Will deadlifts hurt my lower back?

Nikkiey says the deadlift, especially the Romanian deadlift, is the exercise women over 40 fear most, and the one they most need. She explains that the posterior chain weakens faster than almost anything after 40, and that this is what causes lower back stiffness, rounded posture and the feeling that you can't stand up straight after sitting. She shares that she was terrified of deadlifts after 30 years of running with no posterior chain work. She assumed the deadlift was the problem. It turned out to be the solution, and her back stiffness started to ease once she was strong enough to support her own spine.

If you do feel it in your back, that's a signal, not a verdict. In a gym leg workout, Nikkiey says that if B-stance RDLs give you back pain, lower the weight, and she expects the pain to go away. On Ep. 267, she explains that feeling lifts in your lower back means your back is overcompensating instead of your glutes and hamstrings doing the work. Her fix with a client was to drop the weight, slow the tempo and add holds at the top and bottom until she felt the right muscles working. Don't chase heavier weights before the connection and form are there. If you have an existing back injury, work with your doctor before you start.