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Building a stronger back for work and the gym

When I started working in construction, I already had years of lifting in the gym behind me. I had squatted 2.5 times my bodyweight and deadlifted 2.8 times it. Even so, digging, lifting timber and steel, carrying props and holding materials overhead left my lower back far more fatigued than I expected.

I had to adjust my training around the work I was doing. For a while, that meant accepting lower gym numbers so I could stay consistent. What helped was finding a workload I could recover from, then building back up. For tradies, that means training the legs, hips and trunk together, learning to control a load and leaving room for the demands of the job.

What exercise can do for your back

A strong trunk helps you produce and control force when you lift, carry and support a load. Strength work develops your ability to handle heavier resistance; endurance work helps you practise maintaining control through repeated efforts. Both belong in a programme for someone who works with their body.

There is also evidence that regular exercise can reduce future low-back-pain episodes. Daniel Steffens, Chris Maher and colleagues found that exercise combined with education reduced that risk over the following year.1 The practical takeaway is to train consistently, progress gradually and choose a workload you can sustain.

How to brace when you lift

Bracing creates tension around your waist so your trunk can support the force you are applying. Research by Sylvain Grenier and Stuart McGill shows how this can increase modelled spinal stability under laboratory conditions.2 Here is a simple way to practise it with a light squat, deadlift or carry.

  1. Set yourself up. Find a balanced stance, get a secure grip and bring the load close enough that you are not reaching unnecessarily.
  2. Take a comfortable breath, allowing your lower ribs and abdomen to expand. Firm the front and sides of your waist as if preparing for a gentle nudge. Keep your shoulders relaxed.
  3. Move smoothly while maintaining that tension. With manageable loads, keep breathing through the effort. Aim for enough tension to control the movement, rather than squeezing as hard as possible.
  4. Reset between repetitions. Set the load down or return to your starting position, take another breath and prepare for the next effort. Relax the brace when the task is over.

If you cannot control the load, change the demand: lighten it, raise the starting height, shorten the reach or split it into smaller loads. At work, use an appropriate lifting aid or get help with the task. If the problem is ongoing pain, get it assessed rather than continually bracing harder.

During heavy gym efforts, some lifters briefly strain against a closed airway. This is known as the Valsalva manoeuvre and can increase the blood-pressure response to lifting.3 Learn heavy-lifting breathing with a qualified coach, and seek medical advice first if you have high blood pressure or a cardiovascular condition. For the manageable loads used to learn these movements, keep breathing.

Build strength with squats and hinge patterns

Squats and deadlifts give you a way to train several muscle groups together and progressively increase the load. Squat training can build thigh and glute muscle and improve squat strength.4 Deadlift training has also improved how quickly people can produce force through the legs in controlled research.5 These are useful foundations for getting stronger while practising a coordinated lift.

Choose variations that suit your experience, equipment and current workload. These doses are starting examples for general training; adjust them to your experience and recovery.

  • Squat patterns. Goblet squats, front squats and back squats train the legs and hips while the trunk supports the load. Start with a variation you can control, keep your whole foot planted and use a comfortable depth. Brace before descending, then stand up smoothly. Two sets of 6–10 repetitions is a manageable starting point.
  • Deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts. These train the hip hinge, with work shared between the hips, hamstrings and back muscles.6 For a deadlift, get close to the weight, set your grip and brace, then push through the floor and bring your hips and chest up together. For a Romanian deadlift, start standing, soften your knees and move your hips back while keeping the weight close. Finish standing tall. Start with two sets of 6–10 repetitions, using a range and starting height you can control.

Take the same practical approach on site: position yourself close to the material, establish a secure grip and choose a manageable load. For digging, use smaller shovel loads when needed and think about your footing and where the material is going. The task determines how you move; your gym training gives you opportunities to build strength and practise control.

Add trunk control and anti rotation work

Anti-rotation exercises challenge you to hold your trunk steady against a pull that tries to turn you. They give your abdominals and obliques focused practice holding your trunk steady against external resistance.

  • Pallof press. Secure a light band at about chest height and stand side-on to the anchor. Hold it at your chest, then press your hands forwards while keeping your chest and hips facing ahead. Bring your hands back under control. Try two sets of 8–12 repetitions per side.
  • Dead bug with a side-anchored band. Begin with an ordinary dead bug if this is new to you. For the banded version, lie on your back with hips and knees bent to roughly 90 degrees, and hold a light band in both hands above your chest. Secure the anchor to your side so the band pulls sideways. Keep your hands centred and your trunk steady while slowly reaching one heel away, then returning it. Alternate legs for 4–6 repetitions each. Do two sets, switching the anchor to the other side for the second set. Use a shorter reach or lighter band if you start rolling or arching.
  • Suitcase carry. Carry a manageable weight in one hand for 15–30 seconds, then change sides. Walk steadily, keep breathing and resist being pulled into a sideways lean. Two rounds per side is enough to start.

Use the McGill Big Three for focused trunk work

The modified curl-up, side plank and bird-dog offer three low-load ways to practise trunk control and endurance. Stuart McGill and Amy Karpowicz studied variations of these exercises to help guide technique and progression.7

  • Modified curl-up. Lie on your back with one knee bent and the other leg straight. Place your hands beneath the natural curve of your lower back. Gently brace and lift your head and shoulders slightly, keeping your neck aligned rather than pulling your chin forwards. Try 3–5 short holds of 5–10 seconds, breathing throughout.
  • Side plank. Start on your forearm with your elbow beneath your shoulder and knees bent if needed. Lift your hips and hold a steady position for 10–20 seconds, then change sides. Begin with two holds per side.
  • Bird-dog. From hands and knees, reach one arm and the opposite leg away from you while keeping your trunk steady. Reach long rather than lifting high. Try 4–6 repetitions per side, holding each for about five seconds while breathing.

Keep the programme manageable

Use this menu to fill gaps in your training. A starting session could include one squat variation, one hinge and one trunk exercise. On another day, use a short Big Three sequence in place of the other core work. Fit these choices into your programme rather than adding the whole menu on top.

Leave a few good repetitions in reserve initially. Add repetitions or a little weight as control and recovery improve. Train harder when you are well recovered; reduce sets or loading after a particularly demanding shift. Stop or modify an exercise that causes sharp, spreading or worsening pain.

The tool belt I nearly overlooked

At another point, I developed ongoing pain around my lower back and upper glutes. I had bought a tool belt with deep pockets, loaded it heavily and tightened it to stop it sagging. I tried stretching, breathing drills, core exercises and reducing my gym workload, but the pain kept hanging around.

Eventually, I noticed it was less troublesome when I wore the belt less. I lightened the load and added suspenders. Over roughly two months, the pain settled, and I gradually rebuilt my lifts.

I cannot confirm the exact cause, but that experience taught me to check my equipment as well as my training. Carry the tools you need for the task, distribute the weight and consider a toolbox or bag where practical. Suspenders can redistribute belt weight, but check for pressure at your shoulders too.8 Follow your site’s requirements and keep fall-protection equipment separate from tool-belt adjustments.

Work setup deserves the same attention. Mechanical aids, better material placement and suitable tools can reduce the demands of a task. Raise problems with your supervisor so they can be addressed through the work process.9

When to get help

If back pain persists, worsens or interferes with work or sleep, see a GP or physiotherapist. Seek emergency care for new trouble passing or controlling urine, loss of bowel control, numbness around the genitals or saddle area, or rapidly progressing leg weakness.10

Put it into a training system

Our FBY training system combines structured programmes, planned progression and workout logging with a Green/Amber/Red warm-up check. You can use that structure to build strength over time, assess how you are moving on the day and adjust your session around the work you have done. The aim is to keep making progress while working a physical job, with room to train hard when you are ready for it.

Explore the FBY programmes to find a starting point that suits your training experience and goals.

References

  1. Steffens D, Maher CG, Pereira LSM, et al. Prevention of low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2016;176(2):199–208. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.7431. Read the review
  2. Grenier SG, McGill SM. Quantification of lumbar stability by using 2 different abdominal activation strategies. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2007;88(1):54–62. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2006.10.014. Read the study
  3. Linsenbardt ST, Thomas TR, Madsen RW. Effect of breathing techniques on blood pressure response to resistance exercise. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 1992;26(2):97–100. doi:10.1136/bjsm.26.2.97. Read the study
  4. Kubo K, Ikebukuro T, Yata H. Effects of squat training with different depths on lower limb muscle volumes. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 2019;119(9):1933–1942. doi:10.1007/s00421-019-04181-y. Read the study
  5. Thompson BJ, Stock MS, Shields JE, et al. Barbell deadlift training increases the rate of torque development and vertical jump performance in novices. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2015;29(1):1–10. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000691. Read the study
  6. Martín-Fuentes I, Oliva-Lozano JM, Muyor JM. Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review. PLoS One. 2020;15(2):e0229507. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0229507. Read the review
  7. McGill SM, Karpowicz A. Exercises for spine stabilization: motion/motor patterns, stability progressions, and clinical technique. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. 2009;90(1):118–126. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2008.06.026. Read the study
  8. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Solutions for electrical contractors: installation and repair, using tools. Tool belts section. Accessed 30 October 2026. Read the guidance
  9. SafeWork NSW. ‘How to lift’ training. Accessed 30 October 2026. Read the guidance
  10. Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard. 2022. Quality statements 1 and 8. Accessed 30 October 2026. Read the standard