Smith Hip Thrust
The Smith hip thrust is a weightlifting exercise that targets the glutes and hips.
Description
The Smith hip thrust is a weightlifting exercise that targets the glutes and hips. It involves lifting a loaded barbell using your hips while your upper back is supported by a bench.
How to Do Smith Hip Thrust
- 1Setup
Position a flat bench parallel to the Smith machine, ensuring it's stable. Sit on the floor with your upper back against the bench and the Smith machine bar resting across your hips.
- 2Setup
Adjust the bar height so you can unrack it easily at the top of the movement; place your feet flat on the floor, about shoulder-width apart, with knees bent at a 90-degree angle at the top.
- 3
Brace your core, drive through your heels, and lift the bar by extending your hips towards the ceiling, squeezing your glutes intensely at the top.
- 4
At the peak, your body should form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees, with your shins perpendicular to the floor.
- 5
Slowly lower the bar back down in a controlled manner, allowing your glutes to stretch at the bottom without fully resting the weight.
Tips
- Maintain a slight tuck in your chin, looking towards your knees, to prevent hyperextension of the neck and keep your spine neutral.
- Focus on driving through your heels to maximize glute activation and minimize quadriceps involvement.
- Ensure your feet are positioned so that your shins are vertical when your hips are fully extended at the top of the movement.
- Control the eccentric (lowering) phase, taking 2-3 seconds to return to the starting position to enhance muscle growth.
Common Mistakes
- ×Arching your lower back at the top puts undue stress on your spine; instead, maintain a neutral spine by engaging your core and squeezing your glutes.
- ×Failing to achieve full hip extension or letting your hips drop too low reduces glute activation; drive your hips up until your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
- ×Having your feet too far out or too close in shifts tension away from the glutes; adjust your foot placement so your shins are vertical at the top of the movement.
Variations
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,
Smith Frog Hip Thrust
Maximize glute and hamstring activation with the Smith Frog Hip Thrust. This powerful exercise targets your posterior chain for improved strength and
Smith Kneeling Hip Thrust
Build powerful glutes and strong hamstrings with the Smith kneeling hip thrust. This exercise maximizes hip extension, engaging your posterior chain
Hip Thrusts
Strengthen your glutes and hamstrings with bodyweight hip thrusts. This exercise builds powerful hip extension, enhancing lower body strength and athletic
Related Exercises
Barbell Hip Thrust
Barbell Hip Thrust targets glutes, hamstrings, and quads. This powerful exercise builds lower body strength, improves hip extension, and enhances athletic
Smith Sumo Squat
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Smith Hack Squat
Target your quads and glutes effectively with the Smith Hack Squat. This stable, machine-guided variation builds lower body strength and muscle mass with
Smith Deadlift
Master the Smith Deadlift to build a strong lower back, glutes, and hamstrings with controlled movement. Ideal for focused strength and muscle growth.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Build total-body strength with this demanding complex combining renegade rows and explosive squats.
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