Intermediate

Barbell Hip Thrust

The barbell hip thrust is the premier glute-building lift, putting peak load right where the glutes are strongest at full hip lockout. Its horizontal force vector targets the glutes more directly than any squat or deadlift. A must-have for both physique and sprint-speed development.

Equipment
Barbell, Bench
Body part
Glutes, Hamstring
Type
Strength
Browse by muscle
Gluteus Maximus
Browse by movement
Hinge
Muscles worked
Target
Gluteus Maximus
Secondary
Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus
Tertiary
Erector Spinae, Adductor Magnus

How to do it

  1. 1

    Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench and the bar over your hips.

  2. 2

    Use a pad on the bar and set your feet flat, shins vertical at the top.

  3. 3

    Tuck your chin and brace your abs.

  4. 4

    Drive through your heels to lift the hips until the torso is level.

  5. 5

    Squeeze the glutes hard at the top and hold for a beat.

  6. 6

    Lower the hips under control and repeat without resting the bar down.

Tips

  • Finish with a posterior tilt, ribs down, rather than hyperextending the back.
  • Keep shins vertical at lockout so the glutes, not the quads, do the work.
  • Push through the heels and mid-foot, not the toes.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Choosing a bench that sits too high makes your shoulders ride up it as you drive; the edge should meet just below your shoulder blades so it acts as a pivot.
  • Throwing the head back at lockout to help finish the rep tips the pelvis the wrong way; keep the chin tucked and let your eyes travel from your knees to the far wall.
  • Setting the feet too far out shifts the drive onto the hamstrings and often cramps them; step them back until the shins are vertical at the top.
  • Stopping while the hips are still below the knees leaves the glutes short of the position where they are strongest; drive until the torso and thighs form a straight line.
  • Resting a bare bar on the front of your hip bones hurts enough to end the set early; use a thick pad and sit the bar in the crease of the hips.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of hip thrusts should you do when you are new to the exercise?
Three sets of 8 to 12 reps, twice a week, holding the top of each rep for a full second. Start light enough that you can keep the lockout still, then add about 5 kg (10 lb) whenever all three sets reach 12 clean reps. Glutes tolerate load and volume well, so this lift usually climbs faster than a squat or a press, but keep the pace honest and never rush the lowering.
What can I do instead of a barbell hip thrust with no barbell?
A dumbbell laid across the hips is the direct swap and is easier to set up alone. A single-leg hip thrust with your shoulders on a bench needs no weight at all and still challenges most people. On the floor, a glute bridge, with or without a band above the knees, trains the same hip extension through a shorter range and is a fine starting point.
What is the hip thrust good for and when is it a poor choice?
It puts peak load right where the glutes are strongest, at full hip extension, which makes it the most direct glute builder there is and useful for sprinting and jumping power. It is a poor choice as your only lower-body lift, because the knees and quads do very little and the range is short. If your lower back takes over and you feel the work there instead of in the glutes, lighten the bar, tuck the ribs down, and shorten the range at the top.

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