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Exercises

Lower back exercises for men: hinges, back extensions and loaded carries

Published October 29, 2026

The best lower back exercises for men are hip hinges and extensions that load the spinal erectors through a controlled range: the deadlift, Romanian deadlift and dumbbell good morning in the gym, the 45-degree and weighted back extension on a hyperextension bench, and supermans or floor back extensions at home. Add a side plank and a suitcase carry so the sides of your trunk get trained too. Two sessions a week of 8 to 11 sets each is enough. Start at 2 to 3 reps in reserve, move slowly through the lowering, and add load only when every set reaches the top of the rep range.

  1. Romanian Deadlift Hamstrings, Glutes
  2. 45-Degree Back Extension Glutes, Hamstrings
  3. Dumbbell Good Morning Hamstrings, Lower Back
  4. Barbell Deadlift Glutes, Lower Back
  5. Superman Lower Back
  6. Dumbbell Suitcase Carry Abs, Quads

Heavy hinges

Your spinal erectors hold your back still while your hips drive the weight in every hinge. These lifts load them hardest; one of them, once a week, at 2 reps in reserve, does most of the job.

Lower back, glutes and hamstrings, heavy hinge

Barbell Deadlift

Glutes, Lower Back

Holding a flat back under the heaviest weight you lift is the most demanding job your erectors get. Keep the reps low, 3 to 5, and stop sets while your back position is still clean.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar over your mid-foot and grip it just outside your legs.
  2. Drop your hips until your shins touch the bar, flatten your back, and pull the slack out.
  3. Push the floor away and stand up tall, then lower the bar the same way.

Cues

  • Bar against the legs
  • Push the floor away

Common mistakes

  • Jerking the bar off the floor: take the slack out first on every set.

Swap for: Trap Bar Deadlift, Romanian Deadlift, Rack Pull

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Lower back and traps, partial deadlift

Rack Pull

Glutes, Lower Back, Traps

Pulling from knee height lets you handle more weight than a full deadlift with a shorter range. Use it as a heavy back day lift when full deadlifts from the floor are not working for you.

How to do it

  1. Set the bar on rack pins or blocks just below your knees.
  2. Stand close with your feet under your hips and grip the bar overhand just outside your thighs.
  3. Hinge until your back is flat and your shoulders are slightly in front of the bar.
  4. Drive your hips forward and stand up, pulling your shoulders back at the top, then lower the bar to the pins under control.

Cues

  • Shoulders ahead of the bar
  • Finish tall, shoulders back
  • Set it down, do not drop it

Common mistakes

  • Turning the top of each rep into a lean back: stand straight and let your traps hold the weight.
  • Loading so heavy the bar bends off the pins every rep: keep it to weights you can pull smoothly for the full set.

Swap for: Barbell Deadlift, Snatch-Grip Deadlift, Barbell Shrug

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Hamstrings, glutes and lower back, stretched hinge

Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

Your back stays still while the hips move through a long range, so the erectors work hard holding position for every rep. It is the simplest heavy hinge to learn first.

How to do it

  1. Stand with a barbell at your thighs, hands just outside your legs, feet under your hips.
  2. Soften your knees and push your hips back, sliding the bar down your thighs.
  3. Stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched, usually just below the knee, with your back flat.
  4. Push your hips forward to stand up, glutes tight at the top.

Cues

  • Hips back
  • Bar stays on your legs
  • Back flat

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat: keep them soft and still.
  • Reaching for the floor: stop where your back would round.

Swap for: Weighted Back Extension

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Lower back and hamstrings, loaded hinge

Dumbbell Good Morning

Hamstrings, Lower Back

Holding the dumbbells at your shoulders puts the weight far from your hips, so a light load makes the lower back work hard to hold position. A pair of 15 to 25 lb dumbbells is plenty to start.

How to do it

  1. Stand hip-width apart holding a dumbbell at each shoulder, elbows pointing forward.
  2. Push your hips back and hinge forward, knees softly bent, back flat.
  3. Lower until your torso is close to parallel to the floor or your hamstrings stop you.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand up tall and repeat.

Cues

  • Hips back first
  • Dumbbells stay pinned to the shoulders
  • Stop where the back stays flat

Common mistakes

  • Bending at the waist instead of the hips, so the back rounds: imagine closing a door behind you with your hips.
  • Going heavier than you can hold at the shoulders: the lower back works plenty with a light pair for 10 to 15 reps.

Swap for: Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, Superman, Band Good Morning

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Back extensions and reverse hypers

Here the lower back and glutes move the load directly, with much lighter weights than a deadlift. They work well for 10 to 15 reps and recover quickly, so you can train them twice a week.

Lower back and glutes, bench extension

45-Degree Back Extension

Glutes, Hamstrings

The pad holds your hips while your trunk lifts against gravity through a full range. The most useful lower back machine in a gym, and easy to load by holding a plate.

How to do it

  1. Set the pad so it sits just below your hip bones, then hook your heels under the foot rollers.
  2. Fold your arms over your chest and stand straight in line with the bench.
  3. Bend forward at the hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Lift your torso back to a straight line with your legs, squeezing your glutes, and stop there.

Cues

  • Hinge at the hips
  • Stop at a straight line
  • Squeeze your glutes at the top

Common mistakes

  • Arching back past a straight line at the top: the rep ends when your body is straight.
  • Setting the pad too high so it blocks your hips: you should be able to fold freely over it.

Swap for: Back Extension, Superman, Weighted Back Extension

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Lower back, loaded extension

Weighted Back Extension

Lower Back

The same movement with a plate or dumbbell held to your chest. Move to it once 15 bodyweight reps are easy, and add weight in small steps.

How to do it

  1. Set the pad so it sits just below your hip bones, lock your heels under the foot rollers, and hold a plate against your chest.
  2. Lower your torso toward the floor by bending at the hips, keeping your back flat.
  3. Rise until your body is in a straight line from heels to head, squeezing your glutes at the top.
  4. Lower slowly and repeat.

Cues

  • Hips just over the pad edge
  • Rise to a straight line
  • No arch at the top

Common mistakes

  • Overextending at the top, arching past straight: stop when your body is in line.
  • Swinging up from the bottom: take a full second to rise and two to lower.

Swap for: Back Extension, Romanian Deadlift, Good Morning

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Lower back and glutes, reverse hyperextension

Band Reverse Hyperextension

Glutes, Hamstrings

Here your legs move and your trunk stays on the bench, which loads the lower back and glutes without pressing the spine down. A good second movement after heavy hinges.

How to do it

  1. Put a mini band around your legs just above the knees and squeeze an exercise ball between your feet.
  2. Lie face down on a flat bench with your hips at the end and your legs hanging off it, hands holding the bench edges.
  3. Squeeze your glutes and raise your straight legs, ball and all, until they line up with your body.
  4. Hold a moment, then lower your legs slowly and repeat.

Cues

  • Chest down, legs up
  • Squeeze the ball, push the band
  • Stop at straight

Common mistakes

  • Swinging the legs above level: stop when your legs line up with your torso.
  • Bending your knees to lift higher: keep them straight so your hips do the work.

Swap for: 45-Degree Back Extension, Superman, Band Good Morning

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Floor and home options

With no bench or barbell, train the same muscles lying face down and with a single kettlebell. Slow reps and a one-second hold at the top make light loads count.

Lower back, floor extension

Back Extension

Lower Back

Lifting your chest off the floor from face down trains the erectors with no equipment. Do slow reps and stop at a comfortable height, not as high as you can go.

How to do it

  1. Lie face down with your hands behind your head and elbows out.
  2. Squeeze your glutes and lift your chest off the floor while your legs stay down.
  3. Lower slowly back to the floor.

Cues

  • Lift the chest, not the chin
  • Legs stay heavy

Common mistakes

  • Jerking up fast: lift and lower at the same steady speed.

Swap for: Superman, 45-Degree Back Extension, Band Good Morning

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Lower back and glutes, floor hold

Superman

Lower Back

Raising arms and legs together makes the erectors and glutes work at once. Hold each rep for a second at the top; height does not matter.

How to do it

  1. Lie face down with your arms stretched overhead and legs straight.
  2. Raise arms, chest and legs a few inches off the floor together.
  3. Hold for a second, then lower everything together.

Cues

  • Long, not high
  • Eyes on the floor

Common mistakes

  • Cranking the head back to lift higher: keep your neck in line with your spine.

Swap for: Back Extension, Exercise Ball Back Extension, Band Good Morning

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Glutes and lower back, one-sided hinge

Kettlebell Deadlift

Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back

Hinging with one kettlebell at your side makes your back resist being pulled sideways as well as forward, so a single bell gives your trunk more to do than its weight suggests. At home it is the main loaded lower back exercise.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart, the bell in one hand at your side and that arm straight.
  2. Push your hips back and bend your knees a little, letting the bell travel down beside your leg until it nearly reaches the floor, back flat.
  3. Keep your shoulders level and your chest facing forward as the bell lowers.
  4. Stand up by driving through your feet and squeezing your glutes. Finish the set, then switch hands. With two bells, hold one at each side.

Cues

  • Hips back, chest up
  • Bell close to your leg
  • Stand tall at the top

Common mistakes

  • Squatting straight down so the knees do all the work: lead with the hips.
  • Letting your back round to reach lower: stop the bell where your back is still flat.

Swap for: Kettlebell Good Morning, Kettlebell Swing, Kettlebell Row

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Side planks and carries

The muscles along the side of your spine resist bending and twisting more than they lift. A side plank and a one-sided carry train that job and round out the session.

Obliques and side trunk, hold

Side Plank

Abs

Holding your body straight on one side trains the muscles that keep your spine from bending sideways. Build to 45 seconds per side before making it harder.

How to do it

  1. Lie on one side with your elbow under your shoulder and your legs stacked.
  2. Lift your hips until your body is straight from head to feet.
  3. Hold, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Hips high
  • Stacked feet
  • Elbow under shoulder

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips drop toward the floor as the hold goes on.
  • Rolling the chest forward or back.

Swap for: Dumbbell Side Plank, Copenhagen Plank

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Side trunk and grip, one-sided carry

Dumbbell Suitcase Carry

Abs, Quads

Walking with a heavy dumbbell in one hand makes the opposite side of your lower back work to keep you upright. A simple finisher that also builds grip.

How to do it

  1. Pick up one heavy dumbbell and stand tall with it at your side.
  2. Walk with short, steady steps without leaning toward or away from it.
  3. Set it down, switch hands and walk back.

Cues

  • Shoulders level
  • Tall walk
  • Grip hard

Common mistakes

  • Leaning away from the weight to balance it.
  • Picking a dumbbell so light that nothing has to work.

Swap for: Farmer's Walk, Dumbbell Single-Arm Overhead Carry

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

You lift heavy and want a stronger back for it

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets17 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Hyperextension, Dumbbells, Flat Bench +1

You squat and deadlift, and your lower back gives out or rounds before your legs are done.

One heavy hinge each day, then lighter extension and trunk work, gives 17 sets of lower back and trunk work a week. That is enough to build the erectors without leaving them too tired for your squats.

Day 1: Deadlift
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Deadlift3 warm-up sets first 3 × 3–5 2 3 min
Weighted Back Extension 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Side PlankSeconds per side. 3 × 30–45 2 1 min

Open Day 1: Deadlift in the session builder

Day 2: Good morning
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Good Morning1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
Band Reverse Hyperextension 2 × 12–15 2 75 s
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySeconds per side. 3 × 30–45 2 1 min

Open Day 2: Good morning in the session builder

How to run it
Do Day 1 on your deadlift day and Day 2 three or four days later. Do not put Day 2 right before a heavy squat session.
How to progress
Add 5 to 10 lb to the deadlift, or one dumbbell size on the good morning, when every set reaches the top of the rep range at 2 reps in reserve. Add a 5 lb plate to back extensions when 12 reps are easy, and 5 seconds to the holds.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

You sit all day and your back feels like the weak link

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets18 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentHyperextension, Barbells, Dumbbells

You work at a desk, you go to a gym two or three times a week, and your lower back is what tires first.

Lighter loads and higher reps build the erectors' endurance first. Each session has 9 sets, 18 a week, spread over moves that are easy to recover from.

Lower Back: Gym
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
45-Degree Back Extension 3 × 10–15 3 90 s
Romanian Deadlift2 warm-up sets first 3 × 8–10 3 2 min
Dumbbell Suitcase CarrySeconds per side. 3 × 30–40 2 1 min
How to run it
Twice a week, at the start of your session while you are fresh. Keep at least two days between.
How to progress
Stay at 2 to 3 reps in reserve for the first four weeks and add reps only. After that, add 5 lb to the Romanian deadlift and hold a light plate on the back extension when you reach the top of the range.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

At home with one kettlebell or nothing

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets22 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentKettlebells, Hyperextension

You train at home with at most one kettlebell, and you want a lower back session that needs no bench or barbell.

Floor work and a single kettlebell are enough when sets end close to failure. 11 sets per session, twice a week, gives the erectors 22 sets of mostly light work, which they recover from well.

Lower Back: Home
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell DeadliftPer side. 3 × 10–15 2 90 s
Back Extension 3 × 10–15 2 1 min
SupermanHold 1 second at the top. 2 × 8–12 2 1 min
Side PlankSeconds per side. 3 × 20–40 2 45 s
How to run it
Twice a week with at least a day between; it fits after a home leg session or on its own.
How to progress
Add reps until each exercise reaches the top of its range, then slow the lowering to 3 seconds. On kettlebell deadlifts, move up to the next kettlebell when 15 reps are easy.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

Can you train your lower back?

Yes. The spinal erectors are muscles like any other, and they get stronger with loads that are progressively heavier. Hinges and back extensions train them directly.

Are 3 exercises enough for the lower back?

Yes. A hinge, a back extension and a side plank or carry cover the job. Two sessions a week, with the weights going up over time, are what make them work.

What is the best lower back machine?

The 45-degree back extension bench, often called the hyperextension. It loads the lower back and glutes through a full range and is easy to make harder with a plate.

Is the deadlift a lower back exercise?

Partly. The legs and glutes move the weight, while the lower back holds your spine still. That still makes it one of the hardest jobs your erectors do, so heavy deadlifts count toward your lower back training.

How often should men train the lower back?

Twice a week. Count your heavy deadlift or squat day as one session, and keep the second lighter, with back extensions and carries.