The Hip Hinge: Your Deadlift Foundation

**0 to Elite course · Lesson 14 of 100 · Level 1: Movement Foundations** In lesson 13 you learned the squat, where your hips and knees bend together. The hip hinge is different: your hips do most of the work and your knees stay soft. It is the foundation of the deadlift and one of the best ways to build your glutes, hamstrings and back. ## What is a hip hinge? A hip hinge is a movement where you push your hips backwards and tip your torso forward, keeping your back flat and your knees only slightly bent. Think of a door hinge: the movement happens at one point, your hips, while your spine stays still. You hinge every time you close a car door with your bottom or bend to pick a bag up from the floor. Learn it well and you will lift everyday things with your hips and legs, not by rounding your lower back. ## Hinge vs squat: the difference * **Squat:** hips go *down*, knees bend a lot, torso stays fairly upright. More thigh work. * **Hinge:** hips go *back*, knees bend a little, torso tips forward. More glute and hamstring work. Many beginners squat when they try to hinge. The drills below fix that. Both movements belong in a balanced programme, so you are not choosing one over the other. You are learning two different tools. A quick way to tell them apart is to watch your shins: in a squat they tilt forward, in a hinge they stay close to vertical. ## Two drills to learn the hinge ### Drill 1: the wall touch 1. Stand with your back to a wall, heels about a foot length away from it. 2. Soften your knees slightly. Brace, as you learned in [lesson 12](https://syp-fitness.co.uk/post/how-to-brace-your-core-when-lifting). 3. Push your hips back until your bottom touches the wall. Let your torso tip forward naturally. 4. Squeeze your glutes to stand tall. Repeat 10 times, then shuffle a few centimetres further from the wall. ### Drill 2: the dowel hinge Hold a broom handle along your back so it touches three points: the back of your head, your upper back and your tailbone. Hinge forward. If any of the three points loses contact, your back is rounding or arching. This teaches a neutral spine better than any verbal cue. ## Cues and common mistakes Useful cues: * **"Hips back, not down."** * **"Long spine."** Keep a straight line from head to tailbone. * **"Feel the stretch."** You should feel tension in the back of your thighs as you hinge. * **"Push the floor away, squeeze to finish."** Stand up by driving your hips forward. Common mistakes: * **Rounding the lower back:** shorten the range and use the dowel drill. * **Bending the knees too much:** that turns it into a squat. Keep them soft but fairly still. * **Leaning back at the top:** finish tall, with glutes squeezed, not with your back arched. * **Looking up at the ceiling:** keep your neck in line with your spine. ## How to progress the hinge Move on when you can do 3 sets of 10 with a flat back and no strain in your lower back: 1. **Wall touch and dowel hinge** (bodyweight). 2. **Kettlebell or dumbbell Romanian deadlift (RDL):** hold the weight in front of your thighs and slide it down to just below your knees, then stand. 3. **Kettlebell deadlift from a box or step:** the weight starts on a raised surface so you do not have to reach as far. 4. **Trap bar deadlift:** a hexagonal bar you stand inside. A friendly first heavy deadlift for most people. 5. **Barbell deadlift:** covered properly later in the course. The hinge also carries over to [loaded carries](https://syp-fitness.co.uk/post/loaded-carries-farmers-walk), where you need to pick weights up safely before walking with them. For more exercises that build the muscles you hinge with, read the full guide to [back strengthening exercises](https://syp-fitness.co.uk/post/back-strengthening-exercises). > **Back pain?** If hinging causes sharp pain, pain that travels down your leg, numbness or tingling, stop and see your GP or a physio. If you already live with back pain, start with the bodyweight drills only. Our guide to [exercises for lower back pain](https://syp-fitness.co.uk/post/exercises-for-lower-back-pain) explains when to see a doctor urgently. ## Your action steps 1. Do 3 sets of 10 wall touches, moving a little further from the wall each set. 2. Grab a broom handle and do 2 sets of 10 dowel hinges. Ask someone to watch that all three contact points stay touching. 3. Add the dowel hinge to your warm-up from lesson 11. 4. When both drills feel easy, try a light kettlebell Romanian deadlift for 3 sets of 10 and log the weight. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a hip hinge exercise? A hip hinge is a movement where you push your hips back and tip your torso forward with a flat back and slightly bent knees. It is the basis of deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts and kettlebell swings. ### What is the difference between a hip hinge and a squat? In a squat your hips go down and your knees bend a lot. In a hinge your hips go back, your knees bend only slightly and your torso tips forward, so your glutes and hamstrings do more of the work. ### How do I stop rounding my back when deadlifting? Practise the hinge with a broom handle along your back, brace before every rep and only go as low as you can with a flat back. Reduce the weight until the pattern is solid. ## Keep going Previous: [Lesson 13: How to Squat Properly, From Bodyweight to Barbell](https://syp-fitness.co.uk/post/how-to-squat-properly) Next: [Lesson 15: Chest Press for Beginners: Press-Ups and Presses](https://syp-fitness.co.uk/post/horizontal-push-exercises) Lost your place? 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