works, I used to be be half-assed in my testing, because I had stuff “I” wanted to do and didn’t ask my body what “IT” wanted to do. The end result was aches, pains, and eventually, low back injury.
Even with the info that I had from Adam in Grip-n-Rip, I “devolved” to only test movements and then do my “preferred” loading pattern. Or even just test “do you want to work out?” and if I got a yes, just do what I thought would be good.
Testing all weights tends to lead me to using less weight, which I often resist because I “prefer” 3-5 reps per set. Doing 8-10 reps isn’t my thing, but my body seems to appreciate it.
It really, REALLY is worth the time to test movements and loads, and the results are often surprising. Thanks to skimming Of The Floor (I’ll really read it soon!), I started testing for the Jefferson deadlift and tested as best two times this week. Right foot forward only, though. Clearly my body is guiding me to correct an imbalance.
Before OTF, I never seriously considered the Jefferson. I didn’t like the idea of being in such a “bad” position, and having the bar cozying up to my nuts. Well, I’m past both of those hang-ups now, and the cozying part is kind of nice, in its own way… 😉
After both Jefferson DL workouts, at weights lighter than “I” wanted to do, my lower back felt fantastic. The second workout, my most favorite “core” movement also tested strong: Front Squat Holds. I didn’t see that one in OTF, but it would be a worthy addition, IMO. Between that and the Jefferson, my lower back feels fantastic.
Bottom line is this: Test everything. You will get surprising results.
Lou,
Biofeedback is the process of gaining awareness of physiological functions with the goal of manipulating them.
What you’re describing is one application of biofeedback, but most certainly not the only form.
This is a common misconception, and definitely is a source of confusion.
You are right that biofeedback doesn’t tell you what action to take – whether or not the positive change in ROM is associated to a specific movement and whether or not that movement is good to continue doing is not the answer, it’s the hypothesis. My hypothesis is that it IS good over the long term, and my results and the results of my clients bear it out to be true.
Your concluding statements may indeed be accurate – using minimal effort in training does seem to be associated to better results, but that doesn’t negate (nor validate) the efficacy of biofeedback testing to select movements.
Lou, which is why we advocate “testing the test” whereby you compare two separate tests to make sure the test is giving you accurate feedback. Sounds like spinal flexion tests well for you.
Lou, right. You’d be experiencing the observer effect, which doesn’t invalidate anything.
Out of curiosity, have you actually used testing for any period of time, or is this your hypothesis?
Using some sort of biofeedback testing, like the one Dave mentions, is probably one of the smartest thing you can do with respect to lifting and movements generally. I’ve been practicing as a chiropractor for 15 years and use biofeedback with my patients every day. I use it to confirm my findings and recommend the best exercises for that specific person. It doesn’t always give me the answer I expect, but it always gives me the best answer. Use it to test everything and it will transform your health. Also, I just added the Jefferson deadlift to my routine, after watching one of Dave’s videos. Could not believe how good my back felt afterwards – thanks Dave!
LOL – the observer effect occurs in many areas of science any time the measurement instrument changes the system. Even a thermometer absorbs some energy from its environment to record the measurement.
In any case, continue to do your own experiments and draw your own conclusions. That is, after all, what the entire point of this post was.
Mr Dellanave,
You sexy bald man (no homo). I should probably explain the excessive bro love. I ran a Tough Mudder here in the UK about 6 weeks ago. The next day I couldn’t walk without left lower back pain which then developed into left-sided sciatica over the next week. As a neurosurgery trainee I knew this was seriously bad news and laid off any heavy spinal loading and focussed on seated upper body and bodyweight work for the next few weeks.
My pain had subsided after 4 weeks so I decided to gingerly try some pulling from the floor again with some trap bar deadlifts. 135lbs went fine but 225lbs caused some spasm of my lumbar musculature and I left the gym to fight another day understandably deflated.
Today I returned hoping to do some squats and deadlifts as I felt completely back to normal. This time however, I was armed with your bioefeedback testing system. 135lbs x 5 straight bar deadlift, left foot slightly forward felt strong but tested poorly. I swapped over to right foot forward, didn’t feel as solid but tested positively and so I stuck with it. 225lbs x 5 – tested well, no pain anywhere. The same with 315lbs x 5. 405lbs x 3 was solid as well, however I called it a day after that as my testing told me to do so. I then went on to do some squat work feeling strong and fresh.
Oh yeah, I haven’t pulled 405lbs for about 3 months having been focussing on my squat. Could it be the time off did me some good? Could focussing on increasing my squat have carried over to my deadlift? Maybe. What I do know is that a 225lbs trap bar deadlift caused me pain 2 weeks ago and today I pulled 405lbs x 3 and felt strong. The only difference being your biofeedback testing.
Many thanks for your work and excellent free content. You’ve won a supporter for life.
Best Wishes,
Adi Kumar
Lou. I hypothesize you are a tool. If I could somehow apply biofeedback testing to this hypothesis, I’m 100% sure I would get positive and repeatable responses. The shame of it is that there may be a few people who are swayed by your ego infested babble, and not benefit from this application of biofeedback.