How to master the hip joint - and why it is so important for your training

How to master the hip joint - and why it is so important for your training

Although the movement patterns you perform in daily life—like squats, lunges, presses, and hinges—are considered "basic" or "basic," they may not feel like second nature. In fact, it can be quite difficult to perform the hip joint with perfect technique, because it works the muscles along the back of your body, which are often weakened by prolonged sitting, according to the American Council on Exercise. (Thanks, office jobs and commutes!) Plus, there are some common mistakes that can impact the effectiveness of your workouts and your health, says Kelly Froelich, certified personal trainer and co-founder of digital fitness platform Balanced.

So what does a proper hip joint look like and why is it even important? Here, Froelich breaks it down, including the risks of performing a hip hinge incorrectly and the steps you can take to improve your technique.

How to do a hip joint

As the name suggests, a hip hinge is a movement pattern in which you swing forward at your hip joints to lower your upper body to the ground, says Froelich. Standing with your knees slightly bent, you should focus on sending your hips straight back as you lower your upper half. This is an important difference between a hip hinge and a squat, the latter of which involves fully bending your knees and lowering your butt to the floor as if you were about to sit, she explains. To bring your torso back to its upright position in a hip hinge, engage your posterior chain — the muscles along the back of your body, she adds.

To perfect your hip hinge, follow Froelich's demo below, which involves holding a broomstick between your elbow and back. This will help you maintain a flat back, which is crucial to preventing injuries and discomfort.

AStand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and arms at your sides. Hold a broomstick behind the middle of your back and cradle the stick by your sides with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Pull your shoulders down and back.

b.Keeping your back flat, knees slightly bent and core engaged, shift weight to heels and send hips straight back behind body to lower torso toward floor.

CContinue moving at the hips to lower the torso toward the floor until the hamstrings are stretched. Then press through your heels, driving your hips forward and straightening your legs to return to standing.

Why a correct hip joint is so important

A hip hinge may sound complex, but you probably do this movement every day—when you need to lift a heavy laundry basket off the floor, pick up the AirPod you just dropped on the sidewalk, or even march up a steep hill in your neighborhood. “When you climb stairs or walk up a hill, you may lean forward slightly,” explains Froelich. “You bend forward slightly, which really activates the back of your legs.”

The movement pattern is particularly important in the gym. To safely and effectively perform exercises such as deadlifts, good mornings, reverse flies, and bent over rows, you must master the hip joint. For example, let's say you're performing deadlifts with more knee flexion, leaning back into your glutes as if you were squatting. “Once you turn the exercise into a squat, those quads—those front muscles—light up,” says Froelich. "It's not a bad thing - it won't necessarily cause pain or injury - but it will put pressure on your quads if you don't try to work the front of your body." In other words, the wrong movement pattern can turn the posterior chain exercise, known for targeting the calves, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, and lats, into a movement that primarily strengthens the front of the body. Over time, you may not see the specific muscle gains or posture improvements you were hoping for with deadlifts.

Even if you don't perform a squat-like movement, a poorly executed hip joint can lead to discomfort and injury in the lower back and knees, says Froelich. And with that in mind...

How to perform a dumbbell deadlift with perfect form

Common hip hinge defects

To keep your hip joint pain-free, it's important to maintain a flat back and engage your core. "You're going to use your lower back [during a hip hinge] – you want a little bit of that back work," says Froelich. "But by rounding [the spine], you'll be putting a lot of pressure on the lower back instead of where you want to put the weight, namely the glutes and hamstrings. And that extra pressure can lead to pain and possible injury later, she adds. "If you can see your shoulders in your peripheral vision, you're arching your back—that's the biggest indicator," says Froelich. “As soon as those shoulders move forward, there is a risk of injury to the back.”

Your view also counts. As you twist, remember to look at the floor to maintain a neutral spine, says Froelich. If you stare directly into a mirror in front of you while deadlifting, you end up putting extra pressure on the spine, which can also contribute to back pain, she says.

And while it's important to avoid a "squatting" motion during a hip hinge, you shouldn't try to prevent it by fully extending your knees. "Overcompensating for avoiding the squat could lead to potential injury or discomfort because you're putting a lot of pressure directly on that knee joint," says Froelich. "And that's why it's really important to maintain at least a slight bend in your knees."

Especially when deadlifting, focus on keeping your weights close to your body and imagine you're brushing your shins with your dumbbells to ensure you're performing the exercise correctly, says Froelich. "This cue helps you send your hips back, and you can also really use the back of your legs to pull up." Need help visualizing this movement pattern? Watch Froelich demonstrate the technique in real time below.

How to improve your hip joint

If you still can't get to grips with hip joint after trying these pointers, there are a few steps you can take to improve your form. Your first course of action? Improving your hip mobility, says Froelich. (As a reminder, while flexibility is the ability of your soft tissues to stretch passively, mobility refers to a joint's ability to actively move through a full range of motion, according to the International Sports Sciences Association.) If you lack this department, you won't be able to hinge as much or as easily. In turn, "you might feel a little bit uncomfortable, and then your body will want to get rid of that tension, so you might feel a little bit uncomfortable in that squat." Before tackling hip joint exercises, do a few leg circles to train your hip joints through their full range of motion, suggests Froelich. Incorporating hip mobility exercises such as 90-90 stretches, fire hydrants, and hip thrusts into your routine can also help.

What is more important: flexibility or mobility?

Then, prioritize strengthening your lower back muscles, suggests Froelich. Practicing supermens (or supermen), glute bridges, and other exercises that strengthen your lower back ensures the muscle group is fit enough to handle the hip hinge and ultimately the deadlift, she adds. “Making sure the lower back is in a strong place is key to performing [well with] the hip joint and also avoiding injury,” she says.