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Strength at home

Hip hinge workout: learn to hinge in 15 minutes, no equipment

For anyone learning to deadlift, swing a kettlebell or bend more confidently. You need a wall, and a broom handle if you have one. Each block builds on the last: warm up, learn the hinge against the wall and with the handle along your back, hold the position, then use it on one leg. Go only as far as your hamstrings allow with your back long. Two or three times a week for a couple of weeks; no trial has tested a hinge session, so the doses are our starting points.

15 minBeginner9 movesA wall · A dumbbell · A kettlebellBack · Abs · Glutes · Hip flexors · Hamstrings
Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

Warm-up

  1. Cat-cow8 waves, slower than feels natural
    Beginner · Back, Abs · 3D demoHarder: Half lord of the fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
  2. Glute bridge12 reps
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Abs · 3D demoSqueeze your glutes at the topEasier: Pelvic tilt into bridgeHarder: Single-leg glute bridge
  3. Standing hip CARs3 slow circles each way with each leg
    Beginner · Glutes, Hip flexors, Hip abductors · 3D demoHold a wall for balanceEasier: Hip circles on all foursHarder: 90/90 hip lift-off

Learn the hinge

Rest 30 s between sets

  1. Hip-hinge practice2 sets of 8
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Back · 3D demoHands at your hip creases; push your hips back to tap a wall behind you, back long and knees softHarder: Kettlebell deadlift
  2. Hip-hinge practice2 sets of 8
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Back · 3D demoWith a broom handle along your back touching your head, between your shoulder blades and your tailbone; stop when a point liftsHarder: Kettlebell deadlift
  3. Hip-hinge practice2 holds of 20 to 30 s
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Back · 3D demoTrunk at about 45 degrees, back long, weight through the middle of your feetHarder: Kettlebell deadlift

Use it

Rest 45 to 60 s between sets

  1. Single-leg Romanian deadlift2 sets of 8 each leg
    Advanced · Hamstrings, Glutes, Abs · 3D demoNo weight; fingertips on a wall, hips squareEasier: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift
  2. Bird dog2 sets of 6 each side
    Beginner · Back, Abs, Glutes · 3D demoKeep your back still while your arm and leg reachEasier: Bird dog, one limb at a timeHarder: Bear crawl
  3. Kettlebell deadlift3 sets of 5 (optional)
    Beginner · Glutes, Hamstrings, Back · 3D demoOnly if you have a bell: it sits between your feet; set it down and reset each repEasier: Hip-hinge practiceHarder: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Cool-down

  1. Hip hinge fold5 slow folds, 3 breaths at the bottom
    Beginner · 3D demoWith osteoporosis, stop when your back starts to roundHarder: Seated forward fold (Paschimottanasana)
  2. Supine hamstring stretch with a strap30 s each side
    Beginner · Hamstrings, Calves · 3D demoEasier: Leg-up hamstring stretchHarder: Contract-relax hamstring stretch (PNF)

Tips

  • Move on to kettlebell deadlifts when 10 to 15 hinges in a row look the same with a steady back, as ACE and our deadlift guide advise.
  • Stop where your hamstrings stop you. Don't round your back to go lower.
  • If your knees drift forward into a squat, put a chair or bench just in front of them.
  • With back pain, keep discomfort to about 5 out of 10, settling within an hour and no worse the next morning; pain, pins and needles or numbness down a leg means a smaller range and our sciatica guide.
  • With osteoporosis, this is the way of bending the UK consensus recommends. Keep your back long, and ask a physiotherapist first if you've had a spinal fracture.
  • In pregnancy, keep your feet hip-width apart and a hand on the wall, and skip the single-leg move if you have pelvic girdle pain.
  • Two or three times a week for a couple of weeks, then use the first two blocks as a warm-up before deadlifts, swings or Romanian deadlifts.

The doses are suggested starting points, not a prescription. Choose a range you can control and stop for sharp or increasing pain, numbness or tingling. Get individual advice after an injury or surgery, or if you are pregnant or managing a health condition.

Guides that recommend it

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Questions people ask

How long does the hip hinge workout: learn to hinge in 15 minutes, no equipment take?

About 15 minutes, including any warm-up and cool-down listed. Shorten it by doing fewer rounds; lengthen it by adding one.

What equipment do I need?

You need: A wall, A dumbbell, A kettlebell. Each move links to its guide, where you can find an alternative if you are missing something.

Is it suitable for beginners?

It is written for beginners. 6 of its 9 moves have an easier option listed beside them if you need one.

How do I make it easier or harder?

Use the easier or harder option listed under each move, change the number of rounds, or adjust the rest. Progress one change at a time.