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Hip Thrusts: Where the Magic Happens

One of the most useful exercises for loading hip extension. Set up correctly, move with control, and let the glutes do the work.

Barbell hip thrust side view: start, lift, and return with shoulders on bench — Hip Thrust movement illustrations

The prescription

Sets: 3–4 sets
Reps: 6–12 reps
Rest: 2 min
Time: About 12 min

Equipment. Bench, Barbell, Hip thrust pad

Muscles. gluteus maximus. Also hamstrings, quadriceps, core

Starting position

Sit on the floor with the shoulder blades against a bench.
Roll a barbell into the hip crease, or use a dumbbell. A pad makes the bar tolerable.
Feet are flat, about shoulder width, and close enough that the shins are near vertical at the top.

How to move

Brace, tuck the chin slightly, and keep the ribs down.
Drive through the heels until the hips are fully extended and the torso is parallel to the floor.
Pause briefly and squeeze the glutes without flinging the lower back into an arch.
Lower the hips with control until you are back near the start, then repeat.

Common mistakes

Pushing through the toes and feeling the quads take over.
Overarching the lower back at the top instead of reaching full hip extension.
Setting the feet so far out that the hamstrings cramp before the glutes work.

Variations

Dumbbell hip thrust
Single-leg hip thrust
Pause hip thrust

Progressions

Add load.
Hold the top for two seconds.

Regressions

Glute bridge
Frog pump

Safety

Stop if you feel sharp pain, joint pinch, or symptoms that are not ordinary muscle effort.
This is general technique education, not a personal clearance to train through an injury.
If a bar bruises the hips even with a pad, use a dumbbell or a band until the setup feels secure.

All Cheeked Up publishes general fitness education. It is not medical advice, physical therapy, or a promise that your body will change. Stop any exercise that causes pain and talk with a qualified professional about injuries, pregnancy, or health conditions before you train.

Related exercises

Programs that use it

Gear that helps

Equipment

AffiliateEquipment

Hip Thrust Pad

A dense pad that sits between the bar and your hips. It will not make the thrust work better. It will make you willing to do another set.

About $29