Hip Thrust

How to Perform the Hip Thrust

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back resting against a stable bench. Roll a loaded barbell over your legs so it sits across your hip crease.
2. Use a barbell pad or folded towel for comfort. Plant your feet flat on the floor, roughly shoulder-width apart, with your knees bent at about 90 degrees.
3. Grip the bar with both hands to keep it stable and brace your core.
4. Drive through your heels and squeeze your glutes to thrust your hips upward until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
5. At the top, your shins should be roughly vertical and your torso parallel to the floor. Squeeze your glutes as hard as possible.
6. Hold the top position for 1-2 seconds, maintaining a posterior pelvic tilt (tuck your tailbone slightly).
7. Lower your hips back down in a controlled manner until they nearly touch the floor, then repeat.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Muscles Worked

Benefits

• ✓Maximises glute activation and growth more than any other exercise
• ✓Builds hip extension power for sprinting, jumping, and athletic performance
• ✓Places minimal stress on the lower back compared to squats and deadlifts
• ✓Improves lockout strength for deadlifts and squat performance

Pro Tips

• ●Use a thick barbell pad — hip thrusts with heavy weight and no padding are extremely uncomfortable.
• ●Tuck your chin to your chest throughout the movement to avoid neck hyperextension.
• ●Start with bodyweight glute bridges on the floor before progressing to the barbell hip thrust.

Recommended Sets & Reps

Training Guides

Articles featuring the hip thrust in workout programs and training advice.