Train Hard Without Wrecking Yourself – How I Coach Around Back Pain
You don’t need to avoid weights because of your back. You don’t need baby exercises either.
You just need a smarter strategy.
Too many people with a history of back pain end up stuck in one of two places:
- Avoiding exercise completely out of fear
- Repeating the same training mistakes that caused the issue in the first place
Both hold you back from getting leaner, stronger and feeling good.
The truth? You can still train hard, lift weights and lose fat with a back history – as long as your training is designed around your body, not against it.
The truth? You can still train hard, lift weights and lose fat with a back history – as long as your training is designed around your body, not against it.
Here’s how I coach it 👇🏻
✅ The Smarter Swap System I Use:
Goblet Squats over Back Squats
Why: Upright torso = less spinal compression + more core control
Bonus: Builds quads and glutes without flaring up your lower back
Bonus: Builds quads and glutes without flaring up your lower back
Trap Bar Deadlifts instead of Barbell Deadlifts
Why: Neutral spine, handles closer to centre of mass = less strain
Bonus: Still hits glutes, hams, grip and traps effectively
Bonus: Still hits glutes, hams, grip and traps effectively
Chest-Supported Rows over Bent-Over Rows
Why: No need to hold your spine in a loaded hinge
Bonus: Still builds back and lats without risk
Bonus: Still builds back and lats without risk
Anti-Extension Core Work instead of Sit-Ups
Why: Sit-ups and crunches can stress discs and hip flexors
What I use instead: Deadbugs, rollouts, side planks, suitcase carries
What I use instead: Deadbugs, rollouts, side planks, suitcase carries
Mobility & Prep Work before Heavy Sets
Why: Most people sit all day and then jump straight into lifts
What I do: Hip openers, glute activations, hamstring prep, core priming
What I do: Hip openers, glute activations, hamstring prep, core priming
🤝🏻What Else I Focus On With Clients:
- Position First, Load Second: No more ego lifting. The goal is tension and control before load.
- Range You Own, Not What Looks Cool: Deep doesn’t always mean better. We train to the range that keeps you safe and strong.
- Build Capacity Over Time: Clients learn to tolerate load again – and build bulletproof foundations along the way.
- Support Recovery Outside the Gym: We focus on nutrition, sleep, stress, and recovery habits. They matter just as much as what you lift.
⚡ Real Results – I’ve coached clients who:
- Went from chronic sciatica to lifting confidently 3x/week
- Rebuilt their core from the ground up and dropped 10kg in 12 weeks
- Thought they were “broken” for years but are now leaner, stronger, and pain-free
Final Word:
If you’ve been avoiding the gym because of your back, you’re not broken. You just haven’t had the right plan.
You can still train hard. You can still build muscle. You can still lose fat.
You just need the right strategy.
📩Message me “BACKFIT” if you want help building one that actually works for your body.
Train Smarter. Not Broken.
