While sitting on the ground, bring yourself to a bench and position yourself so the bench’s edge is lining the bottom of the shoulder blades. Keep the ribs down and look straight forward throughout the entire movement-- DO NOT hinge and look up at the ceiling.

If using a barbell or dumbbell, rest the on top of the hip bone. When you start using heavier weight, you may want to use a folded up exercise mat, bar pad or Airex pad.

Press down with the heels to drive the hips off the ground, focusing on the glutes doing all of the work. If you feel a lot of tension in the hamstrings, pull the feet in closer to the hips.

At the top of the repetition, pause for a second in a locked out position and squeeze the glutes as tightly as possible with a posterior pelvic tilt. DO NOT allow your back to arch. From the side view, the knees should be directly above the heels.