For most of my life, I lived by a simple, brutal philosophy: pain is weakness, living the body!

I turned my body into a tool and a weapon. I lifted giant stones, I pushed through training sessions that made me dry heave from exhaustion, and I went hard. I believed a "bulletproof" back was forged through sheer mechanical hardness. Lift heavier. Work harder. Endure more. That’s what strong men do, right?

For a long time, I felt invincible. Then, I wasn’t. It wasn't a single "pop" or a dramatic injury that sidelined me. It was a slow, grinding realization that my back was no longer a pillar of strength; it was a liability. I was stiff when I woke up, could no longer sit, and worried my back would seize up. I had been lied to. We all have. We’re told that disc degeneration is an inevitable tax on aging, or that "wearing out" your back is the price of a life well-lived. But as I sat there, unable to even tie my shoes, I realized my spine wasn't failing because it was weak. It was failing because I was asking it to do jobs it was never meant to do, and was not working the way it was designed. What saved me wasn't a surgery or a magic pill. It was a complete reconstruction of my movement philosophy, and a gal darn confangled, low-to-the-ground wooden stool that became my ultimate secret weapon.

The breakthrough came when I stopped asking, “How do I protect my spine?”

and started asking, “Why is my spine working so hard in the first place?” That question changes everything. The spine is designed to transmit force - not generate it. When the feet stop absorbing shock, when the hips stop producing power, when the pelvis loses alignment, the spine becomes the last structure standing. And it pays the price.The spine does not fail from weakness. It fails from being asked to do jobs that were never meant to be its responsibility. The spine starts to collapse when our feet have broken mechanics, the pelvis is unstable, we have improper hip/hinge, weak core, and sit for to lang!

The feet are not accessories. They are sensory organs and shock absorbers. When the feet are weak, rigid, or numb from shoes, the ground reaction force travels upward unchecked. Ankles stiffen. Hips lock. The pelvis loses adaptability. Guess what’s next in line? Your spine. Every step you take with broken foot mechanics sends a small, unabsorbed shock into your discs. One step doesn’t matter; Five thousand a day does, and year after year ads up. This is why barefoot work, toe spreading, short-foot drills, and balance aren’t “rehab.”They’re spinal insurance. If the feet do their job, the spine lasts longer.

The pelvis is the foundation of the spinal column. When it’s stable, the spine stacks. When it rotates, tilts, or slips, the spine compensates instantly. Most people don’t “hurt their back.” They lose pelvic control and the spine pays for it. Anterior pelvic tilt increases compression. Posterior tilt drives discs backward. Rotation creates torsion. Asymmetry overloads one side of the spine. I learned that I didn’t need more spinal exercises. I needed pelvic discipline & control. That’s where disc longevity is forged.

3.) The Hip Hinge

There is one movement pattern that separates resilient spines from broken ones; the hip hinge. A true hinge sends force through the hips and glutes. A fake hinge steals motion from the spine. Every time you bend, pick something up, or lift weights, the question is simple: Did the hips move… or did the spine move?

Spinal flexion under load doesn’t usually cause immediate injury. It causes cumulative damage; micro-failure of the discs over thousands of repetitions.

4.) Core Training Reimagined

I stopped training my core to move.

I trained it to resist and support movement. Crunches, sit-ups, and twists don’t protect the spine. They train the spine to move under load; which is the opposite of what discs want. Instead, I built anti-extension, anti-rotation, and anti-lateral flexion strength. The core’s job isn’t to flex. It’s to transmit force without compromising the spine.

5.) Disc Hydration:

Discs don’t have a direct blood supply. They need Movement, Decompression, & Variability. Sitting for hours on end, bracing all day, and staying stiff & static starves discs of nutrition. Over time, they dry out, lose height, and bulge. So every day, non-negotiable, I decompress. Not stretching. Not forcing.Just reminding my nervous system that my spine is safe. This is a powerful longevity habit I’ve adopted.

What I Stopped Doing

Bulletproofing my back wasn’t just about what I added. It was about what I removed. I stopped: Heavy deadlifts from the floor, Fatigue-based hinge training, Loaded spinal flexion, Weighted rotation, Long static sitting, Bracing all day like I was under attack. Not because these things are bad, but because they exceeded my structural margin. Longevity demands humility.

The Secret Weapon: The Hunkerin Stool

While I was rebuilding my mechanics in the gym, I still had a major problem: the other 23 hours of the day. Modern chairs are, quite frankly, back-killers. They lock the pelvis into a slumped, posterior tilt, shorten the hip flexors, and put the lumbar discs under constant, hydraulic-like pressure. I could do all the "rehab" I wanted, but if I spent eight hours a day in a standard office chair, I was pouring water into a leaky bucket.

Then I invented the Hunkerin Stool.

At first glance, it looks like a simple, low-profile wooden stool. But in reality, it is a time machine that restores the "resting squat", the natural human position we all once possessed, but sacrificed to comfort and furniture. The Hunkerin Stool became my saving grace for three reasons:

1.) Decompression: When you rest on a Hunkerin stool, your hips are forced to open, and your lower back naturally rounds into a gentle, decompressing curve. It’s like a "reset" button for the constant pressure of sitting.

2.) Posture: You can't really "slump" on a Hunkerin stool. It encourages a slight, active sway. It keeps the ankles mobile and the knees lubricated. It’s active resting, the natural primordial way.

3.) Pelvic Alignment: It forces the pelvis into a neutral-to-slightly-open position that instantly takes the "ache" out of my lower back.

I started using it to break up my work day. Ten minutes of "hunkerin" while reading an email did more for my chronic stiffness than an hour of static stretching ever did. If I had to choose one habit for spinal longevity, this stool would be at the top of the list.

Lifting Stones

People ask me, "If your back was so bad, why do you still lift stones?"

The answer is simple: I don't lift stones to be a tough guy anymore. I lift them because a stone is the ultimate teacher of the Hip Hinge.

A real hinge sends motion through the hips. A fake hinge steals motion from the spine. Most disc damage doesn't come from one "heavy" lift; it comes from ten thousand small, shitty bends under load. By using the Hunkerin stool to keep my hips mobile and my core strong, I can approach a stone with respect rather than ego. I keep stone lifting submaximal. I treat it as a ritual. I no longer "grind" through reps. If the form breaks, the set is over. Longevity demands humility.

I’m playing a long game now. I don’t want to be the strongest guy in the physical therapy waiting room. I want to be strong, capable, and dangerous when I’m 80. To do that, I follow these rules:

1. Move Daily: Movement is the only way discs get hydrated. They have no blood supply; they need the "pump" of motion. (Hence the 3 conical compression springs on the Hunkerin Stool).

2. Decompress Daily: Use the Hunkerin stool. Hang from a bar, or inversion table. Give the discs a break.

3. Rest Better, Not Just Less: The Hunkerin stool is my secret weapon here. Break the "chair mold" whenever possible. I also rest on the floor.

4. Train Skill Over Ego: If a movement feels like a "grind" in the spine, it’s a failed rep.

5. The Spine is a Transmission: If the back hurts, look at the feet and the hips. They are usually the ones skipping work.

Final Word

I don’t baby my back. I respect it.

I stopped trying to "toughen" my spine and started focusing on building the foundation beneath it. By reclaiming my feet, mastering my pelvis, and utilizing tools like the Hunkerin Stool to maintain my mobility, I’ve done more than just get rid of pain. I’ve built a system that is resilient because it is efficient. The goal isn't a strong spine. The goal is a spine that doesn't need to work that hard. When your foundation is solid, your back can finally stop being the hero and start being what it was meant to be: a quiet, stable bridge between your strength and the world.

One more time: The spine is designed to transmit force; not generate it. When the feet stop absorbing shock, when the hips & glutes stop producing power, when the pelvis loses alignment, the spine becomes the last structure standing. And it pays the price. The spine does not fail from weakness. It fails from being asked to do jobs that were never meant to be its responsibility.

Bulletproof Back Daily Protocol: 15 minutes

1. Foot Activation & Grounding (2 min)

• Short-Foot Activation: Lift arches without curling toes. Hold 5 sec, 5–10 reps per foot.

• Toe Spreads / Toe Scrunches: 10 reps.

• Single-Leg Micro Balance: Shift weight front/back/side, 15–20 sec per foot.

2. Pelvic & Hip Warm-Up (3 min)

• Quadruped (Rockers) Rock-Backs: Hips toward heels, lumbar neutral, 8–10 reps.

• Hip Circles in Quadruped: Small, controlled, 5–6 reps each direction per side.

• Glute Bridges with Pelvis Check: Squeeze glutes, pelvis level, activate adductors 10–12 reps.

Cue: Pelvis governs the spine—control first.

3. Cat–Cow Flow (2 min)

• Start in quadruped: hands under shoulders, knees under hips.

• Cat: Exhale, gently round spine, slight pelvic tuck.

• Cow: Inhale, extend spine gently, slight anterior tilt.

• 6–8 slow cycles.

Cue: Segmental motion, not global collapse. This rehydrates discs and reawakens multifidus timing.

4. Thoracic & Upper Back Activation (2–3 min)

• Quadruped Thoracic Rotations: 6–8 reps per side.

• Prone I, T, Y Raise: 6–8 controlled reps.

• Wall Angels / Arm Slides: 6–8 reps.

Cue: Thorax stacks over pelvis; ribs stay down.

5. Supine Pelvic Floor + Deep Core Integration (2–3 min)

Supine Pelvic Floor Breathing

• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat.

• One hand on chest, one on lower belly.

• Inhale through nose: Belly expands, pelvic floor gently descends.

• Exhale slowly through mouth: Pelvic floor gently lifts (as if stopping urine or lifting a blueberry), lower ribs draw down.

• 6–8 slow breaths.

Heel Slides Progression

• Maintain pelvic floor engagement during exhale.

• Slowly slide one heel away, then back.

• Alternate sides, 4–6 reps per leg.

Cue: Pelvic floor, diaphragm, and deep core rise and fall together. No bearing down. No clenching.

6. Core & Multifidus (3–4 min)

• Bird Dogs: Hold 3 sec, 6–8 reps per side.

• Dead Bugs: Neutral spine, slow control, 6–8 reps per side.

• Copenhagen side plank: foot on Hunkerin Stool 20–30 sec per side.

Cue: Resist movement. Spine stays quiet. Multifidus stabilizes segment by segment.

7. Spinal Decompression & Alignment (2–3 min)

• Child’s Pose: Knees wide, hips back, arms long, 1–2 min.

• Knees-to-Chest Rocking: Gentle, neutral spine, 6–8 reps.

• Hunkerin Stool Deep Squat (Optional): Sit 1–2 min, pelvis stacked, spine tall.

Cue: Safety, softness, and length—this is disc hydration.

This sequence restores the entire spine before daily stress begins:

1. Feet absorb

2. Pelvis governs

3. Pelvic floor seals pressure

4. Hips generate force

5. Spine transmits load

6. Discs rehydrate

7. Nervous system feels safe

Nothing is wasted. Nothing is random.