90/90 Sitbacks

Progressions

1. 01

   Supported 90/90 Sitbacks

   • Start in a 90/90 position with one leg bent in front of you at 90 degrees and the other leg bent behind you at 90 degrees, both knees firmly on the ground.

   • Place your hands on the ground beside you for support, positioning them so you can control your descent throughout the movement.

   • As you begin to sit back, move in a diagonal, lateral direction toward the back leg to load the internal rotation of the rear hip.

   • Focus on keeping both knees pressed into the floor as you lower — if the back knee lifts, you have gone too deep.

   • Go as far as your mobility allows, pausing at the bottom for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position.

   • Use your hands to control the depth and smoothness of the movement, gradually reducing hand support as you build confidence.

   • Exhale as you lower into the sitback and inhale as you press back up to the starting position.

   • Perform each repetition with a controlled 3-second descent and 2-second ascent, then switch sides to train both hips equally.

2. 02

   Partial 90/90 Sitbacks

   • Start in the 90/90 position with your hands lightly touching the ground for balance, using minimal support compared to the previous progression.

   • Begin to sit back diagonally toward the rear leg, focusing on loading the internal rotation of your back hip, but only go roughly halfway down.

   • Keep both knees pressed firmly into the floor throughout the movement — the back knee in particular must not lift.

   • Pause briefly at the halfway point for 1-2 seconds, feeling the tension in the deep hip rotators before returning to the start.

   • Return to the upright starting position with control, actively engaging your hip muscles to drive the movement.

   • Maintain an upright chest and a neutral spine throughout — avoid rounding your back as you lean.

   • Exhale as you lower into the partial sitback and inhale as you return to the top.

   • Perform all prescribed reps on one side before switching to the other, gradually increasing depth over sessions as your mobility improves.

3. 03

   Full 90/90 Sitbacks

   • Begin in the 90/90 position with your torso fully upright and your hands off the ground — this is the unsupported version.

   • Slowly sit back in a diagonal direction toward the rear leg, allowing your torso to hinge as you deepen the internal rotation in your back hip.

   • Keep both knees firmly on the ground throughout — if the rear knee lifts, reduce the depth until your mobility allows full range.

   • Go as far as your mobility allows, ideally lowering your glute all the way to the floor without hand support.

   • Pause at the bottom for 2-3 seconds, actively feeling the load on the hip internal rotators before pressing back up.

   • Drive back up to the starting position using your hip muscles, not momentum — keep the ascent slow and controlled.

   • Exhale as you lower into the full sitback and inhale as you return to the upright position.

   • Complete all prescribed reps on one side before switching legs, aiming for smooth, fluid transitions throughout each set.

4. 04

   W-Sit with Lean Back

   • Start in a W-sit position with both legs bent at the knees and feet tucked outward beside your hips, forming a “W” shape when viewed from above.

   • Keep the tops of your feet flat on the ground with toes pointing backward — this ensures proper internal rotation loading on both hips simultaneously.

   • Slowly lean back from the hips, keeping your core engaged and your spine as straight as possible throughout the descent.

   • Pause when you feel a strong but manageable stretch in both hips and the front of your thighs, holding for 1-2 seconds at the bottom.

   • Return to the upright position with control by pressing through your hip muscles, avoiding the use of momentum.

   • This bilateral variation loads both hips at once, making it more demanding than the 90/90 progressions — scale the depth accordingly.

   • Exhale as you lean back and inhale as you return to the upright position, using the breath to manage tension.

   • Gradually increase the depth of the lean over multiple sessions, and stop immediately if you feel any sharp pain in the knees.

Common mistakes

• Sitting Straight Back Instead of Diagonally
• Back Knee Lifting Off the Ground
• Losing the 90-Degree Leg Angles
• Rushing the Movement
• Knee Pain During the Exercise