Within the scope of exercise, there are 5 basic movements: push, pull, squat/lunge, hip hinge, and rotation.

Do you do all of these movements in your workouts? Do you know what all of these movements are? If not, I’ll cover them all within a movement series…for now, I want bring your attention to my favorite movement of them all: hip-hinging.

Not sure what hip-hinging is? That’s okay!
Think about a door hinge, or your knee joint, or a dangling forearm at the elbow during a solid robot dance…those are hinges. Now imagine your hips being a hinge between your upper body and lower body.
You’re picking something up from the floor, you’re bending over to play with your kids, you’re hopefully hip hinging and not using just your back for these actions. We hip hinge during so many of our day-to-day activities, it’s important to be able to perform them correctly & confidently.

Why do I love them so much?
–To be able to deadlift(hip hinge) safely means that you have control over your core, you are able to stabilize your trunk and protect your back. Your lats are crucial for control of whatever you are carrying, meaning that you are able to pack your shoulders down away from your ears for better posture during your workout and in your everyday life.
–Big booties are in…and it’s highly beneficial to work that posterior chain in conjunction with core for a bigger, stronger booty.
–It’s extremely empowering to lift something heavy that you never thought you could!

Hip hinge exercises include glute bridges, kettlebell swings & snatches, windmills, deadlifts and all deadlift variations.

If these exercises sound scary and intimidating to you, practice a couple of prerequisites before moving onto bigger lifts:
Forearm/hand plank– it’s imperative to be able to stabilize your core and keep it from any type of rotation/movement through strong tension and a neutral pelvis/spine. Make sure to keep shoulders down away from your ears, maintain a flat back, hollow your abs and gently squeeze your glutes!
Glute bridges– this is a great way to turn on your glutes and open up the front of your hips. Start by performing the exercise while lying on the floor. Once you feel ready to progress the exercise, you can make it more challenging by elevating your head and tops of shoulders on a bench and later adding some weight to your lap.

I’d recommend starting with single kettlebell deadlifts, progressing into a barbell and/or a single-leg deadlift variation. There are so many routes to explore with hip-hinging. As long as your body is feeling strong and solid, don’t be afraid to experiment with hip-hinging. Please always keep in mind to initiate the movement from the hips, NOT the upper body or back.
If you are unsure about exercises- ASK A PROFESSIONAL FOR HELP. Deadlifts get a bad rep based on injuries, but with proper form they can save you from many other mindless injuries.

Cheers to the hip-hinge!

#funfact : Hawaii’s Big Island continues to grow about 42 acres each year thanks to the still-active volcano Kilauea.