Lower back pain is one of the most common injuries that weight lifters experience in the gym. At least 80% of weight lifters will experience low back pain while lifting weights or working out in the gym. This can make you wonder which weight lifting exercises you need to avoid with lower back pain.

Oftentimes, weight lifters think their favorite movements like squats, lunges and deadlifts are to blame for their symptoms but that’s actually the furthest thing from the truth. 

The truth is, it’s usually never the movement itself that’s the problem. The problem is the movement your body isn’t prepared for. To clear things up, this article will cover weight lifting exercises to avoid with lower back pain, and what to do instead.

Should You Stop Working Out with Back Pain? Why Avoiding Exercise Isn’t Always the Answer

Many people think that an injury or pain means you should stop participating in activity or exercising. Doctors, trainers or the internet may reinforce the idea of “just rest” until symptoms are better. But this philosophy doesn’t actually promote healing and can in fact actually delay it. 

But why should you listen to me? As a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Pain-Free Performance Strength Coach who works mainly with active adults and weight lifters. I believe in helping active adults build resilience through movement instead of avoiding it. The goal isn’t to stop lifting, it’s to modify, progress, and rebuild strength so your body becomes more capable

In the rehab world we have this saying rest is not rehab. Instead, the body needs movement to help promote blood flow which helps bring oxygen, nutrients and healing factors to the area. 

Weight Lifting Mistakes That Can Make Lower Back Pain Worse

If you’ve ever dealt with lower back pain after a workout you know how frustrating it can be. Doing certain things in the gym can aggravate your symptoms and prolong recovery. However, with a few simple adjustments, you can avoid making your pain worse and keep training safely.

​​Here’s are the weight lifting exercises to avoid with lower back pain that recommend focusing on to keep training without making your back pain worse:

Avoid lifting without any modifications: One of the biggest mistakes lifters make when they’re dealing with back pain is trying to push through their normal workout routine without any adjustments.

While you don’t want to stop lifting all together, your body may not be ready for the same weight, range of motion, or intensity you’re used to and forcing it can make your pain worse.

Instead, modify lifts so the load is tolerable and the movement stays in a pain-free range. That might mean lowering the weight, reducing depth, or swapping in a traditional deadlift variation for something like a trap bar deadlifts or goblet squats. Small modifications allow you to keep building strength while giving your back the support it needs to heal.

Avoid exercises that increase pain above a 4/10: It’s okay to experience some pain or discomfort with exercise. It doesn’t mean you’re doing harm or damage to your body, joints or muscles. However, it’s important to keep pain symptoms to a minimum with exercise because it’s also important to prevent a flare up or setback by letting pain with movement get too high. 

I recommend on a scale of 0-10 (where 0 is no pain and 10 is the worse pain you can imagine keeping symptoms with exercise at or below a 4/10) 

If symptoms start to creep above a 4/10 I recommend making a modification (decreasing weight, reps, range of motion, movement type etc.) 

Avoid skipping warm ups before lifting: Jumping straight into heavy lifts without priming your body first is a quick way to aggravate lower back pain without an injury. But skipping an adequate warm up with an injury is a sure fire way to make symptoms worse. 

A proper warm up gets blood flowing to muscles, activates muscles being used to for exercise and prepares your body for the movement patterns being performed during the workout. 

Just 5–10 minutes of intentional warm-up work can be the difference between a strong training session and one that leaves your back flaring up afterward.

Exercises to Modify (Not Avoid) When You Have Lower Back Pain from Weight Lifting

The key to training safely while experiencing lower back pain is to challenge the tissues without overloading or stressing them too much which leads to setbacks or pain. 

Finding that sweet spot can be challenging but here are some tips for finding what works right for you and which weight lifting exercises to avoid with lower back pain: 

Exercises to full range of motion: Instead of avoiding movements like squats and deadlifts all together you can choose variations that limit the range of motion enough to not aggravate symptoms. For example substituting a box squat for a traditional barbell squat or wrack pulls for a deadlift. 

Lifting normal loads: When lifting with back pain is important to not jump back into your regular weights too soon. Instead, scale back to a weight that feels challenging but doesn’t push your pain above a 4/10. This might look like dropping to 50–70% of your normal load or swapping a heavy barbell movement for a more controlled dumbbell or kettlebell variation.

Focus on quality reps, tempo, and form so you’re still building strength without overloading your back. Remember, modifying the weight isn’t weakness, it’s the smartest path to lifting heavier again, pain-free

Avoid static stretching only: It may feel like muscles in the lower back are tightening up and stretching may be what you need. However, there’s usually an underlying reason as to why you feel tight and because of that stretching along usually doesn’t fully address symptoms. In fact, excessive stretching without strengthening can sometimes leave your tissues more vulnerable.

A better approach is to pair gentle mobility work with exercises that activate and strengthen the stabilizing muscles around your lower back and hips. Movements like dead bugs, bird dogs, and single leg glute bridges build the resilience your back needs for lifting but also to reduce long term feelings of tightness. Stretching can still have its place, but it shouldn’t be your only strategy.

Why Rest Alone Won’t Fix Lower Back Pain After a Workout

Imagine if the check engine light on your car came on. But instead of taking it to the mechanic you just parked it in your car for two weeks. You hoped that maybe if you gave the car some rest and a break from driving the next time you went to use it the issue would correct itself and the light would go off. But it didn’t. And the next time you go to drive the car you realize the light is still on and the problem was never fixed. 

Your body works the same way. When you start experiencing lower back pain, just taking time off is almost never going to fully address the underlying problem. Instead, you’ll want to address the root cause to find a long term solution to your symptoms. 

Rest alone won’t rebuild the strength, mobility, or stability your lower back needs to feel and function better. The key is early, intentional movement rebuild the strength, mobility, and stability your lower back needs to feel and function better. By being intentional about how you move, you’re building the foundation to lift, train, and move with confidence again

Treatment for Lower Back Pain from Weight Lifting: How the Resilient Movement Project Helps You Get Back to Training

Maybe after reading this article you’re thinking you need to make some adjustments to your training and do something to support your back so you can keep lifting without constantly worrying about pain. But you’re unsure where to start, how much to modify, or what movements are actually safe for you right now.

That’s exactly where the Resilient Movement Project (RMP) comes in. Instead of cookie-cutter advice, you’ll get a customized plan designed to fit your body, training goals, and lifestyle. I’ll help you uncover the root cause of your back pain, teach you how to modify your lifts so you can keep training, and guide you through the exact progressions you need to build strength and confidence again.

Inside the program, we don’t just focus on short-term pain relief, we build lifelong resilience while also giving you the tools to prevent flare-ups in the future .Along the way, you’ll have expert support so you never have to guess whether you’re doing the right thing.

If you’ve been dealing with back pain that keeps getting in the way of your workouts, you don’t have to figure it out alone. The Resilient Movement Project is here to help you get back to lifting stronger, safer, and smarter than before.

Click below to apply for coaching and start your path to pain-free training today