The glowing area shows where you should feel it working.
Hip thrusts · ●●● Difficulty 2 of 3
Hip Thrust
Gluteus maximus · hamstrings
The king of glute builders. Your glutes are loaded hardest at the top, where they're fully shortened — perfect for shape and lift.
Set up
- Sit with the lower edge of your shoulder blades against a bench or sturdy couch.
- Feet flat, hip-width apart, about one shin-length from your hips.
- Rest the weight in your hip crease (use a pad for a barbell).
How to do it
- 1Tuck your chin and brace your core like you're about to laugh.
- 2Drive through your heels and push your hips up until your torso is parallel to the floor.
- 3At the top, shins are vertical. Squeeze your glutes hard for 1–2 seconds.
- 4Lower under control until your hips are a few centimetres off the floor.
Form cues
- Chin tucked, eyes forward — ribs down
- Push the floor away with your heels
- Finish with glutes, not your lower back
Common mistakes
- Arching your lower back at the top instead of tilting the pelvis
- Feet too close, which turns it into a quad exercise
- Rushing the squeeze at the top
Make it work for you
- Easier
- Glute bridge on the floor
- Harder
- Single-leg hip thrust, or 3-second pauses at the top
- Bodyweight
- Bodyweight, 2-second squeeze
- Bands
- Long band pinned across hips
- Dumbbells
- Dumbbell on hips
- Gym
- Barbell with pad
Want this in a plan made for you?
Get the right exercises, sets and reps for your goal — progressed over 12 weeks.
Take the quizRecommended gear
For your hip thrust
Makes heavy thrusts comfortable
Barbell hip thrust pad
Heavy resistance without the weights
Long resistance loop bands
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