Muscles worked
- Required equipment
- Barbell
- Movement
- Hinge
- Level
- Intermediate
Before you start
Equipment and setup
A barbell with secure plates and enough clear space to hinge. Begin standing with the bar against the upper thighs, hands just outside the legs, and knees softly bent.
Exercise-specific guidance
The written setup and steps on this page are tailored to this exact exercise variation.
Movement sequence
- Stand with the bar against the thighs, soften the knees, brace the trunk, and keep the shoulder blades over the bar.
- Push the hips back as the bar slides close down the thighs and shins; keep the knee angle nearly constant rather than sitting into a squat.
- Stop when hamstring tension limits the hinge or before the spine position changes, then drive the hips forward to stand without leaning back.
Form cues
- Push hips back
- Keep the bar close
- Stop before the back rounds
Common mistakes
- Lowering the bar farther by rounding the low back
- Bending the knees more and more until the hinge becomes a squat
Scale it
Easier: Practice a bodyweight or dowel hip hinge, then use a lighter bar or dumbbells.
Harder: Add small amounts of load only while bar proximity and the controlled stopping point stay consistent.
Editorial context
Last editorial pass: August 19, 2026. Public-health guidance informs the activity context, and a professional exercise library helps cross-check common naming and equipment categories. The movement instructions remain general education, not individualized coaching.
