Squats, Deadlifts and Spinal Position: A Practical Approach

Sep 27, 2023

2 min read

Updated: 23 hours ago

Spinal position is one part of lifting technique. It should be considered alongside the load, movement goal, training history, fatigue and symptoms. A single visual position cannot guarantee safety or explain every episode of back pain.

What neutral means in coaching

Neutral is often used as a cue for a controlled, repeatable position rather than an exact angle that every person must hold. Body proportions and exercise variations change how a lift looks. Video can help compare your own repetitions, but it does not diagnose the condition of your spine.

Keep the evidence in context

Saraceni and colleagues' systematic review did not support a simple association between more lumbar flexion during lifting and low-back pain. That does not show that every load or movement is suitable for every person. It does mean that confident rounded-back-equals-injury claims go beyond the evidence.

The older version of this article attached specific squat and deadlift claims to references that did not clearly establish those findings. Those claims have been removed.

A practical review

Choose a load and variation you can control. Set up deliberately, brace in a way you can reproduce and notice when the movement changes as fatigue builds. If the task is to practise a particular lifting style, use a load that lets you practise it.

Progress gradually enough to judge your response. A coach can help with technique and programming; persistent or concerning symptoms need clinical assessment.

The goal is capable, adaptable movement. A useful cue should improve your performance or confidence, rather than turn ordinary movement variation into a prediction of damage.