Personal Trainer for Back Pain in Amsterdam

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people stop exercising — or never start. Yet targeted strength training is one of the most powerful tools for lasting back pain relief. The difference lies in whether your trainer understands the body well enough to distinguish safe loading from harmful loading.

Why back pain and exercise are so often mismatched

Most people with back pain receive advice to rest and be careful. That's partially correct — the wrong load at the wrong moment makes things worse. But too much rest leads to weakening of the stabilising muscles around the spine, which ultimately reinforces the pain cycle. The goal is the right movement, at the right time, in the right dosage.

That is precisely what sets a physiotherapist-trained personal trainer apart. Where a standard PT works with general programmes, someone with a physiotherapy background starts with analysis: what is the origin of the complaint, which structures are involved, and how do you respond to load?

Hamish: physiotherapist and personal trainer

At SculptClub, Hamish is your trainer when you want to train with back pain. Hamish holds a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy and applies that knowledge daily as a personal trainer. In practice, that means:

• Movement analysis: Hamish observes how you move — how you stand, how you lift, how you build tension. He spots compensation patterns most trainers miss.
• Complaint-specific approach: Lower back pain, disc herniation, pelvic girdle issues, SI joint — each requires a different approach. Hamish knows the difference.
• Progressive loading: No exercises that provoke your symptoms. A carefully structured programme that trains the muscles supporting your spine.
• Alignment with your care provider: Are you also seeing a physiotherapist or orthopaedic specialist? Hamish can coordinate or supplement your treatment.

What a back pain programme looks like

Every first session begins with a thorough intake. Hamish asks about the history of your pain, your daily activities, your sitting posture at work, and any previous treatment. This is followed by a movement assessment.

From there, he builds a three-phase programme:

1. Stabilisation: Activating and strengthening the deep core and spinal stabilisers. Exercises like dead bugs, Pallof presses, and modified planks — no sit-ups, no high axial loading.
2. Strength development: Once stability is established, Hamish builds functional strength. Deadlift variations, hip hinge patterns, Turkish get-ups — movements that train the back in its natural function.
3. Load capacity: The end goal is a back that can be loaded — at work, in sport, in daily life. Not one that needs permanent protection.

Every programme is adjusted based on how you respond. Increased pain after a session is a signal, not a goal. Hamish adapts accordingly.

Private training for back pain: why it matters

In a large gym, you train anonymously. Nobody notices if your compensation pattern is worsening, if you're executing an exercise incorrectly, or if your back is tensing when it shouldn't. At SculptClub you train one-on-one in a private studio. Hamish's full attention is on you, every session.

You receive the studio door code via WhatsApp the evening before. No reception, no crowds, no queues. You arrive, you train, you leave. For people with back pain — who are sometimes already stressed by the journey to the studio — that calm environment is not a luxury, but a necessity.

Who is this right for?

You don't need to be in acute pain to train with Hamish. His approach suits:

• People with chronic lower back pain who want to move safely
• Recovery after a herniated disc or spinal stenosis
• Preventive training if you know your back is sensitive
• People returning to sport after injury
• Office workers with persistent back tension from prolonged sitting

Recently had surgery or currently in active physiotherapy? Book an intake so Hamish can assess what is achievable and safe at this stage.

How to get started

The first step is a free intake with Hamish. No obligation, no cost. You discuss your pain history, your goals, and your expectations. Then you decide whether to proceed. Personal training starts from €45 per session. Cancellation is always free — no restrictions.

Book your intake via the trainer page. Prefer to message first? Reach Hamish directly on WhatsApp: +31 6 83 17 89 34.