Over-Extending Lower Back during Big Compounds...Am I doing it right!?

[AustralianTom]

I've been out of the gym for a good 6 months due to my final year of schooling and then the following summer I crashed hard.

Anyway today I got back in for the first time and I am wanting to get back into consistent workouts 3 times per week.
I'm following allpros routine (Squats, Bench Press, BentOver Rows, Overhead Press, StiffLegged Deadlift, Standing Barbell Curls & Calf Raises) which is what I followed consistently last year for around 8 months.

Anyway today I felt almost all the exercises really hard in my lower back, to the extent that I would stop the exercises because my lower back was so tired and sore that I couldn't even go on until my actual muscles that I was working could feel the burn (Squats+Bent Rows+Overhead Press+Stiff Legged Deadlifts+Standing Curls; I know! for a fact that I am maintaining a solid arch and it is not rounding, however I am worried that the reason as to why I am feeling it so much and the reason why it was so sore after the workout is possibly because I was arching it 'too' much... Is this possible to do? (I properly set myself before each exercise with a solid arch and I can feel it maintained throughout the exercise, I am very careful when it comes to not rounding as I had a close friend screw his badly through deadlifting with a rounded back...)

My only other thought as to why I could be feeling it so much in my lower back is because I have always had bad posture (hunching over a bit) and hence I am thinking that possibly due to that my lower back has simply weakened a lot over these last 6 months of no training due to my posture and hence why I felt it so much. And hence should I continue as I am and perhaps modify some of the exercises until my lower back strengthens up (like sitting down when doing Overhead Press and sitting for curls)?

I just want to clear up whether it is a result of me over arching it and that I need to change my technique for exercises or whether it is simply because my lower back is very weak and that I need to continue as I am until it strengthens up a bit?

Thanks for any help, Tom

[AustralianTom]

No one has an opinion as to whether the lower back soreness is bad form or simply weak muscle?

[chazzy1864]

Yes, you can overarch your back. You don't want to do that either.

Also, yes, it could be due to your low back being weak as well.


My guess is it is some combination of both. Try to maintain a slightly arched/flat back and just keep lifting and let the strength build back up.