Hip Hinging 101
What is hip hinging? When you maintain a strong, neutral spine while correctly hinge at the hips when reaching, bending, lifting etc., you do a few important things:
- In shifting your weight back towards your heels, your glutes and hamstrings are activated and recruited (as they should be) doing these activities. The low back is not built to be lifting the kind of weight your legs are!
- In keeping a strong, activated core, you protect the low back and help prevent strain. When you flex (round the spine as you bend forward), the discs, bones and nerves in the back are place under a significant amount of stress. Especially when improper biomechanics are employed repetitively (like every day when you brush your teeth or reach into your fridge), this can spell trouble for you and your poor low back!
- While you are preventing wear, tear and injury of your lower back, you are strengthening and firing your core, glutes & hamstrings. Win – win – win!
Sarah Gerber is a Certified Foundation Training Instructor. Please contact our clinic for more!