Improve lifting safety and reduce back pain with the hip hinge technique. Learn step-by-step how to hip hinge plus the best exercises to master this skill.For many, lifting is an unavoidable part of work. Whether you’re a delivery driver hoisting packages, a warehouse worker moving inventory, or part of a construction crew handling heavy materials, lifting is a fundamental task. But repeated lifting can take a toll on the body, especially the spine, when it's done improperly. Lower back pain—a common complaint among manual laborers—often stems from poor lifting mechanics.
The good news? There’s a solution that doesn’t just reduce injury risks but also makes lifting more efficient. Getting used to lifting with the hip hinge technique can save your back and reduce fatigue from daily tasks.
Lifting stress on the body
Lifting heavy objects improperly doesn’t just strain one part of the body. Lifting is a whole-body workout, which means doing it wrong can impact multiple areas. Your back, shoulders, arms, and even legs can bear too much of the load when lifting incorrectly. However, the lower back often feels the most strain when you don’t engage your legs and core muscles to help.
Over time, this repetitive stress can lead to:
- Lower back pain
- Muscle strains
- Joint compression
- Shoulder injuries
These chronic issues aren’t just painful—they can also reduce productivity, make certain jobs unsustainable in the long term, and lead to costly time off work to recover. That’s why adopting the hip hinge technique is critical—it minimizes risk while enhancing movement efficiency.
How to hip hinge correctly
Instead of rounding your back or simply squatting to lift, the hip hinge shifts the effort to your hips and glutes (your strongest muscle groups). This keeps the spine in a safer, neutral position while your lower body powers the lift.
Here’s what the correct hip hinge technique looks like from start to finish:
- Start in neutral: Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your shoulders relaxed and chest slightly lifted.
- Push back the hips: Begin by pushing your hips backward as though getting ready to sit down—this is the “hinge” motion.
- Maintain a neutral spine: Keep your back straight and avoid rounding your shoulders. A flat back, from the neck to the tailbone, avoids putting strain on any one section like the lower vertebrae.
- Engage the core: Tighten your abdominal muscles as if bracing for light impact.
- Initiate the Lift Properly: With your hips all the way back and glutes engaged in a squat, grab the load and drive through your heels, returning to a standing position using your lower body’s power, not your back.
Hip hinge exercises
The best way to get used to the hip hinge technique is to practice it like an athletic drill; with enough time, the movement becomes second nature. Start with non-weight-bearing exercises to develop muscle memory for the proper form. Once you’re comfortable, you can add increasing weight. Here are a few simple drills:
Wall taps
- Stand several inches away from a wall with your back to it.
- Push your hips backward until you gently touch the wall with your glutes.
- Return to standing and repeat. Focus on maintaining a straight spine throughout.
Pipe or dowel drill
This exercise gives you feedback for what a totally flat back feels like during a hip hinge lift:
- Have a partner hold a straight object like a yardstick (or PVC pipe, broomstick, or dowel rod) along your back, ensuring three points of contact (head, upper back, and tailbone).
- Perform the hinge motion while keeping the yardstick in contact with all three points.
Kettlebell deadlift
- Use a kettlebell or light weight as you hinge at the hips, lowering the weight toward the ground with straight arms.
- Drive up through your heels to return to standing.
Romanian deadlift
This gym staple reinforces good hinge patterns with increasing weight, without reaching all the way to the floor:
- Hold light dumbbells at your thighs.
- Perform the hinge, guiding the dumbbells along your legs to mid-shin.
Some individuals might need to work on flexibility in the hamstrings, glutes, or hips to execute a true hip hinge. Yoga or dynamic stretches can help loosen tight areas as needed. This is one reason why something as simple as lifting materials or boxes can require a skilled trainer to develop a comprehensive training plan to ensure you’re using your strongest muscles in the most sustainable way.
Athletic training for industrial workers
Proper lifting techniques like the hip hinge aren’t just for athletes—they’re crucial for nearly any workplace that requires physical labor. But not everyone has the time or expertise to train your workers one-on-one in injury prevention techniques like the hip hinge.
Work-Fit’s industrial athletic trainers specialize in worker-centric programs that focus on movement safety, injury reduction, and enhanced job performance. Whether your team is hoisting crates in a warehouse or installing heavy machinery onsite, our experts teach workers techniques tailored to their job requirements. The result? A healthier workforce and a workplace culture that prioritizes long-term well-being.
Learn more about how our team can help yours feel stronger and safer on the job by contacting our team today.
