Day 1 - Glutes & Hamstrings

Usually one of three things: the weight drifts away from your legs, your back rounds at the bottom, or you lower further than your hamstrings allow. Fix them in that order:

• Keep the bar or dumbbells touching your thighs all the way down.
• Push your hips back as if closing a car door with your backside, knees softly bent.
• Stop where your back would start to round, often just below the knee. That's your range for now.

A stretch in your hamstrings and a squeeze in your glutes on the way up is the target. A tired lower back is common at first; sharp pain is not. Stop and get it checked if you feel that.

In this order, one step at a time:

• Pause for 2 seconds at the top of every rep.
• Add weight: a dumbbell or plate on your hips, then a padded barbell.
• Hip thrusts instead of bridges, with your upper back on a bench, if your gym has the space. They give a longer range and take more weight.

Single-leg bridges also work when the weights are taken: 3 sets of 12 on each leg with bodyweight is harder than it sounds.

The back extension can be steered toward your glutes. Set the pad just below your hip bones so you can bend at the hips, then:

• Turn your toes out slightly.
• Round your upper back a little and keep your chin tucked.
• Lift by squeezing your glutes, and stop when your body is in a straight line. Leaning back past that only loads the spine.

Hold a plate at your chest once 12 reps are easy.