The McGill Big 3 consists of three exercises: the Bird Dog, Curl-Up, and Side Plank, all named after Dr. Stuart McGill, a leading expert in back pain and rehabilitation. While he didn’t create these exercises, his research has shown their essential role in treating back pain, with proven success among his patients.

Injuries are the worst. If you’re lucky, they’re not serious, and after a few weeks of rest, they’ll go away. Unfortunately, sometimes they don’t—often because we don’t understand how to respond properly after they occur.