Back to Basics: Deadlifts & Hip Hinges
Today I’m continuing the series on basic movement patterns. We started the series a few weeks ago with the bend and lift movement, aka a squat, and we’ll continue with another lower body movement – the hip hinge. A hip hinge is another closed chain movement that works the posterior chain, or the muscles along the back of your upper leg. This includes the muscles of your hamstrings and your gluteus as they function together to extend your hips. Regularly performing hip hinging movements strengthens your gluteus muscles and your hamstrings, and helps to maintain muscular balance of your legs. Due to the progress of civilization, most people sit regularly at a desk most of the day for their work. This can lead to tightened and shortened quadriceps muscles and weakened and lengthened hamstrings. Or, if you run regularly, the posterior chain is often weakened while the quadriceps muscles are tight due to constant use. This imbalance can lead to injury if it is not addressed.
There are several movements that include hip hinging and activate the posterior chain. The hip bridge or hip thrust is a hip hinging movement that not only challenges the posterior chain but also engages and strengthens the core. It’s a movement that can be done almost anywhere and is great for all levels of fitness. The Kettlebell Deadlift challenges the hamstrings and uses the posterior chain to act as a pulley to lift a load.
To perform hip bridge or hip thrust movement:
Start the movement by lying on your back with your hands to your sides and your legs bent at the knee. Your feet are planted on the ground and your heels should be near your glutes, about six inches or a distance that is comfortable on your knees.
Brace your core and begin the movement by activating your glute muscles to lift your glutes off the ground. Engage your core so that your spine stays neutral throughout the movement – you don’t want your back to arch towards the sky or slump to the ground.
Continue lifting your glutes until your hips are fully extended. Your body should be in one straight line from your knees to your shoulder and your core should still be braced. Keep your knees pointing forward - it’s common for the knees to try to drift apart during the upward phase of this movement. Pause here for one second if it’s comfortable.
Once your hips are fully extended, slowly begin to bring your glutes back down to the ground. Remember to keep your core engaged to maintain a neutral spine.
When you return to the starting point of the movement, tap your glutes on the ground and begin the hip bridge again. Repeat for the desired repetitions and sets.
This movement can be progressed by placing a mini-band above your knees, adding weight across your hips, keeping your back on a BOSU or stability ball for added instability challenge and deficit, or on a bench for more negative space.
To perform the Kettlebell Deadlift:
Begin by placing your feet approximately hip distance apart with a kettlebell between your feet and in line with your shoe laces. It may be more comfortable for you to have a more narrow or wider stance – see what works best for your body. Roll your shoulders back for shoulder packing and have a micro-bend in your knees so that they are not locked. Brace your core to maintain a neutral spine by imagining that you are pulling your navel into your spine. Maintain this neutral spine position throughout the movement.
Initiate the movement by hinging at your hips. Bend at your waist and shoot your hips behind you. Your knees will bend slightly to allow your hips to fully hinge but remember not to fully bend at the knees and squat toward the ground. Keep your spine neutral as you continue to hinge forward.
Continue hinging forward until you can pick you the kettlebell between your feet. Keep your spine neutral so that it does not arch, and your shoulders packed so they do not round towards the ground.
Once you are fully hinged at your hips, activate your hamstrings and glute muscles to begin to extend your hips and stand up as you lift the kettlebell of the ground. Continue to maintain a neutral spine and braced core as you straighten your body until your hips are fully extended. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to your toes.
Repeat the movement for the desired repetitions and sets.
The Kettlebell Deadlift can be progressed by adding weight to the kettlebell or changing to a heavier barbell. As you go through the movement, keep the weight close to your legs instead of out in front of you and pack your shoulders. Having the weight controlled will also engage your latissimus muscles on your back. Another variation of the movement is a Single Leg Romanian Deadlift. Performing a Single Leg Romanian Deadlift standing on one leg adds an additional challenge to the glute stabilizing muscles as well as the core.
As I mentioned in my previous post, if you have difficulty with any hip hinging movement or are unsure of how to perform the exercise, please consult with a personal trainer or other fitness professional. Performing the movement incorrectly or with improper form will at best be less efficient, but at worst it could cause injury.
Performing hip hinging movements like the hip bridge and Kettlebell Deadlift can help strengthen your posterior chain, including the hamstrings and gluteus muscles. A strong posterior chain can help correct common imbalances that stem from a sedentary civilization, which in turn aids in avoiding injuries that keep us inactive.
