If your lower back is banged up but you still want to train your legs hard, this lower back-friendly leg workout is for you.
Until six weeks ago, I was in the same boat as many of you. I couldn’t remember the last time I did a leg workout that was even close to lower back-friendly. It’s not surprising, considering I’ve spent the past ten years powerlifting. But even before that, heavy squats and deadlifts were a leg day staple.
What changed?
Well, my goals changed. My last powerlifting meet was in November of 2019. And while I still consider myself a “powerlifter,” I don’t plan on competing anytime soon. Combine this with the fact that I went about a year and a half without feeling particularly well on squats or deadlifts, and you have a recipe for a change.
It’s not that anything significant is wrong. It’s more hurt than injured. I know how to get squats and deadlifts feeling good again, but I’ve been lifting heavy barbells for nearly twenty years, and I could tell my body needed a break. The trouble is, I still want to train my legs hard.
So, I asked myself, ” What would an intense leg day look like without barbell squats or deadlifts?”
It took some trial and error, but the workout I created fits the bill. It’s challenging, effective, and, most of all, it doesn’t leave me feeling like I got hit by a truck the next day.
Lower Back Friendly Leg Workout
The workout starts with five to ten minutes on an upright exercise bike. If you have access to an Air Dyne or Assault bike, use that. I can’t stress this part enough. Get your heart rate up and break a sweat. You can do some general mobility exercises, but the way this workout is set up, you don’t have to.
The first movement of the day is a leg curl. The late John Meadows was big on starting leg workouts with an isolated hamstring exercise. Putting some blood into the hammies will help make the belt squats feel great.
When it comes to leg curls, you can choose between seated or lying variations or even alternate between the two. A 2021 study suggests that seated leg curls may be more effective for muscle growth due to training at longer muscle lengths [1]. However, personal preference plays a role. I find that lying leg curls feel better, so I do both.
As mentioned, the main squat variation is the belt squat. I’ll be honest. I don’t love it. To me, the belt squat is on equal footing with hack squats and leg presses. It comes down to the quality of machines available at your gym. At my gym, the belt squat is the best of that trio, but you can pick whichever movement feels the best.
Pick the one you like best: Belt Squat, Hack Squat, or Leg Press.
Next up is a dumbbell Romanian deadlift. I love barbell RDLs, but the dumbbell variation has always been easier on my back because I can manipulate the weights around my legs. Emphasize the lowering phase with these. Take 3-4 seconds to lower the weights, and only go down as far as comfortable. Based on your gym setup, if convenient, you can superset these with leg extensions. If not, it’s no big deal.
On the last set of leg extensions, do a drop set. Only rest long enough to change the weight. For the drop set, half the weight and double the reps. For example, if you did 150 pounds for ten reps on the last set, do 75 pounds for 20 reps on the drop set.
After leg extensions is everyone’s least favorite exercise – Bulgarian Split Squats. I get it. They suck. However, I have two ways to make them less sucky.
If putting your back foot on a bench during Bulgarian Split Squats doesn’t feel right, use the pad on a leg curl machine. The pad moving with your foot makes it much more comfortable and natural.
Leg Curl BSS
Another option is to try the goblet hold variation. It works even better if you do it on the leg curl machine. Over the years, I’ve had many clients struggle with BSS when loading traditionally with dumbbells at the sides. The goblet hold allows you to get into a better position. The one downside would be how much weight you can handle, but that shouldn’t be an issue at this point in the workout.
Goblet Hold BSS
Finish the workout with a calf exercise. Alternate between a straight and bent leg variation. If I had to pick one, I prefer a standing calf raise of some sort. However, seated calf raises bias the tension to the soleus (the smaller muscle beneath the gastrocnemius), so putting them into the rotation is worth it. On the last set, do the same drop set protocol you did on the leg extension—half the weight and double the reps.
The Workout
- Seated or Lying Leg Curl: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Belt Squat: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Tempo DB Romanian Deadlift: 3 sets x 10-12 reps
- Leg Extension: 3 sets x 10-12 reps [+ drop set]
- Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat: 3 sets x 15-20 reps
- Standing or Seated Calf Raise: 3 sets x 10-12 reps [+ drop set]
Fundamental Principles of the Lower Back Friendly Leg Workout
Here are the critical components of the lower back-friendly leg workout. Even if you don’t want to follow the above program, you can use these principles to work around your back pain.
Use Pre-Exhaust
Pre-exhaust is a technique in which you perform an isolation exercise and immediately follow it with a compound movement that targets the same muscle group. For several reasons, starting a leg workout with a leg curl or even a leg extension can be beneficial.
First, they are low-stress exercises that can act as both warm-up and working sets. In this workout, after three working sets of leg curls, you will feel great heading into belt squats. More importantly, you can use lighter weights since your hamstrings will be fatigued. Since we are not concerned with maximizing performance while recovering from back pain, getting more out of less weight is advantageous.
Include at Least One Unilateral Exercise
Some coaches overemphasize unilateral work when dealing with lower back pain. Are they effective? Yeah, but your entire workout doesn’t need to be single-leg exercises. That said, you should include at least one.
Lower-body unilateral exercises, like Bulgarian split squats, lunges, or step-ups, are great for those with back pain because they reduce the overall load on the spine. Plus, separately targeting each leg ensures equal work, preventing any strength imbalance from developing.
No Barbell Squats or Deadlifts…for now
Okay, here is the big one. For the time being, take out barbell squats and deadlifts. I want to point out that you can still squat and deadlift with lower back pain if that is the route you want to go. Try lowering the weight first and see how that feels. If that doesn’t alleviate the pain, next, shorten the range of motion. If that still doesn’t do it, try changing the exercise variation. For example, you might be unable to do back squats, but what about front squats or SSB? The same goes for deadlifts. Try block pulls, barbell RDLs, or trap bar deadlifts. However, if all of these movements still don’t feel great, bite the bullet and give yourself a little time away from the barbell, with the mindset that you will return to them later.
The Best Way to Add Squats and Deadlifts Back In
The lower back-friendly leg workout is a short-term solution. Eventually, we want to return to barbell squatting and deadlifting—or at least be capable of returning to those movements.
When you are ready for the barbell, the first step is to find an entry point. We want to start with something you can do without pain in the 24-48 hour window after training. It might mean starting really light and with low volume. You will not be able to jump right back into the loads you were doing before.
Your entry point might be 135 lbs, 225 lbs, or even an empty barbell. That is okay. The biggest mistake people make is starting too heavy. Keep the reps on the high side (8-10) and around 5-6 RPE / 4-5 RIR. Start with 2-3 sets and see how you feel.
If all goes well, aim for progression. Be conservative, but shoot to increase the load a little when possible. This process is also an excellent opportunity to reevaluate your technique. Ensure your form is on point and not the reason you got into trouble.
If returning to the barbell doesn’t go as planned, you can try shortening the range of motion or starting with different exercises. Some people may need to start with a front squat and barbell RDLs.
FAQs
Q: How do you train legs with a bad lower back?
As simple as this sounds, focus on exercises that minimize strain on the lower back, such as belt squats, leg presses, unilateral movements, leg curls, and leg extensions.
Q: How to train legs without compressing the spine?
Avoid any exercise that places direct vertical pressure on the spine, such as back squats.
Q: How do you squat with a bad lower back?
Make sure your form is tight. Also, if you have a bad lower back, it’s probably a good idea to do high-bar squats instead of low-bar squats.
Q: Does a lifting belt help with lower back pain?
A lifting belt can provide support and stability, reducing some strain on the lower back during heavy lifts, but it should not be relied upon as a solution for back pain. A belt is more for performance than injury prevention.
Two Takeaway Points
Well, there you have it—the lower back-friendly leg workout I have been doing for the past few weeks. I’m at the stage now where I’m ready to add barbell squats and deadlifts back into my program. However, this lower back-friendly workout has gone so well that I might hold off a bit longer.
I want you to take away two main points from this article. The first is that lower back pain is common, and it’s not a sign you can’t train. There is always something you can do, and most often, activity is better than no activity in the recovery process. The second, which is a big one, is that you can do great leg workouts without barbell movements with the right strategy and plan.
Reference:
- Maeo, S., Huang, M., Wu, Y., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2021). Greater Hamstrings Muscle Hypertrophy but Similar Damage Protection after Training at Long versus Short Muscle Lengths. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 53(4), 825–837. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000002523
Author: Kyle Hunt
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