Deadlift Guide - Video 3 - Perfect Your Hip Hinge - MoveU, by MoveU on YouTube. 1 min 5 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 5 s
- Time to do it
- 10 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and knees slightly soft. Keep your weight spread across the whole foot, not just the heels or toes.
Place the stick along your back so it touches three points: the back of your head, your mid back and your sacrum near the tailbone.
Hold the stick in place with one hand behind your head and one behind your lower back, or cross your arms over your chest if that is easier.
Brace your stomach gently as if about to take a light punch. Keep the stick pressed against all three points before you move.
Push your hips straight back behind you and let your chest tip forward. Your knees bend a little but your shins stay fairly upright.
Lower until you feel a stretch in the back of your thighs or your chest is close to parallel with the floor. Stop before the stick lifts off your sacrum.
Drive your hips forward to stand up tall and squeeze your glutes at the top. Keep the stick touching your head, mid back and sacrum the whole way.
Check the stick at the bottom of every rep. If it pulls away from your tailbone, you have gone too low or rounded your lower back, so reduce the depth and try again.
Do 8 to 10 slow reps, pausing at the bottom of each one. Rest, then repeat for 2 or 3 sets.
Tips and common mistakes
Practise with no weight at all until the stick stays in contact for every rep, then add load.
If the stick lifts off your sacrum, you are rounding your lower back and putting the load into your spine rather than your hips.
Keep the movement slow and patient. Most people need weeks or months of regular practice before the pattern feels natural.
Use the same hinge every time you pick up a box, a child or a barbell, not just in the gym.
Questions
How do I know if I am rounding my lower back?
The stick tells you. If it lifts away from your tailbone at the bottom, your lower back has rounded. Reduce your depth until you can keep contact at all three points.
Can I do this without a stick?
Yes. A broom handle, a rolled towel held along the spine, or standing with your back against a wall all give you the same feedback about your spine position.
How long until my hip hinge is perfect?
It varies. The pattern improves with frequent short practice, so do a few slow reps most days rather than one long session.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
