Move · Videos · Technique · 4 min

How to Hip Hinge for Beginners

How to Hip Hinge for Beginners — video by Dr. Carl Baird Play · 4:11

Video by Dr. Carl Baird on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A clinician teaches the bodyweight hip hinge, the bend-from-the-hips pattern behind deadlifts and safe lifting, and corrects the four mistakes beginners make most.

  • 4 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • No equipment
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Step by step 6

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  1. Soft knees: start with loose knees rather than locking them straight. 0:39
  2. Let the knees bend a little, but don't actively squat down; the movement comes from the hips. 0:57
  3. Send your hips straight back first instead of tipping your trunk forward over straight legs. 1:28
  4. Depth: keep a neutral spine and stop when you feel tension in your hamstrings. 2:08
  5. Lightly tighten your abs, about a quarter effort, so your pelvis doesn't rock forward. 2:59
  6. All together: soft knees, hips back, abs on, down to hamstring tension; practise before adding weight. 3:34

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Start with soft knees, then send your hips straight back instead of squatting down
  • Keep a long, neutral spine and stop when you feel tension in the hamstrings
  • Lightly tighten your abs so the pelvis doesn't tip forward as you reach back

What it works

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Joints it uses 2 takes load

  • Lower back takes loadholding a neutral spine through the hinge
  • Hips takes loadbodyweight hip hinge, sending the hips back
  • Knees movessoft knees allowed to bend a little

Easier option from the coach: Stop where the hamstrings feel tension; no weight until the hinge is learned

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Dr. Carl Baird; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety