Hip Thrust

How to Perform

1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench at shoulder blade level
2. Roll a barbell over your hips (use a thick pad or towel)
3. Plant feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart, shins vertical at the top
4. Drive hips up until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders
5. Squeeze glutes hard at the top for 1-2 seconds
6. Lower with control

Tips

• Tuck your chin to your chest and look forward, not up — hyperextending your neck is a common mistake that leads to lower back arching
• No barbell? A heavy dumbbell across your hips or single-leg bodyweight hip thrusts are effective alternatives
• Use a 1-2 second drive up with a hard 2 second squeeze at the top and a 2-3 second descent — the pause at the top is essential for glute activation
• Pushing through your toes instead of your heels shifts the work to your quads — drive through your heels for maximum glute activation
• You should feel an intense contraction in both glute cheeks at the top — if you feel it in your hamstrings, move your feet closer to the bench

Essential Equipment

Equipment	Why You Need It	Our Pick	Review
Barbell Pad	Prevents painful bar pressure on your hip bones	Squat Sponge Barbell Pad	Read Review
Weight Bench	Provides the back support essential for hip thrusts	Flybird Adjustable Bench	Read Review
Resistance Bands	Place above knees to increase glute activation	POWER GUIDANCE Bands	Read Review