Setup & Positioning
- Attach a rope handle to the low pulley of a cable machine.
- Stand facing away from the machine, feet shoulder-width apart, with the rope passing between your legs.
- Grip the rope with both hands and step forward until the cable is taut.
- Keep a soft bend in your knees, chest tall, and core braced.
Key point: “This is a hip hinge, not a squat—hips move back, spine stays neutral.”
Execution
- Push your hips straight back while keeping arms extended naturally and the rope close to your body.
- Lower your torso until you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings.
- Drive your hips forward, squeezing the glutes at the top, without leaning back excessively.
Where You Should Feel It
- Glutes (primary)
- Hamstrings
- Core stabilizing the spine
Where You Shouldn’t Feel It
- Lower back strain from rounding or overextending
- Shoulder tension from gripping too hard
- Knee discomfort from squatting instead of hinging
Breathing
"Inhale as you hinge back, exhale as you drive hips forward."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Squatting instead of hinging – Keep knees soft but fixed, hinge from the hips.
- Overextending at the top – Stand tall, don’t lean backward.
- Rounding the back – Maintain a neutral spine throughout.
- Using arms to pull – The movement comes from the hips, not the upper body.
