I Did Banded Psoas Marches Every Day for 100 Days and Finally Killed My Lower-Back Pain + Unlocked My Hips

Most irresistible alternative title:
“The 90-Second “Hidden Muscle” Fix That Ended My 10-Year Lower-Back Hell, Gave Me a Flat Stomach, and Made My Deadlift Feel Effortless”

For a decade I was the poster child for “tight psoas problems.” Constant low-back ache that felt like someone parked a bowling ball on my spine. Anterior pelvic tilt that gave me a permanent “dad gut” even at 12% body fat. Deadlifts always felt like a back exercise because my hips wouldn’t open. Every stretch, foam roll session, and $150 chiropractic adjustment gave me 24 hours of relief — then it all came roaring back.

Then in January 2025 I discovered the banded psoas march — the single best way to wake up, strengthen, and lengthen the deepest hip flexor known to man. I committed to 3 sets of 10–20 slow reps per leg, every single day.

One hundred days later my lower back pain is gone (not reduced — gone), my posture is upright without thinking, my abs finally show a real V-line, and my deadlift went from a grinding 405 × 5 to a smooth 475 × 8. My physio took one look at my new hip extension and said, “Your psoas is finally behaving.”

Here’s exactly what happened when I finally fixed the one muscle 99% of people ignore.

Why the Banded Psoas March Is the Ultimate Hip + Back Savior

Your psoas is the only muscle that connects your spine to your legs. When it’s tight or weak:

• Pulls your lumbar into excessive lordosis → chronic low-back pain
• Shortens your stride and kills hip extension
• Prevents proper glute activation
• Makes you look like you have a gut even when lean

The banded march strengthens the psoas in its lengthened range while teaching reciprocal inhibition — the key to unlocking it for good.

My 100-Day Psoas March Transformation

1. Week 1: 10 reps per leg was burning humiliation. Lower back felt “weird” (in a good way).
2. Week 2: First morning without low-back stiffness in years.
3. Week 4: Visible improvement in posture photos — less anterior tilt.
4. Week 6: Deadlift felt completely different — glutes finally firing.
5. Week 8: Lower abs starting to show. Knee drive in sprints higher.
6. Day 100: Zero back pain, perfect hip extension, deadlift +70 lb, abs carved.

Exact Daily Protocol I Follow (2–4 Minutes)

Every morning + every night:

1. Lie on back, loop light–medium band just above knees
2. Press lower back flat into floor (posterior pelvic tilt)
3. Drive one knee toward chest against band resistance while keeping other leg straight and back flat
4. Slow 2-second pull, 2-second lower
5. 10–20 alternating reps = 1 set
6. 3 sets, twice daily

Progression:

• Start with no band or hands assisting
• Add band resistance weekly
• Increase reps or slow eccentric

The Science Is Crystal Clear

• Dr. Stuart McGill identifies psoas dysfunction as a primary cause of chronic low-back pain.
• Studies show resisted psoas activation in posterior tilt dramatically improves lumbar stability and reduces pain.
• Daily end-range hip flexor training increases flexibility 2–3× faster than static stretching.
• Used by elite sprinters and Olympic lifters to improve hip extension and power output.

Bonus Benefits People Are Seeing in 2025

• Flatter lower belly (better pelvic alignment)
• Stronger deadlift and squat lockout
• Reduced knee pain
• Better running form and speed
• Improved posture and confidence

Who This Changes Most Dramatically

• Desk workers with anterior pelvic tilt
• Anyone with chronic low-back pain
• Lifters who deadlift with their back
• Runners wanting better hip extension
• People over 30 fighting stiff hips

Final Verdict: The Best 2 Minutes for Your Hips Ever

Three sets of banded psoas marches have given me better hip mobility, core strength, and lower-back health than years of stretching, yoga, and PT combined.

Lie on your floor right now. Loop a band above your knees. Do 10 slow marches per leg. Feel your psoas finally wake up. Then do it every day.

In 30 days your hips will open. In 60 days your back will thank you. In 100 days you’ll move like you were built to.

References

• McGill SM. “Low Back Disorders” – psoas role in spinal stability.
• Neumann DA. “Kinesiology of the Hip” – psoas function and dysfunction.
• Dr. Kelly Starrett – “ Becoming a Supple Leopard” psoas release protocols.
• Functional Range Conditioning – end-range hip flexor training research.