Low back pain is one of the most common issues faced by adults across the globe. Whether you’re sedentary, athletic, or somewhere in between, you’ve probably felt that tightness, that dull ache, or that sudden twinge at some point. And if you haven’t yet, chances are, you will.

For years, the default advice for managing or preventing low back pain has been to “strengthen your core” and “stretch your hamstrings.” This has given rise to a generation of people doing crunches, planks, and gentle mobility work hoping it’ll be enough to keep their backs from flaring up. Among the most popular modalities in this category is Pilates. It promises core stability, spinal alignment, and lengthened muscles. And for some, it offers temporary relief.

But here’s the thing: Pilates isn’t enough.

For long-term results, actual resolution of low back dysfunction, you don’t need more hollow-body holds or pelvic tilts. You need load. You need resistance. You need real strength. And that’s where functional strength training does what Pilates can’t.

The Illusion of Stability Without Strength

Let’s start with what Pilates gets right. It emphasizes control, breath, and alignment. It makes people more aware of their posture. It often feels therapeutic. And when someone has been inactive or fearful of movement, that can be empowering.

But let’s not confuse precision with power. You can be incredibly “in tune” with your body while still being fundamentally weak in the areas that matter most for keeping your spine protected.

Pilates often focuses on isometric contractions and small, isolated movements. These things have value, particularly for people in the early stages of rehab, but they don’t build the kind of strength that carries over into the real world. A body that’s excellent at performing tabletop leg lifts on a mat might still buckle under the load of carrying groceries up the stairs, deadlifting a child off the ground, or maintaining posture after a 10-hour shift.

Real life is messy. Strength needs to be dynamic and adaptable.

 

Functional Strength Training Isn’t a Trend, It’s a Solution

Functional strength training trains the body to produce force, stabilize under load, and coordinate movement across multiple joints and planes. When applied intelligently, it doesn’t just reduce pain, it rewires the way your body moves.

People with chronic back pain often display the same dysfunctional patterns:

• Weak glutes that don’t support hip extension
• Underdeveloped erector spinae and deep spinal stabilizers
• Poor load tolerance in the anterior core (especially under dynamic movement)
• A tendency to hinge from the lumbar spine instead of the hips
  
  

Functional strength training directly addresses all of these.

Exercises like trap bar deadlifts, goblet squats, split stance rows, and loaded carries improve trunk control while demanding proper sequencing between the hips, spine, and shoulders. Unlike Pilates, these movements expose the body to actual stress, the kind that stimulates tissue remodeling, builds capacity, and teaches you how to handle force rather than avoid it.

And let’s not forget the psychological effect of becoming stronger. Chronic pain is as much about fear and perceived fragility as it is about biomechanics. When people realize they can safely lift, hinge, carry, and load, something shifts. Their movement confidence returns. Their pain reduces. And they stop tiptoeing around daily life.

But What If Lifting Makes My Back Worse?

This is a valid concern, especially for people who’ve been injured before. The fear of re-injury can be paralyzing, and poor instruction can absolutely make things worse. But the issue here isn’t the concept of strength training, it’s poor execution.

Functional strength training isn’t about ego lifting. It’s not about maxing out deadlifts or trying to replicate powerlifting splits. It’s about choosing the right variations for your current level, using controlled tempos, and gradually increasing load as your body adapts.

For example, if someone struggles with lumbar rounding during a traditional barbell deadlift, they might start with a kettlebell deadlift from blocks. If they can’t tolerate bilateral squats, they might train strength through supported Bulgarian split squats or step-ups. The options are endless, as long as the principles are sound.

Start light. Move well. Progress slowly. But do not avoid resistance.

Avoidance keeps people weak. Weakness keeps them in pain.

The Core Still Matters, But Define It Correctly

Here’s where the conversation gets confused. Pilates is praised for its core work. And yes, the core is absolutely involved in low back health. But what is the core, really?

It’s not just your abs.

Your “core” includes the diaphragm, transverse abdominis, multifidus, pelvic floor, obliques, erector spinae, and even your glutes. These muscles don’t just stabilize in isolation, they coordinate with breathing, bracing, and full-body movement.

Functional training integrates the core through loaded carries, anti-rotation presses, single-leg movements, and overhead work. You’re not just “activating” the core, you’re demanding that it do its job in real-world conditions. That’s what builds resilience.

Pilates Isn’t the Enemy, But It’s Not the Answer

To be clear, Pilates isn’t bad. It can be a great supplement to a more complete training plan. For beginners, older populations, or those with a history of movement avoidance, it offers a low-stress entry point.

But it’s not going to cure low back dysfunction. It’s not going to prepare someone to hike with a heavy pack, shovel snow, or pick up their grandkid. And it’s not going to replace the need for strength, especially in a world where people are spending more time seated, compressed, and under-stimulated than ever before.

We don’t need more hyper-controlled floor routines. We need capacity.

Final Thought: Strength Is the Missing Variable

The fitness industry has spent years trying to “stabilize” pain away, through planks, breathing drills, tiny movements, and fear-avoidance strategies. It’s helped some people. But many more have plateaued.

It’s time to move forward.

If your back is bothering you, and you’ve done all the gentle stuff, the next step isn’t more caution, it’s calculated loading. The spine is resilient. It was designed to handle force, rotate, bend, extend, and carry. But it needs to be trained to do so.

Pilates might make you feel better temporarily. But functional strength training will make you stronger, more capable, and less likely to end up in pain again.

And in the long run, that’s what actually matters.