Last month, we provided exercise swaps to help you train around (and prevent) a bum knee during leg day. This month, we’re following the same formula but gearing it toward guys with lower- back pain. Unfortunately, chronic lower-back pain has been estimated to affect 19.6% of people between the ages of 20 and 59. What’s more, the frequency of lower-back pain increases and peaks between the ages of 35 and 55. These are your prime years—in and out of the gym—so, if you’re in that 20%, use this guide to take advantage of them by making gains sans the pain.
Spine School
Your lumbar spine—which connects your midback to your hips—consists of five vertebrae and is supported by six ligaments, similar to beams in a high-rise. To avoid contact between vertebrae and absorb shock from everyday impact, fluid disks are set between each of them. Over time, these disks can experience significant wear and tear and, when combined with abnormal movement, can lead to a ton of unwanted injuries—osteoarthritis, degenerative disk issues, and fractured vertebrae, to name a few.
Spine Stumbles
According to Charlie Weingroff, a physical therapist at Drive 495 in New York City, “The three biggest opponents to spinal health are spinal compression, spinal shear, and flexion.” Spinal compression is when the disks are being pushed into each other, spinal shear is when one disk is sliding out of place, and flexion is the overextension of your spine. Exposure to these forces can lead to injury. “If you can minimize the impact of the three while maximizing force production, you’ve found a great alternative,” Weingroff says.
The Fix
First off, if you have orders from your doctor to stay out of the gym, then do so. That said, there are a lot of lower-back injuries that can be rehabilitated through physical therapy and tolerated with the right exercise selection. In fact, weight training will strengthen the muscle surrounding your spine, which can help protect you from future injury. You just have to know which moves to avoid; otherwise, you risk making it worse. Use the swaps listed here to maximize your leg day for pain-free gains.
The Best Leg Exercise Swaps to Protect Your Back
Close gallery popup button
1 OF 4
1 of 4
Edgar Artiga
You’re Doing: Barbell Back Squat; Do This Instead: Landmine Squat
Why: Another staple in most strength programs, the bar- bell squat loads the spine and keeps it loaded throughout the entire movement. That’s fine for a healthy lifter, but too many heavy squats can wreak havoc on your spine. The landmine squat, however, allows you to keep the weight in front of you, relieving spinal stress and demanding more from the core stabilizers and legs. You can also add more substantial weight to it than a goblet squat, which is another suitable alternative.Do It: Insert one end of a barbell into a landmine attachment or the corner of a wall. Load it up and hold the end of the barbell with both of your hands, right below your chin. Descend into a squat until your thighs break parallel with the ground, keeping your weight on your heels. Then explode up, keeping your chest up.
2 of 4
Per Bernal / M+F Magazine
You’re Doing: Leg Press; Do This Instead: Sled Push
Why: The leg press locks your back into position while demanding lower-body movement to accommodate. With your back fixed against a pad, you have a tremendous amount of weight lowering onto you, which, overall, is not ideal, especially with an achy lower back. The sled push allows you to stand tall, a more advantageous position for the spine, while recruiting your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. The best part is that this exercise is self-limiting—if you can’t move the sled, it simply won’t budge, so feel free to load up those plates and test your legs.Do It:From the standing position, lean forward into the sled with both hands placed just in front of the shoulder. While maintaining this position, drive one foot into the ground, slowly pushing the sled forward. Continue this movement for the appropriate distance or time.
3 of 4
Glute Workout Bridge
You’re Doing: Prone Leg Curl; Do This Instead: Valslide Leg Curl
Why: Lying flat on your stomach and curling the legs back is a great way to isolate the hamstrings (like a preacher curl for your lower body). That said, if you go too heavy your hips will lift off the machine and your lower back will come into play to assist. This forces your lower back to curve in an unnatural way, stressing it unnecessarily. The Valslide leg curl is the same exact movement, but it allows you to move more freely and naturally, using only your body weight as resistance.Do It:Lie on your back and place your heels on Valslides (valslide.com) or furniture sliders. With your feet shoulder-width apart, drive your heels into the ground and pull back as far as possible. Throughout the movement, maintain a strong line between your hips, back, and head. Once your hamstrings are fully contracted, slowly descend back down into starting position.
4 of 4
Dustin Snipes / M+F Magazine
You’re Doing: Barbell Deadlift; Do This Instead: Dumbbell Single-leg Deadlift
Why: The barbell deadlift is one of the best exercises you can perform to build size and strength. Unfortunately, pulling heavy weight from the ground maximizes lower-back stress. The fix, though, is simple—just lift one foot off the floor. Alternating with one flexed leg and one extended leg keeps your spine more neutral. Plus, you’ll work the same motion but at a fraction of the risk.Do It:Keeping a slightly bent knee in the planted leg, push the hips back, keeping a straight line between the rear leg and spine. Descend until the hands are just below the knee or until a sufficient stretch is felt in the hamstring. Return to standing position by pulling the hip forward until fully extended.Pro Tip: With one leg off the ground, balance will become more of an issue. Use light weights and perform the move slowly.
You’re Doing: Barbell Back Squat; Do This Instead: Landmine Squat
Why:
Another staple in most strength programs, the bar- bell squat loads the spine and keeps it loaded throughout the entire movement. That’s fine for a healthy lifter, but too many heavy squats can wreak havoc on your spine. The landmine squat, however, allows you to keep the weight in front of you, relieving spinal stress and demanding more from the core stabilizers and legs. You can also add more substantial weight to it than a goblet squat, which is another suitable alternative.
Do It:
Insert one end of a barbell into a landmine attachment or the corner of a wall. Load it up and hold the end of the barbell with both of your hands, right below your chin. Descend into a squat until your thighs break parallel with the ground, keeping your weight on your heels. Then explode up, keeping your chest up.
You’re Doing: Leg Press; Do This Instead: Sled Push
Why:
The leg press locks your back into position while demanding lower-body movement to accommodate. With your back fixed against a pad, you have a tremendous amount of weight lowering onto you, which, overall, is not ideal, especially with an achy lower back. The sled push allows you to stand tall, a more advantageous position for the spine, while recruiting your glutes, hamstrings, and quads. The best part is that this exercise is self-limiting—if you can’t move the sled, it simply won’t budge, so feel free to load up those plates and test your legs.
Do It:
From the standing position, lean forward into the sled with both hands placed just in front of the shoulder. While maintaining this position, drive one foot into the ground, slowly pushing the sled forward. Continue this movement for the appropriate distance or time.
You’re Doing: Prone Leg Curl; Do This Instead: Valslide Leg Curl
Why:
Lying flat on your stomach and curling the legs back is a great way to isolate the hamstrings (like a preacher curl for your lower body). That said, if you go too heavy your hips will lift off the machine and your lower back will come into play to assist. This forces your lower back to curve in an unnatural way, stressing it unnecessarily. The Valslide leg curl is the same exact movement, but it allows you to move more freely and naturally, using only your body weight as resistance.
Do It:
Lie on your back and place your heels on Valslides (valslide.com) or furniture sliders. With your feet shoulder-width apart, drive your heels into the ground and pull back as far as possible. Throughout the movement, maintain a strong line between your hips, back, and head. Once your hamstrings are fully contracted, slowly descend back down into starting position.
You’re Doing: Barbell Deadlift; Do This Instead: Dumbbell Single-leg Deadlift
Why:
The barbell deadlift is one of the best exercises you can perform to build size and strength. Unfortunately, pulling heavy weight from the ground maximizes lower-back stress. The fix, though, is simple—just lift one foot off the floor. Alternating with one flexed leg and one extended leg keeps your spine more neutral. Plus, you’ll work the same motion but at a fraction of the risk.
Do It:
Keeping a slightly bent knee in the planted leg, push the hips back, keeping a straight line between the rear leg and spine. Descend until the hands are just below the knee or until a sufficient stretch is felt in the hamstring. Return to standing position by pulling the hip forward until fully extended.
Pro Tip: With one leg off the ground, balance will become more of an issue. Use light weights and perform the move slowly.
