The hinge is the move that makes lifting kids easier

This morning I picked up a laundry basket, a school bag and a small person off the floor. All before 8am. That's three hinges, and I didn't even get a round of applause.

If you want strength exercises to make lifting kids and shopping easier, start with the hinge. You push your bum back, keep your back long, and stand up by squeezing your bum. That's it. It's one of the five beginner movements I shared in the Move Strong series, and it's the one I'd hand to every mum first.

What it's for

Think about everything you pick up in a day. Shopping bags from the boot. A toddler who has gone floppy on purpose. The washing basket. The bag of dog food that is somehow heavier than it looks.

The hinge is the movement behind all of it. Get strong at it and those jobs start to feel lighter. Your back gets to relax, because the big muscles at the back of your legs and your bum are doing the work. They're built for it. This is functional strength for everyday life, and you can build it in your living room.

How it feels when you do it right

Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Soften your knees, just a little. Put your hands on the front of your thighs.

Now pretend your hands are full of shopping and you need to close the car boot. Use your bum. Send it backwards, as if you're shutting the boot with it. Your hands slide down your thighs towards your knees. Your chest tips forward, but your back stays long and flat, like a tabletop.

Stop when you feel a pull down the back of your legs. Then stand up by squeezing your bum and pushing the floor away. Finish tall. No leaning back.

You should feel it in the back of your legs and your bum. If your lower back is doing all the talking, we'll sort that in a moment.

How much to do

Start with no weight at all. Do 8 to 10 slow reps, taking about three seconds to lower. Rest for a minute. Do 2 or 3 rounds.

Twice a week is plenty to begin with. It takes about five minutes. You can do it while the kettle boils, which is the only time I seem to have for myself anyway.

The one nearly everyone does

Almost everyone turns their first hinge into a squat. I did it for ages. Your body knows squats, so it heads there on autopilot. The knees bend a lot, the bum drops down, and the movement loses its point.

Here's the swap. In a hinge, your bum travels back, not down. Your shins stay fairly upright. It's more like bowing than sitting.

A wall helps a lot. Stand about a foot in front of one with your back to it. Now reach your bum back until it taps the wall. When you can do that without your knees doing much, you've got it.

A broom handle down your back is another nice trick. Keep it touching the back of your head and your bum the whole way down. If it lifts off, the back is rounding. Go a little shallower next time.

Making it easier

• Don't go as low. A small hinge is still a hinge.
• Rest your hands on a kitchen worktop or the back of a sturdy chair and push your bum back from there. It gives you something to steady yourself with.
• Use the wall tap above. It tells you exactly how far back to go.

It's also kind on knees. Because the knees barely bend, lots of women with grumbly knees find the hinge feels much friendlier than other leg moves.

Making it harder, when you're ready

You'll know. The bodyweight version will feel easy and a bit boring. That's your cue.

Hold a dumbbell in both hands, or a bag of rice if that's what you've got, and let your arms hang long in front of your thighs. Same movement. If you've been wondering how to start lifting weights in your 40s, this is a lovely first one. Strength training for women at home with dumbbells doesn't need to be complicated.

Add weight slowly. When 10 reps feel steady and you could do a couple more, go a little heavier. Stay light enough to keep your back long.

Who it's for

Nearly everyone. Beginners, mums, women in perimenopause who feel like their body has changed the rules. It's a gentle way in and it works.

If you have current back pain, are pregnant or newly postnatal, or have had recent surgery, have a quick word with your GP or physio first. They can tell you what's right for your body right now. After that, go slowly and let comfort lead.

The hinge sits beside the squat, pull, push and lunge. You don't need to master all five this week. Pick this one, do it a few times, and notice what happens next time you lift the shopping out of the boot.

If you'd like to learn it with someone beside you, come and train with me at a live session. I'll watch your hinge, cheer your wall taps, and we'll have a laugh while we're at it.