Frames from Coach Cole's demo in the Corebound videos.
Setup
Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding the dumbbells in front of your thighs. Unlock your knees slightly and set your shoulders back and down.
Step by step
- Soft knees, push your hips straight back.
- Dumbbells slide down close to your legs, back flat.
- Squeeze your glutes to stand tall.
Cole's tip
Imagine closing a car door behind you with your hips. The hips go back; the dumbbells just follow your legs down.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back.
- Squatting it down instead of hinging.
- Dumbbells drifting away from the legs.
Make it easier or harder
Easier option
Lighter, stop just below the knees.
Harder option
Single-leg RDL, or a 3-second lowering.
Safety
- Keep a flat back the whole time and lower the dumbbells to the floor; don’t drop them.
- Only go as low as you can keep your back flat.
- 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.
