Back Exercises 2

By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide

Updated January 08, 2013

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The hip hinge is a simple exercise, but an important one, particularly if you're doing exercises where you're bending over. The hip hinge teaches you how to do it right to protect your back and get the most out of your exercises without injury. For this exercise, you can use a stick (like a broomstick) or a lightly weighted bar.

1. To begin, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and take a bar or broomstick behind your head, holding it with one hand above your head and the other end at the small of your back.
2. The stick should be in contact with your head, between the shoulder blades and your tailbone.
3. Shift the weight to your heels and push your hips back as you hinge forward at the hips, bending the knees slightly, until your torso is at about a 45-degree angle.
4. The idea is to keep the stick in contact with all 3 points during the entire movement.
5. Contract the glutes to stand up, again keeping the stick in contact with your head, shoulders and tailbone.
6. Repeat for 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps.