Weighted one leg hip thrust

Description

How to Do Weighted one leg hip thrust

1. 1
   Setup

   Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor close to your glutes. Place a dumbbell or barbell across your lower abdomen, holding it securely with your hands.

2. 2
   Setup

   Extend one leg straight out in front of you or bend it slightly, keeping it off the floor. Position your working foot directly under your knee, ensuring your shin is vertical at the top of the movement.

3. 3

   Brace your core, take a deep breath, and drive through the heel of your working foot to lift your hips off the floor. Push your hips upward until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knee, squeezing your glute at the top.

4. 4

   Hold the peak contraction for a moment, then slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position with control. Keep tension on your glute throughout the entire eccentric (lowering) phase.

5. 5

   Exhale as you lower your hips and inhale as you prepare for the next repetition. Complete all reps on one leg before switching to the other.

Tips

• Focus on driving through your heel, not your toes, to maximize glute activation and minimize quadriceps involvement.
• Maintain a neutral spine by bracing your core throughout the movement; avoid excessive arching or rounding of your lower back.
• Control both the upward and downward phases of the movement, aiming for a 2-second raise and a 2-3 second lower, to maximize time under tension.
• Ensure your upper back remains firmly planted against the bench, using it as a pivot point rather than lifting your shoulders off.

Common Mistakes

• ×Arching the lower back excessively at the top of the movement can strain your spine; instead, tuck your pelvis slightly and engage your core to achieve a neutral spine.
• ×Not fully extending the hips at the top reduces glute activation; ensure your hips are fully extended and your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• ×Using momentum to thrust the weight up diminishes muscle engagement; perform each repetition with controlled, deliberate movement, focusing on the glute contraction.