Pain guide · Back pain

Lower back pain when bench pressing: the arch, leg drive, the hips lifting, the set-up and swaps

Lower back pain when you bench press usually comes from your back holding a big arch at the end of its range, or arching further as your hips lift when you drive with your legs, especially on hard sets. No study has counted back pain from the bench press, and in surveys of powerlifters, back injuries mostly begin in the deadlift and squat, while bench injuries mostly hurt the shoulder. A moderate arch with your buttocks on the bench is normal; a big powerlifting arch added little or nothing to lifters' maximums in lab studies and isn't linked with back pain, but if it hurts, flatten it. Feet a little forward or up, a gentler leg drive, lighter sets and a floor press or machine for a while usually help.

This guide starts with the signs that need help, from a 999 call for numbness around your genitals or bottom, new bladder or bowel trouble, weakness in both legs, or chest pain, breathlessness or feeling faint during a set, to a same-day check through the National Health Service's 111 line (NHS 111) or a general practitioner (GP) for back pain with a fever. It then maps the causes by where it hurts, explains what the studies of the arch and leg drive show, and don't, shows how to change your bench press today, and gives a three-stage plan with a 3D demo of every move, from the floor press back to the bar.

3-stage exercise plan When to get help 32 sourcesUpdated 28 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

Call 999 or go to A&E: loss of feeling or numbness around the genitals or bottom, new trouble peeing or controlling your bladder or bowels, changes in genital sensation during sex or problems with erections or orgasm, or pain, tingling, weakness or numbness in both legs. These are signs of cauda equina syndrome, which needs treating in hospital urgently. Don't drive yourself.
Call 999 or go to A&E: back pain with chest pain, or back pain that started after a serious accident, such as a car crash.
Call 999: sudden pain or discomfort in your chest that does not go away (it can feel like squeezing or pressure, burning or indigestion); pain that spreads to your left or right arm, or your neck, jaw, shoulder, stomach or back; or chest pain and you feel sweaty, sick, light-headed or short of breath. It could be a heart attack. Don't drive yourself to A&E.
Get help from NHS 111: pain or tightness in your chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms that comes and goes, often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold and easing after a few minutes' rest. It can be angina, a sign of a heart problem. If you've been diagnosed with angina, get help from NHS 111 too if it feels worse than before, is happening more often, lasts longer or happens when you're resting.
Call 999 or go to A&E if breathing suddenly becomes difficult, if pain in your chest or upper back comes on suddenly with breathlessness or a very fast heartbeat, or if someone passes out. Do not drive yourself. It can be a blood clot that has reached the lungs.
Call 999: sudden chest or back pain that can feel like something being torn inside, and causes shortness of breath, and problems with walking, vision and speaking (the NHS's wording, on its costochondritis page). It can be a tear in the wall of the body's main artery (an aortic dissection). Don't drive yourself to A&E.
Same day (NHS 111): back pain after a new, significant injury in the last 7 days, such as a fall from a height (off a box, a bar or rings) or a direct blow to the back.
Same day (GP or NHS 111): back pain and you feel hot, cold, shivery or generally unwell, or severe pain that starts suddenly or is getting worse quickly.
Same day: leg weakness that is getting worse; new leg pain with a history of cancer, HIV, TB or inflammatory arthritis; or leg pain with a fever, feeling unwell, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss or night sweats.
Same day (urgent GP appointment or NHS 111): new difficulty lifting the front of your foot or toes (foot drop), or a foot that slaps down or catches as you walk, especially if it is getting worse. Weakness in both legs, or with numbness around the genitals or bottom or bladder or bowel changes, is the 999 emergency above.
Call 999 or go to A&E now if you have a femoral hernia (a small lump at the top of your thigh, in your groin) and very bad tummy pain, you feel sick or you're being sick, you cannot fart or poo, you have a high temperature or you feel hot, cold or shivery, or you've suddenly become confused. Do not drive to A&E. With any other hernia and pain in or around it, a bloated tummy, feeling or being sick, vomiting blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds, constipation, a high temperature or feeling hot, cold or shivery, or sudden confusion, get help from NHS 111.
Call 999: sudden, severe pain in the tummy or back, which can come with breathlessness, pale or grey skin, or collapse. It can be a burst abdominal aortic aneurysm, most common in men aged 65 or over and in people who smoke or used to smoke.
Same day: you have or have had cancer, and new back pain that is severe and doesn't let up, is getting steadily worse, is worse at night and disturbs your sleep, is worse when you cough, sneeze or strain, or comes with tenderness over the spine. Contact your cancer team or GP urgently. With cancer, new weakness, difficulty walking, numbness or bladder or bowel problems are an emergency.
Same day (call NHS 111, or go to A&E if you feel very unwell): after a big or unusual session, such as hundreds of squats, sit-ups, back extensions or burpees, a challenge or a new class, muscle pain, swelling or weakness far worse than the session explains, and dark pee (red, brown, tea or cola coloured), sometimes starting hours or days later. Dark pee isn't always there, so muscles far sorer, more swollen or weaker than the session explains still need the same-day check. It can be rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of muscle that can harm the kidneys.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Back pain that hasn't improved after a few weeks of looking after it at home, stops you doing day-to-day activities, worries you, or you're struggling to cope.
Pain, tingling or numbness spreading below the knee that isn't settling after a few weeks, is getting worse or stops your normal activities: see a GP.
Pain that doesn't improve with rest or is worse at night, or pain that is worse when you sneeze, cough or poo.
Unexplained weight loss, or a lump, swelling or change in the shape of your back.
Pain at the top of the back, between the shoulders, rather than in the lower back.
A teenager or young adult whose low back pain is worse arching backwards and hasn't settled after a couple of weeks: stop the lifts that arch the back and get it checked by a GP or a sports medicine doctor or physiotherapist. It can be a stress fracture of the spine (spondylolysis), which usually does well without surgery when it's found.
A lump in the groin, upper thigh or tummy, especially one that appears when you cough or strain and goes when you lie down: see a GP, as it may be a true hernia. A femoral hernia (a small lump at the top of the thigh, mainly in women over 50, though it can happen to anyone) needs treating in hospital.
Sudden new back pain after a minor fall, lift, cough or sneeze, from 50 or past the menopause, or if you take long-term steroid tablets; or height loss, a curved spine or a change in posture: see a GP. It can be a spinal fracture.
Back pain that started before 45 and has lasted more than 3 months, especially if it started before 35, wakes you in the second half of the night, comes with buttock pain, gets better with movement or within 48 hours of anti-inflammatory painkillers, or you have or have had arthritis, pain where a tendon attaches to bone (enthesitis) or psoriasis, or a parent, brother, sister or child with spondyloarthritis. These can point to inflammatory back pain (axial spondyloarthritis, such as ankylosing spondylitis). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) asks GPs to refer people with 4 or more of these 9 features to a rheumatologist, and to do a blood test for the HLA-B27 gene marker if exactly 3 are present, referring if it is positive.
A strain that is getting worse, or isn't feeling better after looking after it yourself: see a GP or physiotherapist. In many areas you can refer yourself to physiotherapy.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

An ache across the lower back, one or both sides, building while you hold the arch or across sets, easing when you flatten your back or sit up

Usually ordinary low back pain, the back muscles working at the end of their range (our reading): by far the commonest pattern. A flatter back, feet a little forward and lighter sets usually help.

Read: Back pain →

A cramp in the lower back muscles as you set a big arch or drive hard with your legs, easing within a minute when you flatten or stand

Usually a muscle cramp at the end of the arch (our reading). Flatten the arch and ease the leg drive; this guide covers it.

A sudden catch while setting up, unracking, re-racking or sitting up off the bench, then stiffness or muscles locking up

A strain or back spasm: common, and it settles over days to weeks.

Read: Back spasm and pulled back muscle →Pain at the end of arching back, often on one side, eased by bending forward or flattening your back

Possibly the small joints at the back of the spine (facet joints), which share load in arched postures in cadaver studies (our reading for the bench).

Read: Facet joint pain →A teenager or young adult whose lower back hurts more arching back, building over weeks

Possibly a stress fracture of the spine, which needs checking: see the warning signs.

Read: Spondylolisthesis →Down one leg past the knee, with tingling, numbness or weakness

A nerve, usually from a disc (sciatica): less common, and slower to settle.

Read: Sciatica →Low on one side, by the dimple at the back of the pelvis, into the buttock

Possibly the sacroiliac (SI) joint.

Read: SI joint pain →Achy back muscles a day or two after a new or heavy session, easing day by day

Usually muscle soreness; our after-workout guide tells soreness from a strain.

Read: Back pain after a workout →Between the shoulder blades, or a cramp under one shoulder blade as you squeeze them together

The upper back and shoulder-blade muscles. Our upper back bench press guide covers them.

Read: Upper back pain benching →The back of the neck, from pushing your head into the bench or craning up

Usually the neck muscles (our reading): our neck bench press guide covers it.

Read: Neck pain when benching →The front of the shoulder or the chest, or a pop at the front of the armpit with bruising

The shoulder or a torn chest muscle tendon: our shoulder bench press guide covers them.

Read: Shoulder pain when benching →A lump in the groin, upper thigh or tummy, bigger when you strain

A possible hernia: read the warning signs first.

Read: Groin pain →The same back pain in deadlifts, squats or hip thrusts

Our deadlift, squat and hip thrust back guides cover each one.

Read: Back pain after deadlifts →

Sudden tearing pain in the chest or back, chest pain, breathlessness, or feeling light-headed or faint during a set

The heart, the main artery or the lungs: rare, but call 999 first, as the warning signs say.

Understand it

What the bench press asks of the lower back, and what no study has measuredEmerging evidence

You lie with your head, shoulder blades and upper back, and buttocks on the bench and both feet on the floor: the five points of contact coaches teach. Your lower back keeps a curve while you lower and press the bar. Researchers compare a flat back, which keeps your natural curve without adding to it, with an arched back, which adds to the lumbar curve and pulls the shoulder blades back. The arch shortens the bar's path: it travelled 28 to 47 mm further with a flat back in 15 strength athletes. In 20 experienced men, the arched set-up worked the large back muscles (the lats) more and cut the overall load on the shoulder by 8%.

No study has measured how the lower back moves or how much load it carries during a bench press, and none counts back pain caused by benching. A review of 39 studies of powerlifting injuries found bench press reports of torn chest muscles, broken collarbones, ribs and arm bones, shoulder dislocations and tendon problems, and no spinal injuries. So the map on this page comes from lab studies, injury surveys, cadaver studies and guidelines.

Sources 1, 2, 3

Who gets it: lifters' backs often hurt, but the bench is rarely where it startsEmerging evidence

Across the weight-training sports, the spine, shoulder and knee are the commonest injured areas. In powerlifting, the lower back made up 30.8% of injuries where reports gave numbers; in 101 Oceania powerlifters, the shoulder was 36% and the lower back 24%; and in 245 powerlifters, 43.3% had problems during routine training, mostly without needing a break. Injury rates are low: 1.0 to 4.4 per 1,000 hours of training.

In 104 Swedish powerlifters, 43% of injuries began in squat training, 27% in bench training and 31% in deadlift training. Low back and pelvis injuries were tied to the deadlift (about 4 times the odds), while injuries that began on the bench were tied to the shoulder. In an online survey of 1,387 gym users, 136 of the 432 who bench pressed (31%) linked it to training pain, but the survey didn't say which part of the body hurt with which exercise. There are no other figures for people who bench in an ordinary gym.

Sources 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 3, 10

The arch, the small joints of the spine and back painEmerging evidence

In cadaver spines, the small joints at the back of the spine (the facet joints) carried about 16% of the squeezing load in an upright, arched posture once the disc had lost some height under sustained load, and none in a slightly bent-forward posture; they share that load only when the spine is arched. That a held, exaggerated arch under a heavy bar loads these joints, and fits pain that eases when you flatten your back, is our reading: nobody has measured it in a bench press.

In 18 male powerlifters, arch height didn't differ between those at higher and lower risk of back pain, in a tiny proof-of-principle study, and powerlifters with and without back pain scored the same on seven movement control tests (12 against 28 lifters). So the arch isn't shown to cause back pain; it is one thing to change if yours hurts.

Sources 11, 12, 13, 14

When a scan or test mattersStrong evidence

Not usually. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says don't routinely offer imaging for low back pain outside specialist care. In 3,110 people without back pain, disc bulges showed on scans in 30% at age 20 and 84% at 80, and disc wear in 37% to 96%, so a scan report has to match your symptoms.

Tests matter with the warning signs: a young lifter whose pain is worse arching back and doesn't settle (a possible stress fracture of the spine), leg weakness that is getting worse, or sudden new back pain after a minor strain in someone at risk of thin bones.

Sources 15, 16

How it usually goesStrong evidence

No study follows back pain from the bench press. In new low back pain, average pain fell from 52 to 23 out of 100 within 6 weeks, to 12 at 26 weeks and 6 at a year, across 33 groups of people (11,166 in all). The NHS says back pain usually improves within a few weeks but can sometimes last longer or keep coming back.

In Swedish powerlifters, 70% had a current injury, but only 16% of them had to stop training completely; most changed their training instead. No one can promise a date.

Sources 17, 18, 9

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

A big arch is optional: it adds little and isn't linked with back painMixed evidence

A big arch added 4.2 kg to the maximum in 15 strength athletes (the margin of error ran from 0 to 8.4 kg), and made no difference in 11 competitive powerlifters (115.9 against 115.7 kg) or 43 Para powerlifters; in 22 Para powerlifters, a bigger arch angle went with 1.5% to 4% more load. None of these studies measured pain or injury, and arch height wasn't linked with back pain risk in 18 powerlifters.

So keep your natural curve while your back hurts, with your buttocks on the bench. The site's bench press guide says the same: skip a big arch if your back complains or you don't compete. Competitors can bring the arch back last, a notch at a time (editorial).

Sources 1, 19, 20, 21, 13

Feet, leg drive and the hips lifting: never testedEmerging evidence

No study tests foot position or leg drive against back pain. Keeping your buttocks on the bench is part of the five points of contact. Benching with the hips and knees bent and the feet up raised the activity of every muscle measured, including the tummy muscles, in 20 young men at 60% of their maximum; the authors' idea that this eases the lower back is speculation, and it is less stable.

Feet flat under or a little in front of your knees, or resting on a low step or the end of the bench, take some or most of the arch out (our suggestion). Push the floor away to stay tight, but if your hips lift or your arch grows as you drive, ease the drive (our suggestion).

Sources 22, 1

Exercise helps back pain, and lifting can be part of itStrong evidence

Exercise eased long-lasting back pain by about 15 points out of 100 against no treatment, usual care or placebo (249 trials, moderate certainty), with no one type clearly best. NICE recommends encouraging people to continue normal activities and considering group exercise.

In 64 adults with long-lasting back pain, 8 weeks of one-to-one powerlifting-style training or bodyweight exercise, each with pain education, both reduced pain and disability for 6 months, with no difference between them; the authors called both safe and beneficial. In 7 trials of long-lasting muscle and joint pain, exercise that allowed some pain did no worse than pain-free exercise. No trial has tested the bench press as a treatment.

Sources 23, 15, 24, 25

Core drills, belts and stretches: less than claimedEmerging evidence

Powerlifters with back pain moved the same as those without on movement control tests, and no exercise type is clearly best for back pain, so core work belongs in the plan but isn't a fix. NICE says don't offer belts or corsets for low back pain; in 245 powerlifters, belt use went with more lower back injuries, an association likely tied to heavier lifting. No study links stretching the hip flexors or foam rolling to bench press back pain; keep them only if they feel good.

Sources 14, 23, 15, 8

Medicines and scansStrong evidence

The NHS suggests anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen if it suits you, and says paracetamol on its own is not recommended for back pain. NICE says don't routinely image low back pain. Surgery has no role in ordinary back pain from training.

Sources 18, 15

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Up to about 5 out of 10, settled within an hour, no worse the next morningEmerging evidence

This guide uses the back hub's rule, as our other back movement guides do. Some discomfort during exercise is fine, and it does not mean you are doing damage. Aim for pain you would call mild to moderate, no more than about 5 out of 10. It should settle within an hour or so, and your back should be no worse the next morning. If it is worse, do less next time (fewer reps, a smaller range, a lighter load), not nothing.

Leg symptoms are the exception: stop or shrink any movement that sends pain, pins and needles or numbness further down your leg. If leg symptoms move back towards your spine, that is a good sign, even if your back aches a little more for a while.

NHS inform's back exercises use the same bands (0 to 3 minimal pain, 4 to 5 acceptable, 6 to 10 excessive), say exercise should not make your back pain worse overall, and want your back no worse the morning after. The NHS back pain page is stricter about specific exercises: stop if your pain gets worse and see a GP for advice. In 7 trials of long-lasting muscle and joint pain, exercise that allowed some pain did no worse than pain-free exercise.

For the bench press (our suggestion, built on these rules): judge each set by its last reps, and use the press (a floor press or machine, dumbbells with your feet up, then the bar with a flat back, then your usual arch), the load and the set length where your back stays at 5 out of 10 or less, settles within an hour and is no worse the next morning. If your back pumps up or cramps as you hold the arch, flatten it or end the set. Pain or tingling down a leg, chest pain, breathlessness, feeling faint or a sudden tearing pain isn't a pain-rule question: see the warning signs.

Sources 26, 18, 25

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Keep pressing, take the arch out

About the first 2 weeks, walking daily and the other moves 2 or 3 times a week: settle the pain without bed rest, keep the chest training with presses that need no arch, and practise holding a flat lower back. With a diagnosed condition (sciatica or a disc, a stress fracture of the spine, a hernia, a spinal fracture or a back operation), that guide's plan or your team's comes first.

Treadmill walking demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoTreadmill walkingBeginner · Cardio machine

5 to 10 minutes, several times a day · As in our back movement guides (editorial); walking outdoors counts the same. The NHS says stay active and don't stay in bed for long periods

Harder: Treadmill jogging

Dumbbell floor press demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell floor pressIntermediate · A dumbbell

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 12, stopping with 2 or 3 reps in reserve · The move page's dose (an editorial starting point). Keep your back flat on the floor, knees bent if that is more comfortable: the floor stops the arch

Easier: Chest press machine · Harder: Bench press with chains

Chest press machine demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoChest press machineBeginner · Strength machine

2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12, back and buttocks against the pad, feet flat · Editorial, as in our bench press elbow and wrist guides; the pad supports your back

Harder: Barbell bench press

3D demoDead bugBeginner · No equipment

2 or 3 sets of 6 to 8 each side, your lower back resting on the floor · Editorial, as in our kettlebell swing and pull-up back guides

Easier: Dead bug heel taps · Harder: Forearm plank

Glute bridge demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoGlute bridgeBeginner · No equipment

3 sets of 12, stopping with your hips in line with your thighs, not arched past · Editorial, as in our leg press and rowing machine back guides

Easier: Pelvic tilt into bridge · Harder: Single-leg glute bridge

Lying sciatic nerve slider (nerve glide) demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoLying sciatic nerve slider (nerve glide)Beginner · No equipment

10 repetitions with a 1-second pause, 2 to 3 times a day · The move page's dose (an NHS musculoskeletal service's). Only with leg symptoms; try it for two weeks and keep it only if it eases your leg

Harder: Seated sciatic nerve slider (nerve glide)

Move on when: You can walk for 10 to 15 minutes, get on and off a bench without a catch, and do 3 sets of floor presses within the pain rule, with your back no worse the next morning and the pain easing day by day (editorial, as in our back movement guides).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 2

Bring the bench back, flat

About weeks 2 to 6, pressing 2 or 3 times a week: a free-weight press on the bench with your natural curve and quiet feet, and a back that holds still under load.

Neutral-grip dumbbell bench press demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoNeutral-grip dumbbell bench pressIntermediate · A dumbbell + A bench or box

3 sets of 8 to 12 with 2 or 3 reps in reserve, feet on a low step or the end of the bench at first, then flat on the floor · Editorial, as in our bench press shoulder and wrist guides; the feet-up start is our suggestion

Easier: Barbell bench press · Harder: Bench press with bands

3D demoPush-upIntermediate · No equipment

3 sets of 8 to 15, body straight from shoulders to heels · Editorial, as in our dips shoulder guide

Easier: Wall push-up · Harder: Close-grip push-up (close triceps position)

3D demoBird dogBeginner · No equipment

2 to 3 sets of 6 to 8 each side, with 3 to 5 s holds · As in our back pain guides (editorial)

Easier: Bird dog, one limb at a time · Harder: Bear crawl

Back extension on a 45-degree bench demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBack extension on a 45-degree benchIntermediate · A bench or box

2 to 3 sets of 10 to 12, moving slowly and stopping at straight · Editorial, as in our back movement guides. Never fling into the top, as the move page says

Easier: Ball back extension · Harder: Horizontal back extension (hyperextension, Roman chair)

Dumbbell Romanian deadlift demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell Romanian deadliftIntermediate · A dumbbell

3 sets of 8 to 10, to mid-shin or where your hamstrings stop you · Editorial, as in our rowing machine back guide

Easier: Hip-hinge practice · Harder: Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Move on when: 3 sets of dumbbell presses with your feet on the floor and a natural curve pass the pain rule, with your back no worse the next morning, for a week (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Stage 3

Back to the bar

From about week 4 to 6, later after sciatica, 2 or 3 bench sessions a week: your usual bench press back, one change at a time by the written steps below. No study has tested a return to the bench press after back pain, so the order is editorial.

Barbell bench press demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoBarbell bench pressIntermediate · A barbell + A bench or box

3 sets of 5 to 8 with 3 reps in reserve, natural curve, buttocks down, feet flat, from about half your old working weight, adding about 5% to 10% a week while the pain rule holds · Editorial, as in our bench press elbow and wrist guides

Easier: Chest press machine · Harder: Dumbbell bench press

Dumbbell bench press demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoDumbbell bench pressIntermediate · A dumbbell + A bench or box

3 sets of 8 to 12 with 2 or 3 reps in reserve · Editorial, as in our bench press wrist guide

Easier: Barbell bench press · Harder: Bench press with bands

Farmer's carry demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoFarmer's carryIntermediate · A dumbbell + A kettlebell

3 walks of 20 to 30 m · As in our deadlift back guide (editorial): the trunk holding still under load

Harder: Suitcase carry

Side plank demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoSide plankIntermediate · No equipment

2 to 3 holds of 15 to 30 s each side · Editorial

Easier: Knee side plank · Harder: Side plank with leg lift

Kettlebell deadlift demonstrated on the 3D figure

3D demoKettlebell deadliftBeginner · A kettlebell

3 sets of 10, building the bell · As in our leg press back guide (editorial)

Easier: Hip-hinge practice · Harder: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Move on when: Your usual bench sessions with a natural curve pass the pain rule for 2 weeks; then bring back heavier sets, then (if you compete) the arch, then heavy singles. If it flares after a big session, go back a stage for a few days, not to nothing (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

Your bench press for now (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show your arch, where your feet go or how hard you drive with your legs. These steps come from the site's bench press guide, lab studies of healthy lifters and the NHS; no trial has tested a change to the bench press for back pain, and each step names its source or says it is our suggestion.

1. Arch: keep your natural curve, not a competition arch, with your buttocks on the bench, as the site's bench press guide says. A big arch added little or nothing for most lifters in lab studies.
2. Feet: flat, under or a little in front of your knees; if your back still complains, rest them on a low step, plates or the end of the bench and go lighter (our suggestion).
3. Leg drive: push the floor away gently to stay tight; if your hips lift or your arch grows, ease it (our suggestion; leg drive is untested).
4. Set-up and unracking: safety arms set just below chest height and a spotter or hand-off; unrack with straight arms rather than heaving the bar out of deep hooks. Never bench heavy alone without safety arms or a spotter, as the site's bench press guide says; the rest is our suggestion.
5. Lowering and breathing: lower under control and touch without bouncing; breathe out near the top, as the site's bench press guide says.
6. Load: stop 2 or 3 reps short of failure, with no heavy singles for now (editorial).
7. Swaps while it's sore: a floor press, a chest press machine, or dumbbells with your feet up (editorial).
8. Getting off the bench: rack the bar, then roll to one side or bring your knees up before you sit up (our suggestion).
9. The rest of your week: fewer heavy squat and deadlift days while your back is sore, because a back already sore from those is then held in an arch on the bench (our reading). Change one thing at a time.

Sources 1, 19, 20, 22, 11, 18

Back to your usual bench (written steps)

No study has tested how the bench press comes back after back pain, so these steps are our suggestion.

1. One change at a time: dumbbells with your feet down, then the bar with a flat back, then more weight, then your arch if you compete, then heavy singles.
2. Add about 5% to 10% at a time, after a session that passed the pain rule.
3. Bring the arch back a notch at a time over weeks, only if you compete, keeping your buttocks down as competition rules require.
4. Heavy singles and a competition only after 2 weeks of normal training pass the rule.
5. Everyday life alongside: walking first, sitting in shorter spells, lifting shopping and weight plates close to your body, getting up from lying by rolling to one side, and sleeping in whatever position is comfortable.

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or position	Why it matters	Instead
A competition arch while your back hurts	A big arch adds little or nothing for most lifters, and arched postures load the small joints of the spine in cadaver studies (our reading).	Your natural curve with your buttocks down; a floor press for now.Try: Dumbbell floor press
Driving so hard with your legs that your hips lift	It doesn't count in competition and pushes you into more arch (the site's bench press guide; our reading).	Feet a little forward and a gentler drive.
Feet tucked far back under the bench	It tends to deepen the arch (our reading).	Feet under or in front of your knees, or up on a step, with dumbbells.Try: Neutral-grip dumbbell bench press
Heaving the bar out of the rack on your own	Untested, but a twist under a loaded bar is a common story for a catch (our suggestion).	Safety arms and a hand-off.
Sitting straight up off the bench	A sore back dislikes a jack-knife sit-up (our suggestion).	Roll to one side first.
Sets to failure and heavy singles while it's sore	Extra load before the back has settled (editorial).	Stop 2 or 3 reps short.
Pressing on through pain or tingling down a leg	That is a nerve, and the back hub's rule says stop or shrink the movement.	A floor press or machine, and the nerve slider.Try: Lying sciatic nerve slider (nerve glide)
Pressing on after a pop in the chest or armpit	It may be a torn chest muscle tendon.	Stop and get it checked the same day.
Bed rest, or stopping all exercise	The NHS says stay active and don't stay in bed for long periods.	Walking and the stage 1 moves.Try: Treadmill walking
Counting on a belt to bench through pain	NICE doesn't offer belts or corsets for low back pain.	Lighter sets with a flat back.

Routines to follow

Bench press technique workout

A 30-minute practice session for the bench press: shoulder blade work, push-ups and dumbbell presses, then the empty bar with the safety arms set.

30 minBeginner7 movesA band, A dumbbell

Bench press strength workout: heavy sets, close-grip presses and the upper back

A heavy bench press session for lifters past the beginner stage: heavy sets of 3 to 5, close-grip presses, rows, pushdowns and face pulls.

60 minIntermediate9 movesA band, A barbell

Machine chest workout: chest press, incline press, pec deck and dip machine

A 35-minute chest session on gym machines: the chest press, a plate-loaded incline press, the pec deck and the dip machine, with a row to balance it.

35 minBeginner9 movesCardio machine, A band

Dumbbell chest workout: flat, incline and neutral-grip presses, flys and a pullover

A 35-minute chest session with dumbbells and an adjustable bench: flat and incline presses, a neutral-grip press, flys and a pullover, with a row to balance it.

35 minBeginner10 movesA band, A dumbbell

Chest workout at home: push-ups, floor presses and flys

A 30-minute chest workout at home with a pair of dumbbells or a band: push-ups, dumbbell floor presses, flys and a squeeze press, with no bench needed.

30 minBeginner8 movesA band, A dumbbell

Lower back strengthening workout: bird dogs to supermans, no equipment

A 20-minute floor workout for your back muscles: bird dogs and bridges, then a face-down ladder from the locust to the superman, with side planks and dead bugs.

20 minBeginner13 movesNo equipment

Beginner core workout

A 15-minute beginner core workout on the floor: dead bugs, bird dogs, knee planks, side planks and curl-ups.

15 minBeginner6 movesNo equipment

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Why does my lower back hurt when I bench press?

Usually because your back muscles are holding a big arch at the end of their range, or your hips lift as you drive with your legs, especially as sets get hard (our reading; no study has measured it). A flatter back, feet a little forward and lighter sets usually help. Pain down a leg, chest pain or feeling faint are different: see the warning signs.

Is it bad to arch your back when bench pressing?

No study shows it harms the back, and a moderate arch with your buttocks on the bench is normal. A big powerlifting arch added about 4 kg in one study and nothing in two others, so if it hurts, flatten it.

Why does my lower back cramp on the bench?

Usually the back muscles cramping as you hold a big arch or drive hard with your legs (our reading). Flatten the arch, ease the leg drive and shorten the set. A cramp that comes with pain down a leg is a nerve.

Can I bench press with lower back pain?

Often, yes, changed: a natural curve, feet a little forward or up, lighter sets and a spotter, keeping pain at 5 out of 10 or less and no worse the next morning. A floor press or chest press machine takes the arch out completely.

Should I put my feet up on the bench?

It takes most of the arch out, and some coaches use it for sore backs. It is less stable, so go lighter, and bring your feet back to the floor as the pain settles.

Why does my lower back hurt after bench press?

An ache across both sides a day or two later is usually muscle soreness and eases day by day; sharp pain at one moment is more often a strain. Our after-workout back guide tells them apart.

Can bench pressing cause a herniated disc or sciatica?

No report we found links the bench press to a disc injury, and disc changes are common in backs that don't hurt. If you already have sciatica, stop or shrink anything that sends pain further down your leg.

Does a lifting belt help on the bench?

Not for back pain: NICE doesn't offer belts for low back pain, and belt users had more lower back injuries in one powerlifting survey. A flatter back and lighter sets matter more.

Is the dumbbell bench press better for my back?

It can be: with dumbbells you can rest your feet on the bench and keep your back flat. No study has compared them for back pain.

Do I need a scan?

Usually not: NICE says don't routinely scan low back pain, and disc changes are common in backs that don't hurt. A scan matters with the warning signs, or for a young lifter whose pain is worse arching back and doesn't settle.

How long will it take?

No one can promise a date. New back pain usually eases a lot within 6 weeks, and the NHS says it usually improves within a few weeks.

When should I see a doctor?

Call 999 for numbness around your genitals or bottom, new bladder or bowel trouble, weakness in both legs, or chest pain, breathlessness or feeling faint during a set. Get a same-day check for back pain with a fever, and see a GP if it isn't better after a few weeks. In the US, call 911 where this page says 999.

Related exercise guides

How to bench press guide

Sources

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.

When to get help first

Get urgent medical help if

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

Where does it hurt?

Understand it

What the bench press asks of the lower back, and what no study has measuredEmerging evidence

Who gets it: lifters' backs often hurt, but the bench is rarely where it startsEmerging evidence

The arch, the small joints of the spine and back painEmerging evidence

When a scan or test mattersStrong evidence

How it usually goesStrong evidence

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

A big arch is optional: it adds little and isn't linked with back painMixed evidence

Feet, leg drive and the hips lifting: never testedEmerging evidence

Exercise helps back pain, and lifting can be part of itStrong evidence

Core drills, belts and stretches: less than claimedEmerging evidence

Medicines and scansStrong evidence

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Up to about 5 out of 10, settled within an hour, no worse the next morningEmerging evidence

The exercise plan: 3 stages

Keep pressing, take the arch out

Bring the bench back, flat

Back to the bar

What to change for now

Your bench press for now (written steps)

Back to your usual bench (written steps)

Positions to swap, and why

Routines to follow

Bench press technique workout

Bench press strength workout: heavy sets, close-grip presses and the upper back

Machine chest workout: chest press, incline press, pec deck and dip machine

Dumbbell chest workout: flat, incline and neutral-grip presses, flys and a pullover

Chest workout at home: push-ups, floor presses and flys

Lower back strengthening workout: bird dogs to supermans, no equipment

Beginner core workout

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Related exercise guides

Other pain guides

Sources