Lifting weights is meant to make you stronger, not leave you sidelined with back pain. Yet for many athletes, a handful of bad habits is all it takes to turn a smart training routine into a lingering problem. The truth is, staying healthy in the gym isn’t about avoiding heavy lifts or babying your back. With the right setup, intentional movement, and dialed-in form, you can hit the heavy weights hard and keep your back feeling solid.
“Back discomfort is a common worry among lifters, but it’s not inevitable,” says certified strength and conditioning specialist Adam Shuty, C.S.C.S. “Most back flare-ups happen when people lift with rushed mechanics, poor bracing, or by doing too much too soon or too often. The good news is that by following a few key principles and a simple system, you can train hard, get stronger, and keep your back on your side.”
In fact, when done correctly, lifting can actually prevent or even improve back pain. “Many people with lower back pain suffer because the muscles that support the spine, such as the glutes, deep core, and hips, are either undertrained or poorly coordinated,” says Joseph Hribick, P.T., D.P.T., a doctor of physical therapy and certified orthopedic manual therapist. Fortunately, strengthening these stabilizer muscles through weight training can improve spinal support, increase tolerance for heavy loads, and make everyday movements safer and more efficient, ultimately reducing the risk of injury, he explains.
Ready to lift with confidence and protect your back? Follow these pro tips.
- ABOUT OUR EXPERTS: Adam Shuty, C.S.C.S., is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and founder of ATOMIC Total Fitness. Joseph Hribick, P.T., D.P.T., is a doctor of physical therapy, certified orthopedic manual therapist, and clinical assistant professor at Lebanon Valley College. Zach Smith, P.T., D.P.T., is a doctor of physical therapy and the founder of HIDEF Physical Therapy.
1. Always Warm Up
You may feel tempted to jump straight into your workout the moment you step into the gym, but that’s a fast track to injury. Why? Because your muscles aren’t warm yet, and cold muscles, tendons, and ligaments lack the elasticity, blood flow, and temperature needed to handle sudden, intense strain, Shuty says. Plus, without preparation, your muscles are likely stiff, which can reduce the range of motion and increase the risk of strains, tears, and pain, adds Zach Smith, P.T., D.P.T., a doctor of physical therapy and founder of HIDEF Physical Therapy.
That said, warming up doesn’t mean just doing random stretches; it’s intentional preparation for the work ahead. To make the most of your time and prevent back pain, Shuty recommends the following warm-up template:
- Wake Up (2 minutes): Go for a brisk walk, row, or bike to raise your body temperature and increase your breathing rate.
- Prime (2–3 minutes): Pick two moves that activate the hips and upper back. This may include glute bridges, banded rows, or lateral lunges.
- Rehearse (1–3 minutes): Do two to four ramp-up sets of your first lift using light weight.
2. Clean Up Your Form
“Proper form is extremely important when lifting weights because it allows force to be distributed across the right muscles and joints,” Hribick says. “When form breaks down, your body may compensate, leading the spine to be exposed to excessive or poorly controlled forces on vulnerable structures that are not designed to handle load.”
Of course, proper form varies by exercise, but for moves like squats and deadlifts, Hribick emphasizes hinging at the hips rather than bending or rounding through the lower back, which shifts the load to the glutes and legs while protecting the spine. That focus becomes especially crucial toward the end of a set or workout, when fatigue sets in, Shuty adds. Over time, consistently using proper mechanics not only reduces injury risk but also boosts strength, improves efficiency, and enhances overall lifting performance.
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If you’re unsure about your form—especially if you’re dealing with back pain—Smith strongly recommends checking in with a physical therapist or personal trainer. They can assess your technique and provide personalized tips, cues, and modifications to help you move safely and effectively.
3. Don’t Forget To Brace Your Core
Before initiating a lift, Hribick recommends gently bracing your core as if you’re about to cough. Start by taking a deep belly breath, allowing your sides and lower back to expand. Then engage your abdominal muscles as though you’re preparing to be punched in the stomach and maintain that tension through the most challenging part of the lift. This bracing stabilizes the spine and helps maintain a neutral position, protecting the lower back and significantly reducing the risk of strain or injury during heavy compound lifts like squats and deadlifts, Hribick says.
Just don’t forget to breathe! Your muscles need oxygen to work properly, so while your core should stay braced throughout the entirety of the lift, it’s still essential to exhale during the harder concentric phase (lifting or pushing the weight) and inhale during the easier eccentric phase (lowering the weight).
4. Progress Gradually
To stay healthy and make steady progress, it’s necessary to give your muscles, tendons, and spine time to adapt by gradually increasing weight, volume, and intensity, Shuty says. This approach is especially important for protecting the lower back, because when the spine is exposed to more stress than it’s ready to handle, supporting tissues like discs, ligaments, and muscles can become irritated or strained. Gradual progression, however, allows these structures to strengthen over time, reducing the likelihood of chronic back pain and training setbacks, Shuty explains.
Hribick echoes this advice, explaining that large, sudden jumps in load or training volume significantly increase the risk of injuries. “Strength training shouldn’t be viewed as a race,” he says. “It’s a journey.”
To safely progress your lifts, Hribick recommends the following framework:
- Change one variable at a time. Adjust either weight, reps, or sets—not all at once—so your body has time to adapt. For example, if you increase the weight, keep your reps and sets the same.
- Make small increases. When it comes to adding weight, aim to add around five percent at a time to build strength safely without overloading your back or joints.
- Let form lead the way. If you can’t maintain control and optimal form, your weight is too heavy. Don’t force progression!
- Monitor your recovery. Mild soreness is normal, but back pain or stiffness lasting longer than 24 to 48 hours may be a sign you’re progressing too quickly.
5. Don’t Skimp On Recovery
Insufficient recovery is one of the most common drivers of back pain in weightlifting—even when your form is solid, according to Hribick. “Recovery is when your muscles and connective tissues adapt and come back stronger. Without enough downtime, the spine and surrounding muscles are repeatedly stressed before they have time to bounce back,” he says. “From what I’ve seen clinically, most lifting-related back issues aren’t caused by one bad rep; they develop from consistently doing a little too much for a little too long without enough recovery.”
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Recovery can look different depending on your fitness level, age, and ability, but Hribick recommends the following strategies to help you recover effectively and efficiently:
- Make sleep a priority. Most of your body’s repair and rebuilding happens while you sleep, so a lack of shut-eye can slow tissue recovery. Aim for at least seven to nine hours of consistent, quality rest a night to support your training.
- Schedule recovery days on purpose. Rest days aren’t lost time. They’re part of a smart training plan. Building in one or two dedicated recovery days each week can significantly reduce strain on your back and set you up for a stronger return.
- Listen to early warning signs. Increased stiffness or lingering soreness are cues to scale back—not push harder. Adjusting early can help prevent bigger setbacks later on.
6. Know When To Stop
There is a key difference between being uncomfortable and being in pain, so it’s critical to recognize the two and listen to your body. Discomfort is a normal part of challenging your muscles—like the burning sensation during a tough set or the soreness after an intense workout, Hribick explains. Pain, on the other hand, is a sharp, persistent signal that something may be wrong, he says. Never push through sharp or worsening pain.
If you experience consistent pain during an exercise, it’s a good idea to touch base with a physical therapist or doctor to identify the underlying cause before it develops into a chronic issue, Smith says. “Letting things go for long periods of time only makes them worse.”