Hip Thrusts: Ultimate Guide to Targeting Your Glutes and Legs

If you were to make a list of objectionable exercises, the hip thrust would rank at the top. There is a reason, however, that exercisers swear by the hip thrust — it works!

The glutes are the biggest muscle in our body. Hip joint extension, abduction, and rotation are the main functions of the glutes. They help with movements like standing up from a seated position, walking, running, and climbing stairs.

Glutes help generate strength and explosive power in lower body movements, such as the squat, deadlift, clean, and snatch. Building strong glutes can help improve your athletic performance, especially in activities that require explosive power, such as running, jumping, and changing directions quickly. 

Strong glutes also help maintain a good posture and promote balance and stability. They reduce the risk of lower back pain by supporting the lower spine and pelvis. To sum it up, strong glutes improve your performance in the gym and daily activities, and you cannot ignore training them.

Although exercises like the squat, lunge, and deadlift train your tush, they don’t primarily focus on it. On the other hand, the hip thrust is an isolation (single-joint) exercise that zeroes down on your glutes and helps build a bigger and stronger butt.

This article covers everything you need to know about hip thrust, including an overview of the exercise, target muscles, benefits, correct form, common mistakes, progression, and exercise alternatives to add variety to your training regimen. 

What is a Hip Thrust?

The hip thrust is an isolation exercise that targets the largest gluteal muscle — the gluteus maximus. This exercise is more effective than compound (multi-joint) exercises, such as the squat, to isolate the glutes. [1]

Although hip thrust has been around for a long time, it has gained popularity over the last couple of decades thanks to the growing appeal of bigger, rounder, and stronger rears. Ladies trying to build a captivating butt should perform the hip thrust. The thrusting exercise is also a favorite among athletes that want to build stronger glutes for exercises like the squat, deadlift, and Olympic lifts. 

The hip thrust involves placing a barbell across your hip crease while sitting against a sturdy elevated object, such as a flat bench or plyo bench. You then raise your hips toward the ceiling while driving your feet into the ground. 

Most lifters use an Olympic barbell for the hip thrust. Many top-end gyms, however, have hip thrust machines that follow a fixed trajectory. These machines help better isolate your glutes by removing the need to balance the barbell and rolling it up and down your legs. Plus, you don’t have to gather a barbell, bench, pads, and weight plates while using the hip thrust machine. 

Muscles Worked During Hip Thrust

Here are the muscles trained by the hip thrust:

Glutes

The hip thrust primarily works the glutes. The isolation exercise helps build a stronger and bigger butt, improving your athletic performance, aesthetics, and posture and reducing the risk of lower back pain. [2]

The hip thrust focuses on the gluteus maximus — the biggest gluteal muscle. It is a thick fleshy muscle with a quadrangular shape that gives your butt its shape. It also plays a vital role in maintaining the upper body in an erect posture. 

Hamstrings

The hamstrings are the muscles at the back of your upper legs and help extend the hip joint and flex the knee joint. Hammies help extend the hip joint along with the glutes during the hip thrust. The hamstrings are primarily involved in the upper half of the exercise’s range of motion. You’ll also experience calf and adductor engagement while doing the hip thrust. 

Abs

You must hold your body from head to knees in a straight line at the top of the movement. Keeping your core tight throughout the exercise will help you control the weight and contract your glutes at the static contraction point. A weak core will make it harder for you to hold your position at the top. Brace your abs, glutes, and lower back for stability.

Erector spinae

The erector spinae muscles run on either side of the spine and help maintain proper posture and extend the spine. These muscles help stabilize the spine and maintain proper form during the hip thrust. 

Benefits of Hip Thrust

Adding the hip thrust to your training regimen entails the following advantages:

Builds Strength and Muscle Mass

You could program the hip thrust for strength or hypertrophy. Doing 1-5 reps using heavier weights for more sets helps build strength. On the other hand, performing 8-12 reps using moderate weight is better suited for hypertrophy. [3]

Since the hip thrust is a glute isolation exercise, it allows you to move big weights. Your glutes are the biggest and strongest muscle in your body, which makes the hip thrust one of the heaviest exercises in your exercise arsenal. Ensure you are following the correct form to minimize the risk of injury. 

The hip thrust is an incredibly effective lower body exercise to induce gluteal muscle growth, which can improve your aesthetics by toning, lifting, and building your butt. It is a must-have in your exercise arsenal if you want a bigger tush.

Boosts Athletic Performance

The strength and muscle mass built in the hip thrust will carry over to functional exercises like the squat and lunge and will improve your performance in daily activities. The hip thrust builds stronger glutes, improving your power and speed. Explosive power can improve your performance in athletic activities like sprinting, jumping, and changing directions quickly. [4]

You can also use a rep tempo geared toward building explosive strength. For example, use a 1-2-4-0 rep tempo for building gluteal strength. This rep tempo involves exploding to the top of the range of motion from the starting position, pausing for two seconds at the static contraction point, taking four seconds to lower the weight to the start position, and again firing back to the top without stopping for rest at the bottom. 

Use a more moderate 1-2-2-1 rep tempo if your goal is to induce hypertrophy. Muscle-building-focused reps will feel more deliberate and controlled than strength-focused repetitions.

Versatility

The hip thrust is an incredibly versatile exercise. You could do it bodyweight, using resistance bands, kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells, or machines. It allows you to perform the exercise in the gym or on the go. 

You can modify the exercise to suit your training needs. Beginners can perform bodyweight hip thrusts to learn the correct technique, whereas advanced lifters have the option to max out the barbell.

Furthermore, you could perform a single-leg variation of the hip thrust to fix muscle and strength imbalances. The single-leg hip thrust helps better isolate the glutes and reduces the risk of injury. [5]

Low Impact

The hip thrust is a low-impact lift, unlike plyometric and most compound exercises. It saves your joints, tendons, muscles, and ligaments from undue stress. You move the weight with minimal spine compression on the hip thrust because of the horizontal force angle. On the other hand, exercises such as the squat and deadlift apply vertical spine compression.

The hip thrust is one of the best resistance exercises for folks dealing with back injuries. Try the hip thrust if you have trouble holding the barbell on your back for the barbell squat or in the front rack position. You must, however, consult your healthcare provider before weight training during rehabilitation. 

Reduces Risk of Injury

Strong glutes can improve your posture, reducing the risk of lower back pain. Furthermore, the hip thrust strengthens your glutes and improves pelvic stability, reducing the risk of injury during training. Since the hip thrust is a low-impact exercise, there is minimal risk of injury while performing the exercise. 

How To Do A Hip Thrust

Although the barbell hip thrust might look simple, you must master the intricacies to get the best bang for your buck. Here is how to do the lift with the correct form:

Steps

1. Sit on the floor and place your back against an elevated surface like a flat bench or plyo table. 
2. Extend your legs straight. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart.
3. Roll a barbell up your legs, so it is in your hip crease. 
4. Grab the bar with a shoulder-wide overhand grip. 
5. Plant your feet flat on the floor. Adjust your feet, so your thighs and torso form a “V.”
6. Brace your core and squeeze your glutes. 
7. Lift your hips towards the ceiling by driving your feet into the floor until your body is in a straight line from your head to your knees. Your lower legs should be perpendicular to the floor at this position.
8. Pause and contract your glutes at the top. 
9. Slowly return to the starting position. 
10. Repeat for recommended reps. 

Tips:

1. Position an exercise mat between the barbell and your legs. Alternatively, you could use a barbell pad to prevent the bar from digging into your pelvic bone. 
2. Keep your head neutral throughout the exercise. Bending your neck backward at the top and tucking in your chin at the bottom puts unnecessary stress on your neck. 
3. Make sure you don’t use your hands to lift the weight. Ensuring stability is the only purpose of holding the bar. 
4. Many lifters drive their heels into the ground while doing this exercise, which makes their toes lift off the floor. Full feet contact with the floor allows you to generate more power.
5. Stop before the bar touches the floor at the bottom for constant tension on your glutes. 
6. Exhaling during the concentric (upward) movement will help you achieve a better glute contraction. 
7. Slow down the rep tempo if you can’t feel glute stimulation during the exercise. 

Common Mistakes While Performing a Hip Thrust

You must perform an exercise with the perfect form to get the most out of it and reduce the risk of injury. Here are some frequent mistakes that lifters make while performing the hip thrust:

Overextending Your Back at the Top

Whatever can go wrong on the hip thrust usually goes wrong, especially for beginners and ego lifters. Your body should be in a straight line from head to knees at the top to achieve optimal glute stimulation. Many lifters, however, overextend their back in hopes of getting a better pump. 

Rounding your back at the top puts your spine in a delicate position, increasing your risk of injury. You must keep your core, glutes, and lower back braced throughout the range of motion for the best results.

Ensuring you are pushing through your hips and avoiding driving the weights through your lower back can help avoid overextension. Overextension might not be a problem while using lighter weights, but the risk of injury rises as you increase the poundage. 

Limited Range of Motion

Many lifters use a restricted range of motion (ROM) while performing the hip thrust. The limited ROM could be because of a lack of mobility, inexperience, or using more weights than you can handle. Nonetheless, it hampers the effectiveness of the exercise and increases your odds of injury. [6]

The weight plates should be a few inches from the floor at the bottom of the movement. Conversely, your body from head to knees should be in a straight line at the top. Ask your training partner for cues to ensure you follow a full range of motion. You could also record yourself and review the footage later if you train alone. 

Incorrect Feet Placement

Your foot placement plays a vital role while performing the hip thrust. Many lifters have their feet wider-than-shoulder-width apart, which removes tension from their glutes and puts it on their adductors. 

Furthermore, most are confused about the distance between their hips and feet. Placing your feet too close to your hips will stress your knees and result in greater quad engagement. Planting them too far away will limit your range of motion and might cause your toes to lift off the floor. For optimal muscle fiber stimulation, you should plant your feet on the floor in a position so that your lower legs are perpendicular to the floor at the top of the ROM. 

Your feet should be parallel to each other. Placing your feet on an angle can put your ankles under unnecessary stress while lifting heavy weights. You must fine-tune your body position before going too heavy. 

Letting Your Knees Cave In

Although this is a common hip thrust mistake, it is rarely addressed. Many lifters experience a caving-in of the knees while doing the hip thrust, especially while lifting heavy. Letting your knees collapse puts undue stress on the hips and knees. 

You must ensure your knees align with your ankles throughout the exercise to limit your risk of injury. Bracing your core, glutes, and lower back while doing hip thrusts prevents your knees from collapsing. 

Not Utilizing Progressive Overload

Many lifters leave gains on the table by limiting the weights they use in this exercise. The gluteus maximus is the biggest and strongest muscle in your body, and the hip thrust is an isolation exercise. It is the perfect exercise to go heavy on for optimal gains. You must, however, ensure that you never compromise form for poundage. 

Hip Thrust Progression

Beginners should use these exercises to work toward the hip thrust:

Glute Bridge

The glute bridge mimics the hip thrust, the only difference being that it is performed while lying on the floor. It is a great hip thrust variation to learn the basics, improve your mobility, and focus on establishing a mind-muscle connection.

Steps:

1. Lie supine on the floor with your arms extended at your sides. Your palms should be placed flat on the floor.
2. Place your feet flat on the floor. Adjust your feet so that your upper and lower legs form an “A.”
3. Brace your glutes and abs.
4. Lift your hips toward the ceiling by driving your feet into the floor. 
5. Your body should be in a straight line from your shoulder to your knees at the top. 
6. Pause and contract your glutes at the top. 
7. Slowly return to the starting position. 
8. Repeat for reps.

Check out our complete glute bridge guide here!

Single-Leg Glute Bridge

The single-leg glute bridge is a unilateral exercise that can help build balance and stability. 

Steps:

1. Lie supine on the floor with your arms extended at your sides.
2. Plant your feet flat on the floor.
3. Pull one knee to your chest while maintaining a bend in your knee. Hold this position throughout the exercise. 
4. Lift your hips toward the ceiling by driving your feet into the floor. 
5. Pause and contract your glutes at the top. 
6. Return to the starting position. 
7. Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides. 

Check out our complete glute bridge guide here!

Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing is a great hip thrust variation. It is fantastic for building explosive glute strength as your glutes and hamstrings drive this movement. 

Steps:

1. Stand upright with a wider-than-shoulder-width stance while holding a kettlebell with both hands between your legs.
2. Assume a hinged position with your knees slightly bent, and your chin tucked.
3. Begin the movement by pushing the kettlebell between your legs while keeping a neutral spine and chest lifted.
4. Explosively push your hips forward while squeezing your glutes. 
5. Use the momentum from this movement to propel the kettlebell to shoulder height. 
6. Let the bell swing back down. 
7. Repeat for the desired repetitions.

Check out our complete kettlebell swing guide here!

Hip Thrust 

After you’ve practiced the three exercises mentioned above, you are ready for the bodyweight hip thrust. 

Steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your back against the side of a flat bench. 
2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, roughly shoulder-width apart.
3. Lift your hips toward the ceiling by driving your feet into the floor.
4. Pause and contract your glutes at the top. 
5. Slowly return to the starting position. 
6. Repeat for recommended reps. 

Variations and Alternatives of Hip Thrust

Add these hip thrust variations and alternatives to your exercise program for variety:

Deficit Hip Thrust

This is an advanced hip thrust variation. You should only do it after you’ve mastered the conventional lift. 

Steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your back against the side of a flat bench. 
2. Perform a hip thrust, so your body from head to knee is in a straight line. 
3. While in this position, plant your feet on an elevated platform like an aerobic step or a plyo box. This will be your new starting position. 
4. Slowly lower your hips toward the floor as low as possible.
5. Explode back to the top. 
6. Repeat for recommended reps.

Single-Leg Hip Thrust

The single-leg hip thrust is like the unilateral glute bridge exercise. You’ll use a dumbbell to focus on your glutes in this variation.

Steps:

1. Place your upper back against a flat bench with one knee bent and the foot of the same leg planted on the floor. This will be your working leg.
2. Lift your other leg off the floor, so your upper and lower leg is at a 90-degree angle.
3. Place a dumbbell in your hip crease and hold its sides with both hands for stability.
4. Lift your hips toward the ceiling while driving your feet into the floor.
5. Keep your spine and head neutral throughout the exercise.
6. Pause and contract your glutes at the top.
7. Slowly return to the starting position.
8. Repeat for desired reps.

Dumbbell Step-Up

The dumbbell step-up is a hip thrust alternative that helps build explosive strength.

Steps:

1. Stand upright in front of an elevated platform like a plyo box.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip. 
3. Plant one foot on the elevated platform. 
4. Lift the rear foot off the floor by driving through the front foot.
5. Your knees should be fully extended at the top. 
6. Slowly lower to the start position. 
7. Repeat for recommended reps before switching sides.

Check out our complete dumbbell step-up guide here!

Good Morning

Good morning is a hip hinge movement that targets the glutes. 

Steps:

1. Stand upright with a shoulder-wide stance with a barbell placed across your shoulders.
2. While maintaining a slight bend in your knees, push back your hips, and bring your torso toward the floor while maintaining a neutral spine.
3. Your upper body should be almost parallel to the floor at the bottom. 
4. Pause and contract your glutes and hams. 
5. Slowly return to the starting position. 
6. Repeat for recommended reps.

Check out our complete good morning guide here!

FAQs

Are hip thrust machines better than barbell hip thrust?

Hip thrust machines eliminate the need to balance the barbell and follow a fixed trajectory, making establishing a mind-muscle connection more convenient. The thigh pads of the hip thrust machines are also more comfortable than barbell pads. This is, however, a subjective question, and an individual might prefer the barbell hip thrust over the machine.

What other equipment can I use for hip thrusts besides a barbell?

You could use resistance bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, a hip thrust machine, or a Smith machine for the hip thrust. Each variation trains your muscles differently, and you should alternate between them in your training regimen for optimal muscle stimulation. 

Can I replace the deadlift with the hip thrust in my leg workout?

The deadlift is a compound (multi-joint) exercise that works the entire posterior chain, whereas the hip thrust is an isolation lift that primarily targets your glutes. If you had to choose one, you should choose the deadlift over the hip thrust. Most of us, however, have the time and resources to incorporate both into our training regimen. 

Can hip thrust cause lower back pain?

Hip thrust can lead to lower back pain if done with an incorrect form. Keep your core, glutes, and lower back engaged and in a neutral position to reduce the risk of lower back pain while performing the exercise. 

Wrapping Up

The hip thrust is an excellent exercise to build explosive strength in your lower body and improve your aesthetics, balance, and posture. Although the hip thrust might look easy, most people do it incorrectly. You must perform the hip thrust to perfection to get the most out of it.

You can do the hip thrust 1-2 times weekly, depending on your experience level and training goals. Use the progression exercise, variations, and alternatives mentioned in this article to keep your workouts interesting. Best of luck!

References

1. Elzanie A, Borger J. Anatomy, Bony Pelvis and Lower Limb, Gluteus Maximus Muscle. [Updated 2022 Mar 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. 
2. Neto WK, Soares EG, Vieira TL, Aguiar R, Chola TA, Sampaio VL, Gama EF. Gluteus Maximus Activation during Common Strength and Hypertrophy Exercises: A Systematic Review. J Sports Sci Med. 2020 Feb 24;19(1):195-203. PMID: 32132843; PMCID: PMC7039033.
3. Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
4. Contreras, B., Vigotsky, A. D., Schoenfeld, B. J., Beardsley, C., & Cronin, J. (2017). A comparison of gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis electromyography amplitude in the back squat and barbell hip thrust exercises. Journal of applied biomechanics, 33(2), 83-89. doi: 10.1123/jab.2016-0203
5. Andersen, V., Fimland, M. S., & Mo, D. A. (2019). The effects of adding single-joint exercises to a multi-joint exercise resistance training program in trained women. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 33(9), 2353-2363. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003116
6. Ramirez-Campillo, Rodrigo & Burgos, Carlos & Henríquez-Olguín, Carlos & Andrade, David & Martínez, Cristian & Álvarez, Cristian & Castro-Sepulveda, Mauricio & Marques, Mário & Izquierdo, Mikel. (2015). Effect of Unilateral, Bilateral, and Combined Plyometric Training on Explosive and Endurance Performance of Young Soccer Players. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 29. 1317–1328. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000762.

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