A back you stop
thinking about.
A free guided timer for the McGill Big 3. It counts every hold and calls every side out loud, so you put your phone down and just move.
Big enough to read from the floor. Three beeps before every hold ends. Watch a full session
Not a stronger back. A quieter one.
What you actually want is to stop running the calculation before you move. That looks like:
- Getting out of bed without bracing for it first
- Lifting a laundry basket without the pause and the mental math
- Getting down on the floor with your kids, and back up again
- Planning your day around what you want, not around your back
I made this for myself.
I am a single dad with two kids. For a long stretch my lower back ran my life. Getting up was a project. Bending down was worse. I was nervous about exercising at all. I was tired constantly, I had headaches, and I never slept properly.
I tried a lot of things. Physical therapy helped while I was in it. I read everything I could find. The McGill Big 3 was what made the biggest difference for me.
The exercises were never the hard part. Doing them properly, every single day, was.
I lost count mid-hold. I forgot which side I had done. I was tapping at my phone between every set. Some mornings I skipped it because the fiddling was more annoying than the routine.
So I built this to take all of that away. It is the same timer I use every morning. I have my life back, and this is what keeps me consistent.
A full session, start to finish.
This is the whole thing with the cat-camel warm-up and the easier 5-3-1 level, unedited. If you have never done the Big 3, watch this before your first session.
Watch a full session on YouTube Cat-camel warm-up, then all three exercises at 5-3-1. Unedited.Big 3 Pro ships Q4 2026.
The timer stays free forever. Pro is the part the free version cannot do: it keeps a record of every session, scales the routine back on flare days, and runs as a real app on your phone.
- Full session history and streaks
- Flare-day sessions for the bad days
- The iOS app at launch
- Every future update, permanently
FAQ
What is the McGill Big 3?
Three exercises studied by spine researcher Dr. Stuart McGill: the curl-up, the side plank, and the bird-dog. They build endurance in the muscles that hold your spine steady, without bending it under load.
Is it really free?
Yes. No account, no email, no trial, no ads. It runs in your browser and nothing you do is sent anywhere.
Do I need equipment or an app?
Neither. Floor space and something soft to lie on. It opens in your phone’s browser, and you can add it to your home screen if you want it to feel like an app.
Is there a paid version?
The timer is free and stays free. I am building a Pro version that keeps a record of every session, scales the routine back on flare days, and runs as an app on your phone. You can see what it adds here.
I cannot hear it. What is wrong?
Check the mute switch on the side of your phone. The timer’s voice and beeps play through the media channel, so a muted iPhone stays silent even at full volume.
What if I am new to this?
Start on the easier 5-3-1 level with longer rests, and turn the guide to Full so you get a form reminder in every break. Move up when it starts to feel easy.
How often should I do it?
McGill’s own guidance is daily, as morning maintenance rather than an occasional workout. Walk around for a while after waking before you get on the floor.
Twenty minutes today.
Do it again tomorrow, and the day after, and eventually you stop thinking about your back.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Dr. Stuart McGill or Backfitpro.