Hip Thrusts

Description

How to Do Hip Thrusts

1. 1
   Setup

   Position your upper back against a stable bench, with your shoulder blades at the edge. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.

2. 2
   Setup

   Ensure your feet are positioned so your shins are vertical to the floor at the top of the movement. Engage your core and slightly tuck your pelvis to flatten your lower back.

3. 3

   Drive through your heels and glutes, lifting your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Squeeze your glutes forcefully at the top.

4. 4

   Slowly lower your hips back down towards the floor with control, maintaining tension in your glutes throughout the eccentric phase. Do not fully rest your glutes on the floor.

5. 5

   Immediately reverse the movement to begin the next repetition, focusing on continuous glute engagement and hip extension.

Tips

• Adjust your foot distance from the bench to optimize glute activation; experiment to find the spot where your shins are vertical at the top of the movement.
• Focus on a strong, deliberate glute contraction at the peak of the movement, imagining you're trying to crack a walnut between your glutes.
• Maintain core engagement and a neutral spine throughout the exercise to protect your lower back and enhance stability.
• Control the eccentric phase by slowly lowering your hips for 2-3 seconds to maximize muscle tension and growth.

Common Mistakes

• ×Hyperextending the lower back at the top can strain your spine; fix this by tucking your pelvis slightly and bracing your core to maintain a neutral spine.
• ×Using momentum to jerk the hips up instead of controlling the movement reduces glute activation; fix this by driving through your heels with a smooth, controlled motion.
• ×Incorrect foot placement (too far or too close) shifts tension away from the glutes; adjust your feet so your shins are vertical at the top of the movement for optimal glute engagement.