How to Fix Muscle Imbalances With This One Simple Trick

How do you fix muscle imbalances? And how do they happen? 

Well, have you ever thrown your back out just trying to pick something up off the floor? Yeah, it happens to the best of us. But there’s a simple shift in technique that not only protects your spine, it actually helps correct muscle imbalances too.

And no, you don’t need to be a golfer to use it.

What’s a Golfer’s Pickup?

You’ve probably seen it before, golfers reaching down to grab a ball, balancing on one leg while the other kicks back. It looks smooth and natural. But here’s what’s really happening: they’re shifting the load away from their spine and into their muscles. Smart, right?

When you squat down with both feet planted (like in a deadlift or a basic squat), all that force goes straight through your spine. And if your core muscles aren’t firing the way they should? Your spine ends up taking the brunt of it.

But the golfer’s pickup changes that. It shifts your weight onto one leg, rerouting that force diagonally through your body, down your leg, through your glute, bypassing the spine. That’s how you protect your back and build strength where you actually need it.

Modifying It for Real Life

Okay, so maybe you're not picking up golf balls and you don’t want to kick your leg back every time you grab the remote. Good news, you don’t have to.

Here’s how to modify it:

• Shift your weight onto one leg.
  
  
• Use your other leg for balance, just keep the toes on the ground lightly.
  
  
• Hinge from your hips, not your spine.
  
  
• Pick up with both hands if needed-just make sure the object is closer to your dominant leg.
  
  

What you’re doing here is creating a controlled asymmetry. You’re training one side at a time, which forces those underused muscles to wake up and pull their weight, literally.

Why This Matters

This kind of lifting does two powerful things:

1. Takes pressure off your spine by engaging your muscles more.
   
   
2. Rebalances your body, especially if you favor one side all the time.
   
   

Most of us already have a dominant leg or side, maybe it’s your right. So every time you pick something up this way on the weaker side, you’re closing the gap and building symmetry. That’s how we start correcting those deep postural imbalances caused by sitting, stress, and daily habits.

Common Mistakes to Watch For

• Letting your back round instead of hinging from the hips.
  
  
• Forgetting to breathe through it, use that intra-abdominal pressure.
  
  
• Trying to go too heavy too fast. Start small and build up.
  
  

How This Helped Me

Personally, I’ve always been right-leg dominant. So I started practicing this technique on my left side, even for small stuff like picking up socks or feeding the dog. Over time, my left side caught up, and my back felt noticeably more supported throughout the day. It’s honestly a game-changer.

Give It a Shot

Try this the next time you drop something on the floor. Shift your weight. Hinge at your hips. Feel the difference. You might be surprised by how light it feels, and how little your back has to do.

And hey, if you're looking to go deeper into restoring balance in your body and reconnecting to your core, check out the Core Balance Training Program (there’s a free 7-day trial to get started).

So now you’ve got this sneaky-powerful move in your toolbox, the kind of everyday fix that feels low-effort but delivers high-reward. Whether you’re picking up a sock or saving your spine from another “oops,” this is how real change starts: small, smart, and sustainable.

Now I want to hear from you.
Have you tried the golfer’s pickup before?
Did you catch yourself defaulting to your dominant side?
Did it actually make picking up your dog’s chew toy feel like a mini workout win?

Drop a comment below, what worked, what felt weird, what surprised you. Your insights might just be the lightbulb moment someone else needs. Let’s swap stories, share wins, and keep helping each other move smarter.