The Best Lower Back Exercises for Golfers: Building Strength and Stability to Reduce Back Pain

Reviewed by Dr. Andrew Dulak, DPT, TPI-Certified Golf Fitness Trainer, co-founder of Golf Back Method

The best lower back exercises for golfers often don't load the lower back directly. They train the muscles that keep it steady: core stability moves like dead bugs, Pallof presses, and side planks; glute and hip strength work like hip hinges and single-leg bridges; and loaded carries. Stronger support means the lower back does less compensating during the swing.

Key Takeaways 

• The muscles around the lower back, the core, glutes, and hips largely determine how much load the lower back absorbs.

• Stability exercises that resist movement are typically more useful for golfers than exercises that repeatedly bend or twist the spine under load.

• Strength work supports mobility work; it doesn't replace identifying the restriction behind the pain.

• Comfort during and after play, not soreness or exercise numbers, is what shows these exercises are working.

The Lower Back Exercises That Help Golfers Most

The exercises below are grouped by what they train, because the goal is a lower back that stays comfortable while the hips and upper back do the rotating.

Why the Best Lower Back Exercises Often Train the Muscles Around It

The lower back's job in the swing is to stay stable while the hips and thoracic spine rotate. When the muscles around it, the deep core, glutes, and hip stabilizers, don't control that position well, the lower back ends up doing both jobs. 

That's why the most useful lower back exercises for golfers often train stability and hip strength rather than repeatedly bending or twisting the spine itself. It also fits a point from mobility work: added range without the strength to control it can create instability, so strength and mobility are meant to be trained together.

Core Stability Exercises: Dead Bug, Pallof Press, and Side Plank

Dead bug. Lying on your back with your arms up and knees bent over your hips, slowly lower the opposite arm and leg while keeping your lower back steady rather than arching. It teaches the core to hold the spine still while the limbs move, which is the same control the swing asks for.

Pallof press. Standing sideways to a band or cable, press the handle straight out from your chest and resist the pull to rotate. This trains the core to resist twisting force, mirroring its job during a swing where the hips and shoulders rotate around a stable spine.

Side plank. Supporting yourself on one forearm with your body in a straight line, hold the position. It builds endurance in the muscles along the side of the trunk that support the lower back. A bent-knee version is a common starting point.

Glute and Hip Strength Exercises: Hip Hinge, Single-Leg Bridge, and Banded Walks

Hip hinge with a light load. Pushing the hips back while keeping the spine neutral, using bodyweight or a light weight. This trains the same pattern used when setting up to the ball or lifting your bag, and it moves the work to the glutes and hamstrings instead of the lower back.

Single-leg glute bridge. Lifting the hips from the floor on one leg at a time. It builds glute strength and pelvic control, helping the hips share rotational load with the lower back.

Banded lateral walk. Stepping sideways with a band around the legs, staying low with the chest upright. It trains the hip stabilizers that keep the stance steady so the lower back doesn't have to.

Carry Exercises for Trunk Stability: Suitcase Carry

Suitcase carry. Walking while holding a weight in one hand, staying tall without leaning toward the weight. It trains the trunk to resist side-bending, adding lateral stability that most other exercises don't target.

Exercise Summary

Use this table as a quick reference for what each exercise trains and why it matters for the lower back.

Exercise	What It Trains	Why It Helps the Lower Back
Dead bug	Deep core control	Keeps the spine steady while the limbs move
Pallof press	Anti-rotation core strength	Resists twisting force instead of letting the lower back absorb it
Side plank	Lateral trunk endurance	Supports the lower back from the side
Hip hinge (light load)	Glutes, hamstrings, hinge pattern	Shifts load to the hips during setup and lifting
Single-leg glute bridge	Glute strength, pelvic control	Helps the hips share rotational load
Banded lateral walk	Hip stabilizers	Stabilizes the stance so the lower back doesn't have to
Suitcase carry	Lateral trunk stability	Trains resisting side-bend while upright

How to Fit These Into Your Week

A common starting point is two to three short sessions a week, on days separate from long range sessions or rounds, and after mobility work so the strength exercises happen through a fuller range. 

Start with controlled reps at bodyweight or a light load, stop short of pain, and add difficulty gradually, for example by slowing down a dead bug or moving from a bodyweight hip hinge to a light kettlebell. Control matters more than how many reps you can push through. This is general guidance, not a personalized program.

When These Exercises Aren't the Right Starting Point

These exercises aren't matched to your specific restriction. If your pain comes mainly from limited hip rotation or a stiff thoracic spine, strength work alone can leave that restriction untouched, which is why a movement assessment helps decide what to prioritize. 

Sharp, radiating, or numbness-associated pain, pain that wakes you at night, or pain following a fall should be evaluated by a physician before you start any new strength routine.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should golfers do lower back strength exercises? 

Two to three short sessions a week is a common starting point, adjusted to how your back responds. Consistent, controlled sessions tend to matter more than occasional hard ones.

Should I do these before I play? 

These are training exercises, best done on non-golf days or well separated from a round. Right before play, dynamic mobility and activation movements are usually a better fit than strength work.

Are crunches and sit-ups good for golfers with lower back pain? 

Repeated forward bending under effort isn't the usual starting point for golfers with back pain. Stability-focused options like dead bugs and side planks are more commonly used because they train control without repeatedly flexing the spine.

Can these exercises fix my back pain on their own? 

Not reliably. They build the support that lets the lower back stay comfortable, but if a hip or thoracic restriction is the cause, that restriction still needs to be identified and addressed.

What should I do if an exercise makes my back hurt? 

Stop, and scale back to an easier version. Mild muscular effort is normal, but sharp pain, or discomfort that lingers well after the session, is a reason to check in with a physician or physical therapist.

Will a stronger lower back add distance to my swing? 

That isn't what these exercises are designed for. The goal is a lower back that stays comfortable, and progress is judged by whether back pain improves, not by distance or scoring.

Matching the Exercises to Your Back

The best lower back exercises for golfers train the muscles that keep the spine steady, and they work best when paired with mobility work aimed at your specific restriction. Golf Back Method's movement assessment identifies which restriction is loading your lower back, so the exercises you spend time on match what's causing your pain rather than a generic routine.