Happy, Healthy Hips Hinge
Happy, Healthy Hips Hinge
“Lift with your hips, not your back honey.” – someone’s grandma?
Continuing our series of functional fitness movements for an aging population – we have the hinge this month.
What are Hinges?
The hips are the axis of rotation where you bend forward at the hips while keeping your back tall and center engaged. The hinge is at the hips, not the spine or the knees.
What is the Purpose of a Hinge?
Why is this a functional movement? Here are some examples of activities or actions a hinge supports: walking or running uphill, sitting down, unloading the dishwasher, raking/shoveling/vacuuming/sweeping/mopping, lifting a small child or any object. Basically, any time you bend over, stand up, sit down, or simply move through space you are hip hinging. What’s interesting is that we tend to lose touch with this movement over the years. Why? We don’t train or do it with proper mechanics in mind. That type of thinking doesn’t come naturally to a lot of us.
Also, it is foundational to other exercises you may be familiar with like:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Deadlifts
- Step Ups
- Bent Over exercises like bent over rows, bent over flies, etc.
- Kettlebell Swings
What Benefits do we get from Hinges?
- Improved Posture:
Strengthening the core and back muscles contributes to better posture and alignment. - Reduced Back Pain:
Proper hip hinge technique can help alleviate and prevent lower back pain by distributing the load more effectively. - Enhanced Functional Movement:
The hip hinge is a fundamental movement pattern used in many daily activities, such as lifting, bending, and reaching. - Increased Strength and Stability:
Pilates hip hinge exercises build strength in the posterior chain, including the glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles, while improving core stability.
What’s the Proper Form for a Hinge?
- Feet hip-width apart, slight bend in knees with minimal movement in the knees, push hips back so the bend is at the hips, weight in heels
- Chest is open and lifted
- Maintain long, neutral spine
- Engage glutes, hamstrings, and core strengthening the posterior chain muscles
What are we looking for?
- Neutral Spine:
Maintaining a straight line from head to tailbone throughout the movement, avoiding rounding or overarching the back. - Core Engagement:
Activating the deep abdominal muscles to stabilize the spine and pelvis. - Controlled Movement:
Performing the hinge with precision and awareness, focusing on the movement originating from the hips, not the back. - Glute Activation:
Squeezing the gluteal muscles to initiate the return to the upright position
Not sure if you’re hinging correctly?
If you’re feeling lower back pain, use a dowel to check what your torso is doing:
- Hold a dowel rod along the length of the back (center of the spine) with one hand behind the neck and other behind the low back with the dowel rod touching the back of the head, thoracic spine (upper middle back) and sacrum (base of the spine).
- Then, tilt the pelvis forward and slowly bend the trunk forward at the hips while maintaining the position of the spine. Here, the dowel gives cuing so the lumbar spine does not round.
Another possibility is not engaging your center. This can cause unnecessary stress on the lower back.
If you’re feeling your quads, there is either too much bend in the knees, or the hips are not back far enough. Need to load the glutes and hamstrings. Primary movement is pushing the hips back with a slight bend in the knees.
Some Pilates Exercises with a Hip Hinge:
I’ve covered a few mat and reformer exercises in this list. This list is not exhaustive nor comprehensive.
- Spine Stretch Forward:
A classic mat exercise where the hip hinge is used to move the body forward while maintaining a long spine. - Saw:
This exercise involves rotating the torso while hinging at the hips, challenging coordination and spinal articulation. - Open Leg Rocker:
The hinge is used to lift the legs up and balance in a rocking motion, requiring core strength and control. - Roll Up:
The hinge is used to articulate the spine down to the mat and back up, building spinal mobility. - Teaser:
This advanced exercise utilizes the hip hinge to lift the body up from a lying position, engaging the core and hip flexors. - Stomach Massage Hands Back:
On the reformer, this exercise involves hinging at the hips to reach back while maintaining a stable core. - Rowing II:
Another reformer exercise where the hinge is used to move the body back and forth, emphasizing core stability. - Elephant:
A challenging reformer exercise that involves hinging at the hips while the legs are extended, targeting the hamstrings and core.
Final Word!
Need more motivation?
- If you have tight hamstrings, hip hinge exercises can increase hamstring flexibility, pelvic tilting angle, and dynamic balance.
- If you experience low back discomfort, the hip hinge helps teach your brain that the hips should and can move separately from the low back which can be an absolute game changer if you are experiencing discomfort.
- If you desire better mobility, hip hinging can help strengthen your lower back and the surrounding muscles, teach you how to stabilize your core and protect your spine, and give you the confidence to move well.
- If you’re an athlete, or want to be one, the hip hinge is the key to achieving your full athletic potential.
Remember that these lower group muscles are vital for efficient and stable lower body movement in a wide range of activities, including walking and running. These are all important for functional longevity, especially as we live longer as a population. It’s about living longer in a way that allows us to stay active, engaged, and healthy for a longer period. Our independence and ability to have a good time is essential to living well.