Last Updated on 10 August 2026 by Greg Brookes
If kettlebell swings are making your lower back hurt, do not simply push through and assume your back needs to get stronger.
A good kettlebell Swing is powered by the hips. The lower back works hard to stabilise the spine, but it should not be the main engine of the movement.
So if your lower back is consistently the first place you feel the Swing, or you develop pain during or after training, I would stop the Swing and check the movement before adding more repetitions or weight.
Should Kettlebell Swings Hurt Your Lower Back?
No. You may feel the muscles around your trunk and spinal erectors working, particularly when you are new to hinging, but the main muscular effort should come from the glutes and hamstrings.
Sharp pain, increasing pain or discomfort that changes how you move is not something I would train through.
Where Should You Feel Kettlebell Swings?
The Swing is a hip-dominant exercise. I want you to feel the glutes and hamstrings doing most of the work, with the abdominal muscles bracing and the back muscles maintaining a strong trunk position.
First Check: Can You Hip Hinge Without Pain?
Before troubleshooting the Swing itself, remove the speed and momentum.
The Swing is built on the hip hinge. If you cannot hinge comfortably without a kettlebell, or perform a controlled kettlebell Deadlift without symptoms, there is little value in trying to fix the Swing at full speed.
7 Kettlebell Swing Mistakes That Can Cause Back Pain
1. Starting With an Anterior Pelvic Tilt
If you begin with the pelvis tipped forwards and a large arch through the lower back, you are already starting the Swing in a poor position.
The problem becomes worse if you keep that position as you stand and then drive the hips forwards at the top.
2. Leaning Back at the Top
The top of the Swing should look like a strong standing position. You do not need to push the hips past the centreline or throw the shoulders backwards.
When the hip drive is weak, people often try to manufacture extra kettlebell height by extending through the lower back.
3. Reaching Too Deep Into the Backswing
Your backswing only needs to go as deep as you can maintain a strong hip hinge and trunk position.
If hamstring mobility or hip control limits the hinge, forcing the kettlebell farther backwards can make the movement come from the lumbar spine instead.
4. Rounding Through the Lower Back
The Swing should hinge at the hips while the trunk stays organised. If the pelvis stops moving but you continue chasing depth by rounding the spine, the lower back is now contributing movement that should have come from the hips.
5. Squatting the Swing
A Swing is a hip-dominant movement, not an up-and-down squat.
If the knees bend excessively and the hips drop straight down, you lose the strong forwards-and-backwards hip action that should propel the kettlebell.
The result is often a Swing that needs more help from the arms and back.
6. Lifting the Kettlebell With Your Arms
The arms connect you to the kettlebell, but they should not be responsible for creating the Swing.
If you pull the kettlebell upwards with the shoulders, the upper and middle back have to work much harder and the timing of the hip drive usually deteriorates.
7. Hunching the Shoulders
Pulling the shoulders towards the ears creates unnecessary tension through the upper trapezius, neck and upper back.
This often happens together with mistake 6 because the person is trying to control the kettlebell with the upper body rather than letting the hips do the work.
The Fastest Way to Find the Problem
If your back hurts during Swings, I would not try to diagnose all 7 mistakes at once.
- Stop the Swing.
- Perform an unloaded hip hinge.
- Progress to a slow kettlebell Deadlift.
- Check whether you can keep the ribs and pelvis organised while the hips move backwards and forwards.
- Only then reintroduce a small number of controlled Swings.
What to Do If Your Back Hurts After Kettlebell Swings
Stop the Swings that are aggravating the problem and give the symptoms a chance to settle. That does not usually mean lying still or avoiding all movement.
For uncomplicated back pain, NHS and NICE guidance generally encourages people to remain active and continue normal day-to-day movement as tolerated rather than using prolonged bed rest.
When you are ready to return to kettlebell training, build back gradually. Start with movements you can perform comfortably, such as an unloaded hip hinge or light Deadlift, before returning to ballistic Swings.
Useful guidance: NHS back pain advice.
When the Swing Is Not the Right Exercise
Not everyone needs to perform kettlebell Swings.
If you have an existing back condition, recurrent symptoms or pain that appears even during a basic hip hinge, get individual advice before using a fast ballistic exercise.
There are plenty of other kettlebell exercises available. The Swing is useful, but it is not compulsory.
Related Kettlebell Training
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I feel kettlebell Swings in my lower back?
You may feel the back muscles stabilising the torso, but the main effort should come from the glutes and hamstrings. If your lower back is consistently doing most of the work, check your hip hinge and Swing technique.
Why does my lower back hurt after kettlebell Swings?
Common technique problems include leaning backwards at the top, rounding the spine, squatting rather than hinging, reaching too deep into the backswing and trying to lift the kettlebell with the arms.
Are kettlebell Swings bad for your back?
Not inherently. A well-performed Swing is a hip-dominant exercise that requires the trunk and back muscles to stabilise the spine. However, it is a fast ballistic exercise, so poor technique or an unsuitable exercise choice can aggravate symptoms.
Should I keep doing Swings if my back is sore?
If it is ordinary muscular soreness that is settling, that is different from pain. If the Swing itself is painful or symptoms are worsening, stop the aggravating exercise and reassess the movement rather than training through it.
What should I practise instead of Swings?
Start with an unloaded hip hinge and then a controlled kettlebell Deadlift. These remove the speed and make it easier to learn how to move from the hips while keeping the trunk organised.
I’m getting back into bells after a 6 month hiatus (not from injury – just busy with work). I feel no back pain whatsoever during my workouts, but afterwards by lower back hurts – particularly if I stand stationary for too long (I’m a teacher). Do you think this is just soreness because my muscles have atrophied? Or I’ve somehow lost my form?
It could be one or both of those things Vikki. Just like any type of new exercise you will tend to have muscle soreness afterwards for 24 to 72 hours. However, this should stop happening after the first few workouts, if it continues then it is probably your form.
L5 is the serious one
thank you , i am discouraged, I’ve been told that I have spurs, cists and spinal stenosis and serious forminal stenosis, i really don’t want to quit the intensity, i am with the docs, steroids, osteo person, no pt yet, can you share some exercises that I can feel? My leg is working now and has feeling again! I’m thankful that you returned the text, I was having a good time with the swings, goblet , racked squats etc. It was a good run, they don’t want me to surf for now, sorry, bored, needing and sad!
hi, again greg , if i have a back injury its not from the kettle bell, i have been super fine with your workouts, i went out on maybe one of our bigger last swells, when tried tearing it on my old 2007 sup, a narrow one, did a cut back and i felt the tweek, i just wanted to know if someday after healng I can swing again, thank you, Wahiawa Willie, Aaaloha
can we do swings after a herniated disc has healed? wej
All depends William on which disc etc. there are lots of other exercises that you could use that are not so aggressive.
Hi,
i am looking to start with kettlebell workouts as i find them challenging whole body workout that don’t require a lot of time, that i as a parent of two really do not have in abundance. After searching for quality information on how to begin i stayed on this page and been reading your articles and advices and i am thankful for your work.
Unfortunately i suffered ruptured disc last year and luckily didn’t need an operative procedure. Now i do feel pain but have regained strength and mobility in my lover back. I have read in your article that kettlebell swings are not for ones who suffer this type of injury. I would like to ask you if it is ok to do other sets of workouts that do not include swings? I have in mind exercising with lighter (up to 12kg) kettlebels.
Thank you for your work and information provided on this page.
Best regards,
Stanislav Mijanovic
Yes Stanislav, lower back problems need to be monitored very carefully. I would recommend that you seek out a movement specialist who can watch you exercise and correct any issue you may have. You could start slowly by yourself but I would only suggest that you perform bodyweight exericises without a kettlebell. Take care.