Move gently and stop if you feel sharp pain, dizziness, numbness, or symptoms that feel unsafe. This routine is general fitness guidance, not medical care.
Exercises
1. Band Romanian Deadlift
2 sets · 12 reps · 30s rest
Stand on the band and hinge. The resistance grows as you stand, right where the glutes work hardest.
Steps
Stand on the middle of a band with feet hip-width apart, holding one handle in each hand at your thighs.
Soften your knees slightly and lock your spine in a neutral position with your chest up.
Push your hips back behind you while letting your hands slide down your thighs toward your shins.
Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings — depth matters less than tension.
Drive your hips forward to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
Repeat for 10 to 12 reps, focusing on the hip-hinge pattern rather than band tension.
Cues
Hips travel back.
Spine stays long.
Squeeze to stand.
Common mistakes
Bending at the knees and squatting down instead of hinging at the hips — turns the move into a half-squat.
Rounding the lower back as you hinge, which puts load on the spine instead of the hamstrings.
Going too low and losing the hamstring stretch — stop where the stretch is strongest, not where the floor is.
Standing on too narrow a band section, making the resistance uneven and twisting the bar path.
2. Single Legged Romanian Deadlifts
2 sets · 8 reps · 30s rest · both sides
The same hinge on one leg, which adds balance and shows which hip is weaker.
Steps
Stand tall on one leg with a slight bend in the standing knee and arms hanging at your sides.
Brace your core and pull your shoulder blades down to set a tall, stable torso position.
Hinge at the hip by pushing the standing-leg hip back, letting the back leg float up behind you.
Keep the back leg, torso, and head in one straight line as you lower toward the floor.
Stop when you feel a deep stretch in the standing leg's hamstring, with the torso roughly parallel to the floor.
Drive the standing-leg hip forward to return to the start position, squeezing the glute at the top.
Cues
Long spine.
Hips stay square.
Small range is fine.
Common mistakes
Rounding the lower back as the torso lowers, which puts the spine at risk under load.
Twisting the hips open as the back leg lifts, which loses the hinge alignment and balance.
Bending too much at the standing knee so the lift becomes a single-leg squat instead of a hinge.
Bouncing back up at the bottom instead of controlling the descent and the reversal.
3. Band Hip Abduction
2 sets · 15 reps · 25s rest · both sides
Finishes on the side of the hip, the part that keeps the knee tracking well.
Steps
Loop a mini band around both ankles or just above the knees, depending on resistance preference.
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart and a slight bend in the knees, hands on hips for balance.
Shift your weight onto your left leg and press your right leg straight out to the side against the band.
Pause briefly at the top of the lift, feeling the squeeze in the side of your right hip.
Lower the right leg back to the starting position with control, keeping tension on the band throughout.
Complete 12 to 15 reps per side, alternating legs once the working glute is fully fatigued.
Cues
Hips stay stacked.
Push against the band.
Move slowly.
Common mistakes
Leaning the torso to the opposite side to swing the leg out, which removes load from the glute medius.
Letting the hips rotate forward as the leg lifts, turning the movement into a hip-flexor exercise.
Using a band so heavy that form breaks — start light to feel the glute working, then progress.
Rushing the eccentric and letting the band snap the leg back in, losing half the time-under-tension.