How to do it
You need: Exercise mat.
Lie on your back on a mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Rest your arms by your sides.
- Gently tighten your lower tummy and squeeze your buttocks.
- Push down through your heels and lift your hips off the floor.
- Stop when your body makes a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Hold for a moment, then lower your hips back down slowly.
Form cues
- The lift is driven by your buttocks, not by arching your lower back.
- Your hips stay level with each other at the top.
- Your knees stay hip-width apart and do not fall in or out.
Common mistakes
- Lifting so high that your lower back arches and feels pinched.
- Pushing through your toes instead of through your heels.
- Letting one hip drop lower than the other.
Safety: Stop and message your physio if you feel a deep pinch at the front of the hip, or the pain spreads down your leg.