Hello FIS Community👋

Have you ever caught yourself labeling certain exercises as good or bad? I know I have. In the fitness industry, movements likeleg extensions, upright rows, and even marathon runningoften get tagged as “high risk.” But in truth, it’s not the exercise that’s risky — it’s how prepared our bodies are to handle it.

The body’s ability to tolerate resistance is a lot like the skin’s ability to handle sunlight.

Step into the sun for a few minutes each day, and your skin gradually adapts — becoming more tolerant and resilient. Over time, you can enjoy more exposure without burning.

But stay out all day with no preparation, and you end up with a painful sunburn — inflamed, irritated, and forced to retreat while you heal.

The same concept applies to deadlifts and other hip-hinging movements.These exercises aren’t inherently dangerous; they’re simply intense forms of exposure that require strength, coordination, and mobility from multiple joints and muscle systems working together.

Last week, I wrote about the effects of excessive sitting. If you’ve spent years sitting more than standing or mostly training isolated muscles, your body may not have built its “tolerance” yet for heavy hip hinging. Jumping straight into loaded movements without first mastering joint control, proper alignment, and muscular activation is like spending eight hours in the sun on your first day of summer — you’re going to get burned.

When trained progressively, though — with good mechanics, gradual loading, and attention to muscle balance — thehip hinge becomes one of the most powerful movement patterns for long-term health.It teaches the body to move from the hips instead of the spine, strengthens the posterior chain, improves posture, and actually protects the back from injury.

The takeaway:

Exercises aren’t high-risk — unprepared bodies are.The goal isn’t to avoid challenging movements like the deadlift, but to earn your way toward them through progressive exposure and adaptation.

In this week’s newsletter, we’ll dive deeper intoforward bends— why they matter, how to train them safely, and how to strengthen your back to prevent pain. I will include anFIS OnDemandprogressive workout resource and educational video designed to help you hinge and bend with confidence through progressive resistance training.

Table of Contents

🔬Science Spotlight: Hip Hinge Friend or Foe?
💪Reset Forward Bends: FIS OnDemand Hinge Progression Workout.
🎥 Education Video: "Avoid Throwing Out Your Back: Master the Safe Forward Bend Over 50"

Science Spotlight

Hip Hinge: Friend of Foe?

The hip hinge is overwhelmingly a friend! If you think about it, it is a huge part of our life. We bend over to pick things up, play sports, tie our shoes, and as a part of our long-term spinal health.

However, improper execution can turn it into a "foe," leading to potential injury or pain, primarily in the lower back.

Friend (Benefits of Doing Hip Hinges Correctly)

Spinal Health:
Hinging from the hips works some major muscle groups, such as hip flexors, abdominals, and spinal erectors. It is important to learn to bend at the hips while maintaining a neutral (straight) spine without strain.

Stronger Posterior Chain:
The hip hinge can effectively target and strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles (erector spinae). These muscles are crucial for power, stability, and good posture.

Injury Prevention:
By strengthening the core and posterior chain on purpose, with good body mechanics, the hip hinge reduces the risk of back, hip, and knee injuries.

Enhanced Mobility:
It improves hip mobility and the ability to coordinate muscle contractions from the hip joint and the spine, which can improve range of motion.

Foe (Risks of doing Hip Hinges incorrectly)

The "foe" aspect arises solely from poor form and poor adaptation. Common mistakes include:

Rounding the Back:
The most significant risk is flexing or rounding the lumbar spine instead of hinging at the hips. This shifts the load onto the spinal discs, which can lead to acute or chronic lower back pain and injury, especially when lifting heavy weights that pull down against the back.

Overusing the Lower Back:
The lower back muscles should work isometrically (to stabilize the spine) in combination with your glutes and hamstrings to deal with the load. Keep hip flexors, shoulders and abdominals engaged to avoid straining the lower back.

Too Hamstring Stress:
No one's levers are the same. You can bend the knees to protect the hamstrings from strain. Note that too much of a bend turns the movement into a squat, which is a different movement pattern with different muscle emphasis.

Overextension of the back:Arching the back too much or pushing the hips forward too early at the top of the movement can also cause a pinching sensation and strain the lower back and place stress on hamstring attachments.

In summary:
When performed with a neutral spine and progressive resistance, the hip hinge is essential for nearly everyone. Learning its components takes time — but the payoff is lasting strength, mobility, and confidence.

FIS On Demand Video

Improve Hinging Mobility and Strength

If bending forward causes you to frequently strain your lower back or hamstrings, this is an indicator that your muscles need attention. In this workout, we will use the FIS 5-Step Isometric Method™ to improve strength and range of motion using bodyweight, a sponge ball, and dumbbells. A chair is also used for support in select exercises.

You’ll learn:

✔️ Isometrics to improve flexibility and reduce pain.

✔️ How to protect your back in forward bends

✔️ Bodyweight and weighted exercise variations for muscle building.

Discover how to move better, reduce pain, and create lasting results with a smarter approach to training.Watch it Now

Join FIS OnDemand

FIS On Demand Lower Body Reset

Have you ever bent over to pick something up and felt a zing in your lower back? In this video, I’ll walk you through a smart, joint-friendly progression to help you build strength and stability so you can bend forward without fear.

💡 Learn about my5-Step Isometric Method™—the same method I teach inside Fitness Integrated Science TV—to prepare your body for real-life movements like picking things up off the ground, loading groceries, or tying your shoes.

We'll cover:

✅ The biomechanics of safe spinal alignment

✅ How to use isometrics to activate weak muscle groups

✅ Step-by-step progressions from bodyweight to resistance

✅ Practical tips for maintaining spinal integrity under load

✅ Why ergonomics and repetition matter more than you think

➡️Watch it now

💭 Final Thought

Every muscle contraction is a message to your body that you’re alive, strong, and capable of change.

Your muscles are waiting for you.

Cheering you on!💙

Lauren Eirk
Founder, Fitness Integrated Science