Knee Confidence — Hips & Hinge
The posterior-chain day. A split-stance isometric primer, loaded bridge, stiff-legged deadlift, banded hip extension, calf raise and bird dog. Almost no deep knee bend. ~45 min, 6 movements.
Estimated session
- Movements 6
- Loads Coach-filled
- Progresses Every session
Every movement, in order
Each lift with its working sets and target, in the order you run them. The coach sets the loads from your training and moves them up as the work gets easier.
| Order | Exercise | Sets | Target | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Split Squat with Dumbbells Isometric primer, per side. Floor-level split stance — rear foot stays on the ground. Hold a shallow, pain-free position; no reps. 2 × 30s · rest 1 min | 2 | 30s | 1 min |
| 02 | Butt Lift Bridge Dumbbell resting across the hips once bodyweight is easy. Drive through the heels, one-second squeeze at the top, ribs down. 3 × 12 · rest 1:30 | 3 | 12 | 1:30 |
| 03 | Stiff-Legged Dumbbell Deadlift Knees soft and stationary. Push the hips back until the hamstrings stop lengthening, not until the dumbbells touch the floor. 1 warm-up set first 3 × 10 · rest 2 min | 3 | 10 | 2 min |
| 04 | Hip Extension with Bands Reps per side. Band at the ankle, anchored low. Keep the working knee straight and the trunk still — the hip does the work. 3 × 12 · rest 1 min | 3 | 12 | 1 min |
| 05 | Standing Dumbbell Calf Raise Balls of the feet on a board or stair edge. Full stretch at the bottom, one-second squeeze at the top, no bouncing. 3 × 15 · rest 1 min | 3 | 15 | 1 min |
| 06 | Bird Dog Reps per side, alternating. Hips stay level; slow is the point. No lumbar arch at the top of the reach. 2 × 8 · rest 45s | 2 | 8 | 45s |
The coach sets the loads and moves them up — these are the schemes
When to reach for this template
Hold first, then bridge, hinge, banded hip extension, calf, bird dog. The hold is a FLOOR-LEVEL split stance — rear foot on the ground, not elevated — at a pain-free depth. Banded and split-stance reps are per side. Substitutions at matched RPE: no band anchor, loop it around a table leg; no bridge dumbbell, add a set. Commercial gym: machine hip thrust for the bridge, barbell Romanian deadlift for the hinge, and a leg-extension isometric held the same duration for the hold. No calf board — use a stair edge.
Every workout
The coach reads your log, tunes the loads and volume to where you are today, and tells you when to add weight.
Programs that use this template
This session is scheduled across a week and progressed over the mesocycle in the programs below.
Common questions
The facts most people check before they drop this session into a week.
01When should I use the Knee Confidence — Hips & Hinge template?
Hold first, then bridge, hinge, banded hip extension, calf, bird dog. Add it to your week in Squatly and the coach schedules it, sets the loads from your training, and tells you when to move up.
02How many working sets is Knee Confidence — Hips & Hinge, and how long does it take?
Knee Confidence — Hips & Hinge runs 6 movements and about 16 working sets, roughly 55 minutes once warm-ups are in. The full per-exercise scheme — sets, reps or RPE, and rest — is in the session table above.
03What makes the Hips & Hinge version different?
Knee Confidence — Hips & Hinge is the hips & hinge cut of this family — same method, but the movement order, set scheme, and emphasis are tuned for it. The session table shows exactly what changes; the coach sets the loads and drives the progression either way.
Built on the Squatly method
Every set count, rep target, and rest period here comes from how the coach weighs volume, intensity, and fatigue. See where the numbers come from.
Read the methodVolume, intensity, and fatigue — read per lift, every session.
Last updated: June 2026
Keep moving forward.
Add this template to your week. The coach reads your training, sets the loads, and tells you when to push.
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Aleks · Coach
Proposal — add weight