How to do it
- Stand tall holding dumbbells in front of your thighs, feet hip-width apart.
- Soften your knees and push your hips straight back as if closing a car door with them.
- Slide the weights down your legs until you feel a stretch in the back of your thighs.
- Squeeze your glutes and drive your hips forward to stand.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back. Keep your chest proud and spine long.
- Turning it into a squat. Your knees should barely bend more.
- Letting the weights drift away from your legs. Keep them close.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Hinge with just your body weight and a hand on a wall or a broomstick on your back.
Harder: Use heavier weights or single-leg variations once your balance is solid.
Coaching tip
Stop lowering when your back would start to round, not when the weights hit a certain height.