OPAL Movement Therapy

06/19/2026

We've been posting a lot about hip hinges lately.

When we're hinging, we want the spine to stay relatively rigid so it can transfer force between the upper and lower body. That's a key skill for exercises like RDLs and deadlifts.

But that doesn't mean the spine should always stay rigid!

In fact, a healthy spine should be able to flex, extend, rotate, and side bend. It should also be strong enough to control those movements. That's why we like to balance our hinge training with multidirectional core and spine training.

If all we ever do is resist motion, we miss an opportunity to build strength and confidence through the movements we use every day.

In this progression, the first four exercises focus on building awareness and control:

▪️Sidebending Oblique
▪️Russian Twist Progression
▪️Standing Segmental Flexion
▪️Active Prone Press Up

Once those movements feel comfortable, we can challenge the spine a little more with:

▪️Loaded Windmill
▪️Standing Trunk Rotations with a Band
▪️Jefferson Curl
▪️Superman Hold Progression

The goal is to build a spine that can move well when movement is needed and stay stable when stability is needed.

That's what resilience looks like.

Need more help?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📱💻✨
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06/19/2026

The kneeling hip hinge is one of our favorite ways to teach the hip hinge because it removes a lot of the distractions that show up when we're standing (like rocking back onto our heels).

Before you start, find neutral:
▪️ Arch your back
▪️ Round your back
▪️ Settle halfway in between

From there, the goal is simple: only the hips move.

As your hips move backward, your head and torso move forward. As your glutes shorten or squeeze, they bring you back up.

One of the biggest mistakes we see is turning this into a "sit back" exercise. When that happens, it feels easy because you're no longer hinging at the hips...you're just resting on your heels.

Instead, think:
▪️ Hips back
▪️ Head forward
▪️ Torso stays rigid
▪️ Glutes stretch on the way down
▪️ Glutes squeeze on the way up

If you're not sure what's moving, place one hand on your stomach and one on your low back.

Your abs should help keep your trunk stable while your hips do the work. If your back rounds right away, you've probably started the movement from your spine instead of your hips.

The kneeling hip hinge is a great stepping stone to standing hip hinges, RDLs, and deadlifts because it teaches one of the most important movement skills in the gym: moving your hips without moving your back!

Need more help?💙
Book your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

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06/18/2026

"I have been following OPAL Movement Therapy on social media for a while now and have done a couple of their virtual webinars.

I have been to physical therapy many times over the last several years for a variety of injuries and never seemed to get where I wanted to be so I decided to give Dr. Morgan’s team a try.

I have been working with Dr. Evan for just over a month and I can already see great results. I have less pain, I move better, and I’m starting to feel stronger. I highly recommend this group.

I am working with them remotely and it is working just fine. They are so responsive and really address your entire body and movement patterns."

Want to work with us?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call and work with us anywhere in the world by clicking the link in our bio or visiting OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📱 ✨

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06/18/2026

At OPAL, we think of the glute bridge as a horizontal hip hinge. Just like a deadlift or RDL, the movement should come from the hips...not the low back.

Before you start bridging:

▪️ Arch your back
▪️ Round your back
▪️ Settle halfway in between

This gives you a neutral starting position so you can move from the hips instead of the spine.

From there, think about sending your hips toward your feet as you lift. This cue helps keep the movement driven by the hips and glutes instead of rolling onto the shoulders and arching through the back.

A few common things we see:

▪️ Feeling it in the low back → Check your ribcage and pelvic position. Try putting one hand on your stomach and one on your low back for feedback.

▪️ Feeling mostly hamstrings → Pull your feet a little closer to your body or widen your stance slightly.

▪️ Feeling strain, tightness, or fatigue in the low back → Reset and focus on the hips leading the movement.

The goal isn't to get your hips as high as possible. Instead, the goal is to learn how to move from the hips while keeping the low back quiet.

It's the same skill you'll need for hip hinges, RDLs, deadlifts, and countless movements outside the gym.

Need more help?💙
Book your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

⌨️ Drop a comment or question
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06/17/2026

Hey everyone!

We just posted a new YouTube video and if your neck is always tight... this one's for you!! 👀

Our newest video covers 6 mobility drills to help reduce neck stiffness and improve mobility. Dr. Morgan explains why your upper and mid-back may be contributing to your neck pain more than you realize!

Give it a watch, a like, and add these drills to your routine! 💙 Don't forget to hit subscribe and feel free to drop a comment on the video if you have any questions!

If you're dealing with neck pain, neck stiffness, or tight muscles ...

06/17/2026

If your hip hinge or RDLs/deadlifts feels stiff, awkward, or like all the work is happening in your low back, it may be worth taking a step back and looking at your mobility first.

Before we load a movement, we want to make sure the body has the mobility and control needed to perform it well.

Here are a few of our favorite drills to prepare the body for hinges and RDLs:

▪️Hip 90/90: Explore hip internal and external rotation while improving overall hip mobility.

▪️Newspapers: This is a step up from hip 90/90 and works more on hip rotation

▪️Sciatic Nerve Glides: If the nerves running from our low backs down our glutes, hamstrings, and calves have increased tension, they can limit how well we hinge at the hips.

▪️Hand Heel Rock in Extension: Teach the hips to use their mobility while keeping the low back quiet, helping you better understand where hip motion ends and back motion begins.

The goal of these isn't to force more motion. Instead, ease in and perform them in a feel good range. The goal is to free up the hips and improve your awareness of the hip movement so you can use your hips effectively during hinge movements.

Sometimes the best way to improve a movement isn't to load it more, but rather to prepare the body for it first.

Need more help?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📱💻✨
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06/17/2026

One of the biggest challenges with hip hinges, RDLs, and deadlifts is figuring out whether the movement is coming from your hips or your low back.

Here's a drill called a hand heel rock in extension that we like to use before hinging exercises to help you prepare the hips to do the work instead of the lower back.

It's similar to cat-cow, but instead of moving your spine back and forth, you're trying to keep your back in extension while the hips do the rocking back.

▪️ On all fours, drop your belly toward the floor and let your back relax into extension (like cow)

▪️ Keep that position as you slowly rock backward

▪️ Pay attention to the point where you can no longer keep your belly dropped

At some point, your hips will run out of motion. When that happens, you'll notice your back will want to round to rock back further.

That's your body's way of borrowing motion from the spine when the hips have reached their limit.

The goal isn't to force yourself farther, but instead to stop where you can keep the back still in extension and let the movement purely come from the hips.

This gives you a chance to:
▪️ Explore hip flexion without compensating through the back
▪️ Loosen up the hips before hinges and RDLs
▪️ Build awareness of where hip motion ends and back motion begins

It's a simple drill, but it can be a powerful way to learn the difference between moving from your hips and moving from your spine. It's a skill that carries over to hinges, RDLs, deadlifts, squats, and everyday life.

Need more help?💙
Book your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

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06/16/2026

Building a physical therapy practice from the ground up isn't easy! It takes long days, late nights, and most importantly, a strong support system.

After celebrating OPAL's 4th birthday, we wanted to give a special shoutout to Dr. Morgan's husband, Julio, for being by her side through it all!

Cheers to the next chapter of OPAL 🥂💙

06/16/2026

The hip hinge can feel confusing until you understand what is actually supposed to move.

In a true hip hinge, we're trying to isolate the movement to the hips.

Think about it this way:
▪️ Your foot stays planted
▪️ Your knee stays relatively still
▪️ Your spine stays rigid

The only thing moving is the hip. As the hips move backward, your torso naturally comes forward.

Then to stand back up, the hips move forward again. That's it.

Simple in theory, but not always easy in practice.

One of the biggest mistakes we see is people moving from other areas like the low back, knees, and ankles instead of just moving at the hips.

We like to work on this skill because the hip hinge is a foundational movement that shows up in deadlifts, RDLs, picking things up from the floor, and even everyday tasks like loading the dishwasher.

If this explanation feels a little abstract, don't worry. Sometimes it makes a lot more sense once you can put your hands on your body and actually feel where the movement is coming from.

Need more help?💙
Book your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📲💻✨

⌨️ Drop a comment or question
🌍 Share with the world
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🌐 OPALMovementTherapy.com
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06/15/2026

We work closely with the team , and these are a few of our favorite exercises from their gym warm-up.

A good warm-up isn't just about getting warm. It's actually an opportunity to improve the movement you're about to train. Before squats, we like to prepare a few key areas:

◾Glute Bridges: wake up the glutes and get the hips moving through both hip flexion and hip extension.

◾Modified Spider Climber with Sky Reach: improve mobility through the spine, hips, knees, ankles, and upper back while preparing the body for the positions required during squats.

◾Lateral Lunge to Cobra: open up the adductors (inner thigh muscles), improve spinal mobility, and wake up the hip muscles in a weightbearing position so they're ready to contribute during squats.

Instead of rushing through the warm up, use each exercise with intention and prepare the areas that need to move well during a squat: the hips, spine, knees, ankles, and upper back.

Need more help?💙
Schedule your FREE Discovery Call through the link in our bio or by going to OPALMovementTherapy.com/contact-us 📱💻✨
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