Must Do Strength Movement: The Hip Hinge
It is no secret that the hip hinge is one of our foundational strength movements. Paired with squatting and overhead pressing, these three movements lay a foundation for all other movements. In that statement lies our logic for listing these movements as foundational—if a person can complete these three movements, all others become easier; if a person cannot perform these moments, all others become harder.
You may not be familiar with the term “hip-hinge” but you likely perform this movement every day. Simply put, the hip-hinge is a forward bend at the waist during which the hips move forward and backward or into extension and/or flexion. The hip-hinge is not the only movement that results in hip movement—for example, the squat and other movement do as well—but exercise such as the squat make the movement more leg dominant while true hip hinge exercises such as the deadlift make the movement posterior chain dominant. The hinging of the hips is a common movement everyone will utilize throughout their life, so incorporating this into an exercise routine is ideal.
Hip-Hinge Movements
There are many hip-hinging exercise you can perform, including:
- Barbell deadlift
- Barbell good morning
- Hyperextension
- GHD machine
- Barbell Romanian deadlifts
- Straight-leg dumbbell deadlift
- Kettlebell swing
- Power clean
- And more
If you’re familiar with resistance training at all, you’ve probably heard of or performed one or more of these movements. The deadlift may be the most common hip-hinge movement in resistance training, but all these movements, and many others, offer benefits directly related to hip hinging.
What are They Good for?
If you’ve every bent over and picked something up without squatting—which everyone has—then you engaged in a hip-hinge movement. Performing this movement allows us to pick stuff up from the ground, bend to take a closer look at something, and many other associated movements. Being able to hip-hinge requires mobility, strength, and balance. For example, if you have tight hips or a stiff lower back, bending at the waist during a hip-hinge movement may be difficult. The same is true if you have weakness in these areas. Performing relevant exercises, such as those listed above, can help.
Muscles Worked During a Hip Hinge
Like most movements and exercise, hip-hinging has both primary movers and stabilizers as well as other muscles involved.
Primary Movers
The posterior chain (i.e. the backside of the body) is dominant during hip-hinge exercises. The glutes (i.e. your butt), hamstrings (i.e. the back of the thighs), and lower back are the main muscles involved in moving the body through range of motion during these exercises. The glutes and hamstrings are especially involved.
Stabilizers
At the same time, tendons, ligaments, and smaller stabilizer muscles help keep you balanced and stabilized as you work through range of motion when performing a hip-hinge exercise. Without these all-important assistance tissues, the primary movers cannot perform their job.
Other muscles worked
In conjunction with the primary movers, your abdominal muscles, obliques, mid back and upper back muscles as well as your deltoids, forearm muscles, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi, among others, come into play. These muscles help stabilize the core when performing the movements and help hold weight when performing weighted versions such as the barbell deadlift.
Improving Fitness and Everyday Living
Using hip-hinge exercise to strengthen your posterior chain and related muscles will help enable you to perform the activities of daily living and improve workout or sports performance. The posterior chain is an all-important, though often under focused, area of the body. If you’re not working your posterior chain, you’re selling yourself short of your best success.
A number of more detail write-ups are available across the web. If you are interested in learning more about the hip hinge and want demos as well as instructionals in both text and video form, consider visiting the following links:
https://www.theptdc.com/expert-shows-exercises-for-training-the-hip-hinge
10 Best Hip Hinge Exercises for Stability & Strength
The hinges and hip joints hold you up and move you very easily. Injuring the lower back may cause severe pain or nerve damage. It’s also important for us that we do the correct form for each exercise. Before deciding what exercise relies on hip hinge mobility lets look at strengthening the muscles and tendons you use in this lower body exercise.
Kettlebell Twisting Hip Hinge
Simple hip hinge drills are simple movements which are modified by yourtube kettlebell twisting hip hinge drill. This happens when you rotate left and right as your movement is downward. The leg on one side of the twist has more bending force than the leg on the side you twist. Besides this, you must rest the kettlebell in your sternum rather than in your torso.
Kettlebell Deadlifts
Do kettlebell deadlifts and kettlebell pushups before starting kettlebell swings? These exercises help strengthen the hip hinge and make it very easy to swing. The same can be done with heavier weights to improve your strength and endurance. The exercises involve a lower hip hinge to grasp the kettlebell. Then you should put your elbow up and put the chest back together. Use your legs and bring your hips forward during this movement. Please stop pulling the abbi. You can also view the kettlebell deadlift videos youtube here.
Banded Hip Hinge with Kettlebell Deadlift
This kettlebell deadlift has a resistance strap attached to a robust post. The weightband must be wrapped around your body to feel resistance when lowering the kettlebell up to your waist. These exercises are starting at the stand and are not the place to take up a kettlebell. Here are the videos youtube of kettlebell deadlifts using resistance bands.
Resistance Band Hip Hinge
Resistance bands are another piece of equipment that has great versatility. Having the ability to do this with resistance increases your ability to control your hinge. Resistance bands can also be used in conjunction with kettlebells in hip hinges.
Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebells are an extremely popular item used for hip hinges. Using a kettlebell will build your posterior muscle mass and increase your stability. Kettlebell swing is very technically and it often uses your glutes as your main force, making it possible for you to increase your glut. Keep your feet and shoulders wide apart while doing hip hinge movements when picking up kettlebells. Bend your knees a little and get your back straight. Use your gluts to avoid bending your knees. Hold the kettle to both sides and keep it under your abdomen and under your hip.
Glute Bridge or Camel Bridge
The hip thruster is kinda like the ones described above, though you lay down in your back and complete the movement. The knee strap can also be used for the easier workouts. Once again, ensure your shoulders are positioned correctly. The camel bridge offers a method for extending the hip joint while supporting the thigh and releasing a bit of muscle. Place knees on knees, arms shoulder wide, putting your feet back together. Put the feet down. Reach over the knee to get a grip. Next, push back and arch your back to create the same shape as the camel.
Barbell Hip Thrust
The barbell hip thrusting exercises are among the finest glute strengthening exercises on the market. It also doesn’t just come down to aesthetics. Glute strength helps in many sports movements including running. How should I perform Barbell Hoop Thrust?
Barbell Romanian Deadlift
Barbell Romanian Deadlift puts more emphasis on the hamstring than traditional deadlift and is therefore the gold standard in Hammy development. Excessive focus causes muscle pain. Do not feel sore on your hamstrings after performing these exercises. This is my favourite exercise for glutes. Tell me about the Romania Dead Lifting barbell technique:
Barbell Good Morning
Although popular with Powerlifters there are no regular morning workouts for a typical gymlifter. It’s frightening and scary but a very good thing if done properly. Tell me the best way to make barbells good mornings?
Cable Pull Through
Pulling cables is a popular glute workout. I find this a good complement to barbell hip thrusters and a nice finisher workout for a beginner. What should be done with cable pulling?
Barbell Hang Power Clean
The Hang Power Clean is an easy accessible Olympic lifting variant. This provides the foundations for learning the other Olympic weightlifting movements but this powerful lifting movement is an excellent way of developing limb strength. How can barbells hang clean?
Why is the Hip Hinge Movement Important?
Few movements in the gym are as flexible as simple hip hinge moves. Anyone can benefit from exercising their hip hinges as much as their mother and father. Hip hinge exercises strengthen and activate your large upper body muscles to reduce or eliminate pelvic tilt and posterior pelvic tilt in your pelvis. Tell me the importance of hip hinge exercises.
They Improve Strength and Power
The deadlift is a powerlift exercise that must be completed before competing. However, a deadlift can increase general muscle strength. In a 2020 study, the deadlift accelerated body weight increases.
Hip Hinge Exercises Help Low Back Pain
Back problems are amongst the most common illnesses in adulthood. It doesn’t help cure backaches however, making the back stronger can reduce back problems. Research shows deadlifts improve back discomfort by up to 80% in the first week.
Hip Hinge Movements Build Muscle
If you are interested in building muscle in the posterior chain, you should learn the hip hinges as much as possible. The most effective exercise program is to build muscle to your back hamstrings.
Hip Hinging Improves Sprint Performance
Sprinting performance plays crucial roles in various sports including golf and basketball. A systematic study of a barbell hip thrust conducted by the University of California at Berkeley concluded this increased sprint speed and endurance.
A Stronger, Safer Deadlift
Hip hinges are an essential feature in a deadlift. Lifting individuals starting to learn deadlift techniques and mastering hip hinges are shortchanging themselves and leaving themselves vulnerable to injury. A sturdy hinge keeps deadlifteers performing better and aids in preventing technique fading out during heavy weights and leading to injury.
Spine Health
Having a proper hinge is essential for keeping your spinal cord neutral. These are especially important for gyms and when carrying items such as heavy grocery bags with a rounded spine. The hip splinting hinge reduces pain and discomfort in the spine and reduces stress in limb joints. It also reduces risk and makes it harder during training sessions. Depending upon the exercises, the muscle work is different. Although variations are prevalent, hip hinge exercise primarily trains the upper body muscles called posterior chains, hamstrings, glutes, and glutes.
Wrap Up
Overall, hip hinge movements are crucial for building strength, size, functionality, and overall staying healthy. Finding a good personal trainer that can guide you on when to incorporate these movements into a workout routine and make progress on them.
Nathan DeMetz holds degrees in Exercise Science, Business Administration, and Information Technology as well as certifications in strength and conditioning, sports nutrition, run coaching, and other areas. His credentials come from organizations such as Indiana Wesleyan University, Ivy Tech College, Utah State University, and the ISSA College of Exercise Science.
Nathan has 20 years of personal and professional experience in the health and fitness world. He works with people from across the globe, including locations such as Kuwait, Australia, and the USA.
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