Are you feeling a twinge in your lower back from all the holiday lifting—whether it's heavy shopping bags, luggage, or bending to wrap gifts?
Today, I want to teach you one of the most valuable skills for both your yoga practice and daily life: the Hip Hinge.
I'm sharing this technique because mastering the hip hinge is key to better posture and protecting your spine from unnecessary pressure.
Understanding the Hip Hinge
The hip hinge is exactly what it sounds like: a controlled, intentional hinge at the hip joint. The most critical element to learn is that the back stays very, very straight—it moves as one solid, flat unit.
Watch the difference:
Incorrect (The Rounding Bend): This happens when you initiate the bend by rounding your lower spine and collapsing your back. This puts harmful pressure on your spinal discs.
Correct Hip Hinge (The Flat Back): Your shoulders stay back and down. The tailbone moves back as the chest moves forward, keeping the spine completely flat. Your hamstrings and glutes are doing the work, not your lower back.
In a proper hip hinge, you are keeping your legs as straight as you can (or with a slight, soft bend), and the entire upper body moves as one flat unit.
Practice Tips
The best way to learn the hip hinge is through consistent, mindful practice:
Standing Practice: Start standing with feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward until you feel a pull or stretch in your hamstrings, keeping the spine flat. Press your feet down firmly to engage your glutes and slowly return upright.
Seated Practice: You can also practice this from a chair! Sit tall and hinge at the hips, leading with the chest going forward, maintaining that straight back. If you hinge forward and then collapse (bend your back), you've gone too far. Only go as far as you can while keeping the spine straight.
Why It's Important
In your yoga practice, you must be conscious and intentional about when you choose to bend your back versus when you choose to keep your spine straight. This skill is vital in everyday life! Mastering the Hip Hinge ensures you do it safely, keeping your lower back protected.
Most of the time, keeping your spine straight is how you:
Improve Posture.
Avoid putting too much pressure on your spinal discs.
Build strength in your glutes and hamstrings, which support your back.
