Frames from Coach Cole's demo in the Corebound videos.
Setup
Stand with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, and cross your hands over your chest.
Step by step
- Hands across your chest, soft knees.
- Push your hips back, flat back.
- Squeeze your glutes to stand tall.
Cole's tip
This is the hip hinge without weight, the pattern behind every deadlift. Make it smooth here and the loaded version gets easier.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back.
- Bending the knees into a squat.
- Snapping the hips forward at the top.
Make it easier or harder
Easier option
Smaller range, hands on your thighs.
Harder option
Single-leg hinge, holding a wall.
Safety
- Move slowly and stop the range before your back starts to round.
- Stop if you feel sharp or joint pain, numbness or tingling, chest pain, dizziness or unusual breathlessness. Effort and muscle burn are normal; pain is not.
If you have an injury or medical condition, check with your doctor before trying a new exercise. This guide is general education, not medical advice.
