5 Hinging Variations That Don’t Involve Starting From The Ground -

Let me cut to the chase right away. There is no written rule that you must deadlift from the ground. An abundance of people have been led to believe that their deadlift isn’t legitimate unless the starting position is the floor. Some people are simply not designed to deadlift from the floor, and no amount of coaching or repetition will fix this. Guess what, there is nothing wrong with this whatsoever! Despite what some naysayers will tell you, unless you compete in powerlifting, there is absolutely no reason why you need to start from the floor.

This week, I shared five of my favorite hip hinging exercises that do not involve starting from the floor.

#1) Double Kettlebell RDL’s + Band Around Waist

This exercise is a great way to learn the hip hinging movement. If you already excel at this movement, combining a high tension band plus weights will really torch your hamstrings and glutes. You can use dumbbells or a barbell in place of the kettlebells.

Key Coaching Points:

Fasten a band around a secure surface and loop it around your hips.
Step forward so there is tension in the band. There should be a significant amount of tension for 100% of the movement.
Establish a tripod foot base. Meaning, your weight should be on the mid to back of your feet, and all of your toes should be in contact with the ground, especially your big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your feet to the ground.
Hold two weights and adopt a conventional stance, or hold one weight and adopt more of a sumo or hybrid stance. Figure out what works and feels best for you.
Before you initiate each hinge, take a deep breath in (360 degree breath around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips.
Initiate the movement with your hips and push them backwards as far as you can. Imagine a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. Do not perform the movement by squatting, rounding your back, dropping your chest towards the ground, or a combination of the above.
When you reach your full range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Lower does not mean better if your form deteriorates.
Do not allow your hands and arms to travel ahead of your legs. This could mean you aren’t performing the hinge properly, or are not engaging your lats. For the duration of the exercise, keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.
Exhale after you have pressed away from the ground and are approaching the top position.
Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knees.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to round or hyperextend, or your ribs to flare. Do not lose the “canister” position.

Regression:

Make this exercise easier by decreasing the tension of the band, or by using lighter weights.

Progression:

Make this exercise more challenging by increasing the tension of the band, or by using heavier weights.

#2) Landmine Block Pulls

Landmine block pulls (and deadlifts) are less technically demanding than many other hip hinging variations, so they are another useful option for learning the hip hinging movement. In this exercise, you will elevate the weights on bumper plates, blocks, or on another higher surface.

Key Coaching Points:

Line up two barbells so they are lengthwise and parallel.
Set up the weights on an elevated surface like blocks, bumper plates, boxes, etc. Choose a height that allows you to maintain proper form for 100% of the movement.
Position the blocks so they are close enough together so you can keep your arms tight to your sides. If they are too far apart, this will not be possible.
Get into the starting position by hinging your hips back as far as you can, and then bending your knees. Do not get into position by rounding your back, squatting down, collapsing your chest, or a combination.
In the starting position, make sure your hips aren’t sitting too high, or too low (dead-squat). Your shins should be in a relatively vertical position.
Your shoulders should be roughly above your hands. Make sure your shoulders are not ahead of your hands, and that your bodyweight is not shifted forward.
For the duration of the exercise, keep your arms rigid, lats engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpits.
Adopt your preferred foot width and positioning. Establish a tripod foot base. Meaning, your weight should be on the mid to back of your feet, and all of your toes should be in contact with the ground, especially your big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your feet to the ground.
Before you go, take a deep breath in (360 degree breath around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips.
Initiate the movement with your posterior chain muscles, and press your body away from the floor.
Exhale after you have pressed away from the ground and are approaching the top position.
Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knees.
On the way down, your body should perform the reverse movements as it did on the way up. Hinge your hips and push them backwards as far as you can. Imagine a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. Do not perform the movement by squatting, rounding your back, dropping your chest towards the ground, or a combination of the above.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to round or hyperextend, or your ribs to flare. Do not lose the “canister” position.
Reset in the bottom position and repeat.

Regression:

Make this exercise easier by using less weight, or by increasing the height of the elevated surface.

Progression:

Make this exercise easier by using more weight, or by decreasing the height of the elevated surface (only if you are able to maintain proper form).

#3) Staggered Stance Pull-Throughs

In this innovative pull-through variation, you will adopt a staggered stance versus a square or sumo style stance. The staggered stance makes this movement significantly more challenging for the hamstrings and glutes of the side that is ahead. This stance also requires more balance.

Key Coaching Points:

Fasten a resistance band around a secure pole, and set the band so it is roughly shin to knee height.
Step forward so there is tension in the band. There should be a significant amount of tension for 100% of the movement.
Adopted a staggered stance, and have a slight bend in both knees. Figure out what foot positioning and stride length works and feels best for you.
Form a tripod base on your front foot by placing your weight on the mid to back portion of your foot, and keep your toes down, particularly your big and baby toes. These parts of your foot should remain in contact with the floor for the duration of the exercise. You can pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the ground. You should be on the forefoot of your back foot.
Keep your elbows straight, arms rigid, and squeeze them into your sides. Pretend you are trying to crush something in your armpits. During the hinge, your arms should graze the inside of your thighs.
Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 brace around your spine) and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
Now hinge/push your hips backwards as far as you can. Pretend a rope is attached around your hips and is pulling them backwards, or that you are trying to push your glutes backwards into a wall that is behind you.
When you reach your full range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Lower does not mean better if your form deteriorates. Go to a range where you can maintain proper form.
Exhale after you have pressed away from the ground and are approaching the top position.
Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to round or hyperextend, or your ribs to flare. Do not lose the “canister” position.
Perform the target number of reps and repeat leading with the other leg.

Regression:

Make this exercise easier by using a band with less tension.

Progression:

Make this exercise more challenging by using a band with more tension.

#4) Suitcase Deadlifts

This hip hinging variation also doubles as a fantastic core stability exercise as using a single weight really challenges the muscles to prevent the spine from flexing laterally or rotating.

Key Coaching Points:

Choose your preferred foot width and positioning.
Hold a weight in one hand.
Establish a tripod foot base. Meaning, your weight should be on the mid to back of your feet, and all of your toes should be in contact with the ground, especially your big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your feet to the ground.
Before you initiate the hinge, take a deep breath in (360 degree breath around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips.
Initiate the movement with your hips and push them backwards as far as you can. Imagine a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. Do not perform the movement by squatting, rounding your back, dropping your chest towards the ground, or a combination of the above.
When you reach your full range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor and back to the starting position. Lower does not mean better if your form deteriorates.
Do not allow your hand and arm to travel ahead of your leg. This could mean you aren’t performing the hinge properly, or are not engaging your lats. For the duration of the exercise, keep your arm rigid, lat engaged, and pretend you are crushing something in your armpit.
Exhale after you have pressed away from the ground and are approaching the top position.
Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knees.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to round or hyperextend, ribs to flare, spine to flex laterally, or torso or hips to rotate. Do not lose the “canister” position.

Regression:

Make this exercise easier by using a lighter weight.

Progression:

Make this exercise more challenging by using a heavier weight.

#5) Single Leg Landmine Deadlifts

This single leg deadlift variation is less technically demanding than many other single leg hip hinging variations. The fixed barbell makes it somewhat easier to maintain balance.

Key Coaching Points

Set up a barbell so it is lengthwise and is resting against a secure (or no slip) surface. If you have a landmine attachment, you can use that. The end of the barbell should be close to your body.
Grab a barbell with one hand. Use the same side as the working leg.
Stand on one leg and have a slight bend in your knee.
Establish a tripod foot base. Meaning, your weight should be on the mid to back of your foot, and all of your toes should be in contact with the ground, especially your big and baby toes. Pretend you are suctioning or screwing your foot to the ground.
Before you initiate the hinge, take a deep breath in (360 degree breath around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips.
Initiate the movement with your hips and push them backwards as far as you can. Imagine a rope is pulling your hips backwards or that you are trying to press your hips back against a wall. Do not perform the movement by squatting, rounding your back, dropping your chest towards the ground, or a combination of the above.
When you reach your full range (a range where you are able to maintain proper form), engage your posterior chain muscles and press your body away from the floor, and back to the starting position. Lower does not mean better if your form deteriorates.
Do not allow your hand and arm to travel ahead of your leg. This could mean you aren’t performing the hinge properly, or are not engaging your lats.
Exhale after you have pressed away from the ground and are approaching the top position.
Perform the lockout by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings and extend your hips, and extend your knee.
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to round or hyperextend, or your ribs to flare. Do not lose the “canister” position.