Lie on your back on the floor. Place your heels on a stable raised surface. Choose a surface that allows you to maintain a comfortable and controlled position. Your knees should be bent and your heels positioned approximately hip-width apart. You can either slightly curl your toes or keep them relaxed. Your arms should rest at your sides on the floor and can be pressed lightly into the surface for stability. Keep your head and shoulders relaxed on the floor. Actively engage your abdominal and gluteal muscles and stabilise your pelvis. From the supine position, actively press your heels into the surface. Lift the pelvis off the floor in a controlled manner. Gradually extend the hips until the thighs and upper body form an almost straight line. At the top of the movement, consciously tense the gluteal muscles. The pelvis remains straight and does not tilt to one side. Hold the top position briefly. Then slowly and controlled lower the pelvis back towards the floor. End the movement in a controlled manner just before or upon reaching the floor, without completely losing body tension. Then lift the pelvis upwards again by extending the hips.
Attention:
The hips are not stretched sufficiently; the pelvis is pushed too far upwards and the lower back is severely overextended; the movement originates mainly from the lower back rather than the hips; the knees collapse significantly inwards or splay outwards sharply; the pelvis tilts or rotates to one side during the movement; the heels lose contact with the floor; the movement is performed too quickly or with too much momentum; the head and neck are unnecessarily tensed; the feet or heels are so far away from the body that the position can no longer be maintained in a controlled manner.
Lighten:
Place your feet flat on the floor rather than on a raised surface; use a lower raised surface; after each repetition, briefly lower your pelvis completely to the floor; reduce the range of motion; hold the top position for a shorter time; press your arms more firmly into the floor for stabilisation.
Harden:
Place a weight plate or sandbag on your hips in a controlled manner; hold the top position for 2–3 seconds and consciously tense your glutes as much as possible; slow the downward movement over 3–4 seconds; perform the exercise on one leg; Place your heels on a medicine ball or another unstable surface; combine the additional weight with a slow downward movement; lift your arms off the floor or cross them in front of your chest to reduce support from your upper body.
