Single Leg Hip Hinge Exercise | Glute Strength and Balance Training
The Single Leg Hip Hinge is a powerful exercise that strengthens the glutes, hamstrings, and core, while also improving balance and hip stability. Once you have mastered the basic two-leg hip hinge, this progression challenges your ability to stabilize on one leg and control your movement through the hips. This is especially helpful for athletes, runners, and anyone seeking to enhance their functional strength. For a deeper dive into hinge mechanics, visit Physiopedia’s hip hinge article.
In this instructional video, Dr. Ryley Perryman of Life in Motion Chiropractic in Livonia, Michigan, demonstrates proper technique for the single leg hinge and explains how to progress by adding weight. This exercise is also a valuable tool for injury prevention, as it trains hip stability and control, which are essential for protecting the knees and lower back.
How to Perform:
Step 1: Stand with most of your weight on one leg and the other foot placed just behind the heel in a “kickstand” position for light balance support.
Step 2: Spread the toes of the working foot, maintain a slight bend in the knee, and keep your chest proud with shoulders pulled down.
Step 3: Hinge at the hips by driving them backward, lowering your torso until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings or your chest is nearly parallel to the ground.
Step 4: Squeeze the glutes to return to a standing position and repeat for 8–12 controlled repetitions.
Step 5: To progress, hold a kettlebell or weight in one hand. Holding the weight on the opposite side of the working leg challenges the core differently.
The single leg hinge strengthens the posterior chain while also training balance and proprioception. It serves as an excellent bridge to more advanced single-leg movements, such as Romanian deadlifts, and can be incorporated into both rehabilitation and performance programs. For information on back safety, see the Mayo Clinic’s back pain prevention guide.
Benefits of the Single Leg Hip Hinge
- Strengthens glutes, hamstrings, and core
- Improves balance and single-leg stability
- Enhances functional movement patterns
- Helps prevent knee, hip, and lower back injuries
- Can be progressed with weight for strength training
Life in Motion Chiropractic is located at 27620 Five Mile Road, Livonia, MI 48154, near the intersection of Five Mile and Inkster Road. We provide chiropractic adjustments, DNS rehabilitation, and corrective exercise programs for patients across Livonia, Redford, Farmington Hills, and surrounding communities. The single leg hip hinge is one of the best exercises we teach to build stability, strength, and confidence in daily movements.
Schedule your appointment today to learn how exercises like the single leg hip hinge can be integrated into your care plan for injury prevention and performance.
