Back Pain? Start With The Basics: Learn How To Hip Hinge

Whether you're dealing with back pain, or want to prevent it, the most important place to start isn't with fancy “cool looking” exercises… it's with the basics. And at the top of that list? Learning to hip hinge.

The hip hinge is one of the most foundational human movements. We use it every day without realizing it (picking something off the floor, unloading groceries, even getting up from a chair). Many of us bend through the spine instead of the hips, which can add unnecessary strain to the lower back. 

Here’s why the hip hinge matters:

• It teaches you to move from the hips while keeping your spine supported

• It strengthens the glutes and hamstrings (your built-in back protectors)

• It forms the base for safe lifting, squats, deadlifts, and everyday movement

When you learn to hinge well, you're teaching your body to distribute load efficiently, protect the lumbar spine, and use the right muscles at the right time. It’s your foundation, your base of support.

Try this simple hip hinge practice:
Stand tall about a foot away from a wall, place your hands on your hips, and push your hips straight back like you’re closing a car door behind you, aiming for the wall behind you. Keep your back flat and knees soft (slight bend). You should feel a stretch in the hamstrings, not the back rounding.

Even a few reps a day or doing a hip hinge as a warm-up for your gym routine can retrain how you move!

Learn to hinge. Mastering this one movement can transform how you lift, run, and move through daily life, pain-free & without worrying about an injury happening.