Description
A strength exercise that targets the glutes, performed using a barbell. The individual sits on the ground with a bench behind them, rests the barbell on their hips, and thrusts up.
How to Do Barbell Hip Thrust
- 1Setup
Position a sturdy bench behind you. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the bench, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
- 2Setup
Roll a padded barbell over your hips, resting it comfortably between your pelvic bones and pubic bone.
- 3
Brace your core, engage your glutes, and drive through your heels to lift your hips off the floor, extending them fully until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Exhale as you thrust.
- 4
Squeeze your glutes powerfully at the top of the movement, ensuring your shins are vertical and your knees are directly over your ankles.
- 5
Slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position with control, maintaining tension in your glutes throughout the eccentric phase. Inhale as you lower.
Tips
- Adjust your foot distance; if your feet are too far out, you'll feel it more in your hamstrings, too close, and it will be more quads. Find the sweet spot where you feel your glutes maximally.
- Keep your chin tucked towards your chest throughout the movement to maintain a neutral spine and prevent hyperextension of your neck and lower back.
- Control the eccentric (lowering) phase of the movement; don't just let the weight drop, as this increases time under tension and builds more strength.
- Focus on achieving full hip extension at the top by squeezing your glutes hard, imagining you're pushing your hips towards the ceiling.
Common Mistakes
- ×Many people hyperextend their lumbar spine at the top instead of achieving full hip extension; fix this by engaging your core and squeezing your glutes to tilt your pelvis posteriorly.
- ×Failing to lower the hips sufficiently or fully extend at the top limits glute activation; ensure your hips drop nearly to the floor and rise until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- ×Pushing off your toes reduces glute engagement and shifts work to the quads; actively drive through your heels to maximize glute activation.
Variations
Barbell Resistance Band Hip Thrust
Enhance your glute and hamstring strength with the Barbell Resistance Band Hip Thrust.
Barbell one leg hip thrust
Master the barbell one-leg hip thrust to sculpt powerful glutes and hamstrings. This challenging exercise builds unilateral strength and stability,
Resistance Band Hip Thrusts
Target your glutes and hamstrings effectively with Resistance Band Hip Thrusts. This exercise builds powerful hips and strengthens your posterior chain.
Dumbbell Single Leg Hip Thrust
Strengthen your glutes and hamstrings with the Dumbbell Single Leg Hip Thrust. Master this unilateral exercise for improved balance and powerful hip
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Barbell Glute Bridge
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Smith Hip Thrust
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Dumbbell Single Leg Glute Bridge
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Weighted one leg hip thrust
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Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
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